141 thoughts on “Secrecy and Sexual Abuse in the Church”

1. ‘It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.’
   It surely is and has always been required.
   A great example is the Code of Ethics by the EPA association. Which leads us to a high standard of requirements on energetic integrity and livingness that a practitioner who wants to practise an Esoteric Modality. The energetic assessment is done consistently (yearly) in order to keep the highest quality practised by an EPA members (practioners). This is something any business can work from, as it holds true principle based on respect and integrity. This is what needs to be restored in our world today.

2. There was a time, long long ago before organised christian or catholic religions were so widespread across Europe, when the church did not have the power to exist outside of normal everyday law. This has in fact been a gradual development as more and more authority figures paid lenience to the members of the church. So the privileges of the churches was originally based on relationships with those who had the real power. It is unfortunate however that this special arrangement has actually over time become a festering ground for unacceptable behaviour, which has in turn affected the lives of so many people in so many ways. The damage here being huge.

   1. The failure of church leaders to act and prevent abuse has lead to the steady erosion of the authority of the leaders and of the churches. Any religion which seeks to operate separately from the law, or which seeks to mold the law for its own benefit, and deny rights to those who are not part of their “faith”, will find that its time and authority will gradually be eroded. Many members of religious groups struggle to maintain their faith and are deeply disillusioned because of these failures.

3. The truth is that one can never hide from the quality of energy one has chosen, such as the evil of child abuse. To even think one can and this it is OK to do so, further highlights that evil at play and exposes the corruption behind the institutionalised religion of Catholicism, and the absence and corruption of true connection to and meaning of God in their doctrines. For God does not represent abuse of any kind, nor is it to be allowed or condoned, as our birth right is to freely live the love we are, this is the light of God that is our truth for all to live and see.

4. How can the truth of living in our world, where all are held and treated as equal, be a reality when there are those who live as though they are beyond reproach. This is the highest form of arrogance and perpetrates the continued reality of many forms of separation.

5. “They have also failed to live up to the standards which they proclaim from their pulpits and expect their members to uphold.”
   Here in lies the real energetic truth, for a person who cannot walk the talk they deliver is empty of the true qualities that lie at the heart of every human being.

6. Thank you Graeme, it is well beyond time when we need the ideals and beliefs around what it is to be part of a church or religious to change. “Like any wound with poison in it, if it is not treated it will fester, spread and become far more damaging.” We cannot have abuse of any sort in an institution that purports to be about love, it is a bastardisation of so much trust that people place in order to find meaning in their lives and when the festering of the wound starts to show itself, which it always will, we must address it with the absoluteness of love, truth, justice and integrity that should have been the lived way in the first place.

7. Most religions have abused their power, in one way or another they have done this to hold onto their power over people and in the past have been extreme in the wielding of this power. They do not have the ear to God as far as I am concerned, I feel they never have and never will, because they seem to live in the complete opposite way to the absolute love of God. We, humanity have allowed ourselves to be hoodwinked by the falsity of the lies, because we have not wanted to take responsibility for ourselves and so gave our power away to the various religions of the day, and not much has changed in this respect. We can see this in the way we are as a collective. For example, I see we are still allowing priests to get away with sexual and physical abuse of children in their care.

   1. Archbishop Denis Hart, Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne responded yesterday to the findings of the Royal Commission into Sexual Abuse. His words were measured and encouraging, but he still holds to the sanctity of the Sacrament of Confession. He indicated that if someone admitted to Abuse in Confession, he would refuse Absolution unless the person was willing to report him/her self to the police. But at this stage this is not a church-wide response I understand how important Confession has been in the Catholic Church, but the Church still sets it above clear and direct words of Jesus about harming children, and loving neighbours. If the two can’t stand together, maybe the Church needs to completely re-think what Confession is, or, if that is not possible, scrap it altogether.

8. The secrecy, denial and cover up is one of the most disturbing things about the widespread abuse of children that has occurred. It indicates that the church feels they are somehow above the law. There is an unwillingness to take responsibility and have genuine compassion for the children and their families. It’s all about saving face – which they should realise they lost long ago. The abuse of children by church members exposes religions such as Catholicism for the falsity it is.

