Sexual Abuse –A View.

Anne Lastman
August 2018

As we survey our world we can see and feel a darkness envelope it. A darkness which seems to have been calculated and which now enshrouds both our world and our church.

It’s a palpable darkness which seems to have subtly converged upon all of us. This darkness is most vividly seen overhanging the Catholic Church. A darkness brought out by the sexual abuse scandals which in some ways seems to be hurtling from one country, one diocese one leader to another.

One after another catholic leaders seem to be falling “like flies” as the saying might go.

It began slowly, slowly and has gathered a momentum hereto unknown.

Sexual abuse of children is a vile crime, indeed I would say the same kind of vileness as abortion. Both of these crimes have death of innocence as its signature. Both of these crimes call out to God for Justice. The blood that these crimes have shed has called out for justice.(Gen4:10) Before I continue along the line of God’s justice a look at the crime and sin of sexual abuse of children which has existed since time immemorial might help to see why we have reached this moment of darkness.

Many reasons have been proffered for why this type of abuse happens. Some would say it’s a control/power issue. However I would say this is not so. Sexual abuse of children is about stealing of innocence. Just like the sin of the garden. A stealing of innocence.

It has also been said that sexual abuse of children is a homosexual issue, and whilst we understand that homosexuality is not what God has intended for human beings, to say that homosexuality is the lead cause of the abuse is to shut our eyes and ears to the real cause of such abuse and the real cause which hides behind the accusations of those who have a need to find someone on whom to pin the blame on.

Having worked for many years within the abortion grief and sexual abuse grief area, it’s my belief and contention that sexual abuse of children is the result of disordered psycho sexual development of the perpetrator. In his/her own body there has been a disconnect from the natural and orderly development. Indeed so great is this disconnect that it has altered the natural orderly development of the subsequent man or woman.

Sexual abuse of children does not begin in a seminary and continues through the years of study to priesthood but begins at a certain point in time, a certain moment in time when the child’s sexuality was disturbed perhaps by another which then led to another moment when a trigger led to acting out of wound on another then a falling away from grace followed by an addiction and into depths of depravity.

In our day sexual abuse of children has been declared a “catholic church problem” that is, the tenets of the Catholic Church lend themselves to abuse, most specifically the celibacy issue. I would vehemently dispute this. If celibacy is to be cited as the reason for sexual abuse of children then no other denomination, faith, would find this abuse within their ranks. This abuse is found in all religions. This abuse is found in non-religious organisations. Amongst professionals. Amongst groups. And highest percentage within family and friendship circles. The “catholic church horror” is the preferred scapegoat of media and-Catholic church haters.

This of course is not to say that there has been no wickedness within Catholic Church members involved. That there has been no demonic involvement.

All abuse whether abortions, sexual abuse, euthanasia, anti-life activity has demonic element which both fuels and propels it.

In this postmodern era, 20th- 21st century, a century of such advanced technology, advancements in in all life improvements. Advancements in medicine. Advancements in understanding of the universe, it’s considered naïve and lunacy to think and believe that there is still an existing notion as the demonic which is present and can be responsible for the wounds and pain and darkness of present humanity.

Many saints have spoken of a time of darkness which would come upon us and the church and I see we are living through this time now.

A short journey through a short period of time will show how the doorway was easily opened for this unholy guest to slither in. This is not to say that throughout time life has not been challenged but never to the extent has that 20th and 21st century been challenged.

August 1930, a day when marriage and life with the assent of church hierarchy marriage and life became cheapened due to the introduction of the “pill” in marriage. This began the destabilisation of marriage and the rejection of children. From this point onwards children became conditional until today children can be disposed of until point of birth. Infanticide. The greatest abuse of all.

This rejection of children has led to open abuse of children in hereto unknown proportions. A society slowly developed rejecting children. Making them conditional. Removing their very dignity as children of their father God, and devaluing to such degree as to declare them non-human until a certain state decreed point in time.

“Eve” rose again in 1930 and slowly demanded the destruction of the “fruit of her womb.” “Eve” again determined that she would be in control of “life” (be like God) and again like the first sin has led to monstrous results. Led to a previously unknown century where woman has not honoured and was not honoured in her infanticipating. Led to the paving of the way for open abuse.

A century where legalisation of all manner of sin was honoured and demanded and exalted. And so we come to the most recent past where the demonic and its minions, those we dare not speak about because of our sophistication, has covered all avenues for an all-out assault against life and all manner of other indignities. Not only legalisation to slaughter infants but legalisation of euthanasia, SSM and demands and acceding to these demands by a society who has forgotten that God exists.

As a final assault, at a time when the voice of holiness, goodness, the Church, should have been heard loudly defending against all these attacks against God and His creation, the adversary has ensured that it is muted due to shame experienced because of the sexual abuse scandal amongst its members.

Sexual abuse by priests, lay members, Bishops and even Cardinals whose knowledge of the abuse, mismanagement, suppression and silence has led to the voice of the church now being forced into a silence for fear of being not believed and ridiculed.

The possible millions of children (globally) who have reported abuse and the tragic mismanagement of the reports of abuse has ensured that whilst the church is busily embroiled in responding to these allegations all other evils can sail through legislature without even a whimper.

The reporting by media, to a listening humanity have left humanity confused, wounded and in disbelief about what or who is this church they have believed in and where has Jesus been in all of these times. The same words of an abused child “I can’t believe in God because I prayed and prayed for it to stop and He didn’t help me. I don’t believe in God. There is no God” (in a counselling session).

With media compliance, the sexual abuse of children issue has been made into a “Catholic Church horror” so that its holy voice is forced into silence because of its perceived and actual complicities and perceived failures. As more and more names, churches, nations, leaders are called out as predators or enablers, the more all other wickedness is freed to infect society and the human person.

The tragedy in all of this is that all the allegations have occurred over many many decades ago yet they find their platform for voicing now in this era of darkness where marriage has been destabilised SSM, and daily new mockery of marriage is heard. Euthanasia where even children can demand to be legally killed. Abortion to full term (millions upon millions) and possible post birth abortion and addictions which destroy those who survive. Now at this moment these abuses have found a voice. Where were they all these years? Silent whilst the ground was being prepared for satan to make another attempt to dethrone God.

I am reminded of the words of Jesus “when the son of man returns will he find faith on earth? (Lk 18:8). What needs to happen to sustain us in these times is the promise we have from Jesus that the “ gates of hell will not prevail” (Mt 16:18) and difficult as it now seems it’s the only rock we have to hold on to. The One Holy Catholic Church.

And to this end we call upon St Joseph the guardian of the Redeemer and his Mother Mary, and protector of the household of God, the church, to place his mantle over the church and its holy ministers and faithful, and protect them just as surely he protected the young child and his mother given into his care until the fullness of time.