9. It is true – in this way we have been influenced to not trust religion and see it instead as another system that has failed us rather than reconnecting to the truth of the word which in its simple meaning simply means to re-turn to the truth that lives within us all.

   More information on the true meaning of the word religion can be found here: http://www.unimedliving.com/unimedpedia/word-index/unimedpedia-religion.html

10. Thank you Graeme for upholding the integrity that has been found in this instance to be so lacking within the church. For if such integrity is not upheld and no solid foundation laid, especially by the leaders, we allow a rotten seed to not only be planted but to also take root and flourish. As any gardener will tell you, it is these wanton weeds that choke all other forms of life and prevent the flowers being in full bloom.

    1. Thanks Lianne, the picture you paint makes sense to me. Graeme

11. “Like any wound with poison in it, if it is not treated it will fester, spread and become far more damaging.” We all share the responsibility to stand up and call out abuse so that it does not fester and infect the whole body of humanity.

12. Deadly accurate. Spoken from a person who had been inside the mess itself. Having experienced the depth of reality. Hence we should pay attention to what has been shared. And for us to consider what our role and job there is needed to to be done — also if you have no experience with the church, sexual abuse itself — as when we choose to not see and or act on it, we are the carriers of the sexual abuse itself. Ouch, but true..

13. It is a disgrace – the abuse that has occurred, how it has been dealt with and the repercussions for society. The mark this abuse has left is quite deep and widespread.

14. Beyond brilliant piece of writing unveiling the truth. This is what it is all about. No stone left unturned and just simple living and claiming what it is that is true in our hearts.

15. In not addressing the abuse even still, as in the case with the catholic church it tars all those involved in this organisation – it’s beyond time we asked for leaders of this and other religious organisations to walk their talk and to actually live to the standards they proclaim. By not doing so they sully their own beliefs, and how can so called christian organisations treat other fellow human beings in this way; it goes against every tenet of what christianity is supposed to be.

16. It is quite shocking how the church has continually turned a blind eye to the sexual abuse or swept it under the carpet hoping it will go away. Is it any wonder people have lost trust in religion when this criminal behaviour has been allowed to run wild without any accountability for a very long time?

17. In allowing abuse to go unarrested, we are no different to the perpetrator of the abusive act. As such we give permission for abuse to, bit by bit, become tolerated and something we have to learn to deal with and manage in our lives. Whereas in fact, each and every one of us has to divine right to live free from abuse and it is up to us to reclaim this right we all deserve.

18. When we turn our backs on abuse we are adding other layers of harm and hurts. For a very long time Christian churches and organisations have consistently added layer upon layer, with devastating effects. A very sad indictment on our Christian leaders and the people who follow.

19. Using a position of power to abuse or take advantage of another is unfortunately not a rare occurrence in our society, and we are all part of it for allowing it to in any way, shape or form, and it is totally awesome you have written this piece, Graeme, as an ex-insider if I can call you like that, to expose the hypocrisy.

20. It is always more interesting to hear the perspective from someone that has first hand experience of working in a Church. The conduct that has been lurking and hidden within Churches for centuries is possibly bred by its restrictive and suppressed expectations of Priests, the model has not worked and its failure is proven by some of the shady characters that seem to be attracted to these roles. In saying that, there are so many great Priests with the best intentions to care and love their fellow brothers but the taint is still present and sadly until the Church shows the public that they are willing to stand up for the victims instead of harbouring criminals, I fear this taint will remain.

    1. I agree Sarah. Many people who have given the church their life’s work, have had that work devalued because the church has not dealt with these issues. Their work has become tainted and suspect through no fault of their own, but because of the actions of those who have not lived up to the standards expected of them. And this also applies to those in other occupations who have used their authority and abused their positions of responsibility. Victims have been blamed for challenging the integrity of their abusers. I am drawn back again to the words in the Christian Bible attributed to Jesus: ‘anyone who harms the children would be better thrown into the sea with a millstone around their necks’.

21. Thank-you for writing this Graeme. it is clear that the predominant culture has been one of being ‘above and beyond the law’ as you’ve stated here. And yet, although we are time and again faced with the extent of the ramifications of such arrogance, this culture appears at its heart, to still hold, begrudgingly admitting the great derelictions in care, and oftentimes still protecting if not offering a ‘comfortable life’ to the abuser.
    We have a long way yet to go, and so these conversations must continue…

    1. Thanks Victoria. Reflecting on all that is being revealed, it is becoming clearer that some parts of our communities have no concept that this abuse is wrong. When I was studying one unit included a segment on mental health, a doctor from one of the mental health hospitals talked about the number of women patients they saw because of the church ban on contraception. They had found that what happened in some communities was that, when the wife/mother had enough children [for whatever reason] she would turn her husband over to their pre-pubescent daughters and avoid further conception in this way. Some of those daughters wound up in mental health hospitals because of this.

       1. This is horrific. And all within a culture purporting to be religious? I see no living of God’s Love in such acts.

       2. This was over 40 years ago but I agree it never fitted within any real understanding of Christian faith. Hopefully it has changed as the resistance to contraception eases.

       3. Yes, one would indeed ‘hope’ for change. Yet still, this is so deeply exposing of a premise and culture that denies a woman ownership of her body in the first place – the ‘ill’ must be struck at its root.

22. I am truly incredulous and staggered that such deep level of betrayal and abuse can so blatantly take place and yet there is still such a large number of intelligent people in society aligning themselves with such institutions. It shows the propensity we have to see and know the truth of a situation and yet choose to completely ignore it.

23. I cringe Graeme every time I read or hear about sexual abuse in our religious organisations. Thank you for calling it out and exposing the outrageous cover-up that to this day, continues to happen.

24. I take my hat off to you Graeme Ness for being willing to stand up and speak out as you have. You offer the inspiration of a way forward for those responsible for such atrocities to be brought to account, including those who have stood by and said nothing. This will likely come from a groundswell of others like you within these institutions who eventually say ‘enough’ and it is likely the walls will need to crumble completely before communities will begin to trust those who have put themselves in positions such as these again.

25. To hide the abuse of another makes you an automatic accessory to that abuse and therefore just as guilty as the actual perpetrator.

26. If we don’t speak out against atrocities and abuses we are condoning them with our silence and therefore just as guilty as the perpetrator – if not more so for our silence allows others to be abused.

27. Great blog Graeme, the more sexual abuse is exposed the less secrecy there can be about it, and we need to expose the perpetrators – from the person guilty of the act itself, right through to all those who hush it up and disregard the law.

28. The leaders of these organisations are effectively covering up crimes to which they are accessories. How we continue to allow this kind of collusion is unfathomable; how the Catholic Church retains its immunity particularly so. The British QC and human rights advocate offered a particularly stunning indictment of the latter in his book ‘The Case of the Pope’. That the Vatican continues to remain above and beyond the law is astounding.

29. Thank you Graeme, your blog exposes the hypocrisy in the Church and how true change is desperately needed in this organisation. The calculated way in which the Church has turned a blind eye to the abuse is horrendous and totally contradicts the Church’s beliefs. The Catholic Church especially has lost a lot of credibility because of the way in which they have handled abuse claims, for the Church to restore faith again it needs to become totally transparent and take full responsibility for any harm done to innocent children.

30. This is a very good reminder that saving face never serves anyone. Also a reminder that we are equally responsible for a crime if we stand by and let it happen. I think that the culture of worship and hierarchy within the Church can be unhealthy when it comes to questioning behaviours or actions that may seem off, there may be too much ground given and things can slip beneath the cracks. Equally I feel that it is not right that every Priest feel self conscious or uncomfortable to comfort a child. The Church needs to be accountable for the enjoyment that fosters this behaviour.

31. Thanks Brendan, we all need to call these things for what they are; if any group or organization we belong to gets it wrong, we need to name it and see that it doesn’t continue.

32. The corruption discussed here is certainly not reserved for the church alone. The hypocrisy we all experience every single day is rife and much of it we contribute to when we hold back exposing the truth.

33. It is good to see this all coming out in the Royal Commission but I had not heard Matthew 18:6 NRSV before. This harm caused to children is further compounded by by-standers not stepping in and by those in positions of authority sweeping it under the carpet. The on-cost for life is enormous as there is no question that a child’s ability to grow up feeling love and trust and being able to love and trust is greatly affected thereby affecting their commitment to life.

34. This is a brillilant analogy “Like any wound with poison in it, if it is not treated it will fester, spread and become far more damaging.”

35. It’s sad and we have to ask what kind of society we’ve created when a caring man cannot pick up a hurt child in the playground. You are so right there are many things that need to be addressed here and the Ostrich Approach is not supporting anyone – or changing anything.

36. Yes it’s high time Graeme, and it’s not actually a time one can claim to give oneself as in hiding in the darkness thinking no one will see what you are up to. The light shineth on us all even though we seemingly hide in the dark and we will inevitably pay for what we have done in one way or another, that is universal law. So thinking that one will get away with it is just another illusion.

37. It should not be a requirement for leaders to live by the standards they proclaim, it should be a given.

38. Hiding and protecting someone who has abused children, in any way sexual or otherwise, is a crime and those that have been doing this need to be called to account. Fortunately we now have the Royal Commission in Australia on this very subject and it has uncovered the many layers of inaction and how this is a far worse crime than the act itself.

39. Thank you Graeme for sharing about the dreadful crimes committed against children by the few where others who are not guilty are punished none the less. It is great that in this day and age it is being brought out into the open instead of being hidden and defended by those in charge, it is a rot that needs to be rooted out.

40. The person that fails to comply with standards to disclose abuse in this naturally is just as liable as the person who committed the crime.

    And in many instances a more serious crime in the nature that the person needs more corrupt ways of thinking to justify themselves oppose to a common criminal.

41. This is a clear example of how the harm done by one affects everyone else.

42. It’s great that we’re now seeing the abuse and the depth of what has been happening finally beginning to be exposed and we have to be willing to continue seeing and outing abuse wherever it is occurring.

43. “It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.” And this not only counts for the Catholic church but for all organisations and business’ in our societies, as we are lacking this same responsibility of living that what we proclaim to stand for. Could it be that because of the lack of true responsibility in those religious institutions (to walk the talk so to say), as they play as a role model for many in our societies and therefore we unconsciously also do not take this same responsibility into our lives and business’ we are in?

    1. Sadly there are still too many men, especially some in authority in churches, companies, sport, who don’t [or won’t] understand that what used to be regarded as “boys will be boys” comments about women and girls are no longer acceptable. Nor do they understand the hurt and damage they cause. And because they don’t understand, they refuse to see why they should accept responsibility for allowing comments and actions to go unchallenged. Often the justification is, “It was only a joke”, but jokes can be just as harmful as ongoing malice.

44. There is nothing more hypocritical than to proclaim a way of being that you yourself are not prepared to live up to and sadly the church is deeply hypocritical in this way. Much harm and damage has been done through empty words and only abiding by the tenets of the faith that suit ones agenda.

45. Thank you for the example of the priest who can no longer comfort a child because of the sexual abuse committed by his colleagues – and you are totally right, when things are left hidden, they certainly start to fester.

46. We are all responsible if we allow a culture of secrecy to continue in any organisation we are involved with. All churches have a responsibility to encourage people to speak up and put aside the self-interest of worrying about possible damages from past or current abuse.

47. Yes this is so true Graeme. The protection of the family name brings up so much for me as it was what was drummed into me as a child brought up in a very catholic environment in the 50’s and the 60’s. No matter what was going on we always had to present ‘the happy family’ to the community we lived in. It is easy to lay the blame on a faceless organisation but to look at and call out abuse in your own life, in your own home in the face of the consequences that will and do follow makes it all very up front and personal, but you are correct until we all are prepared to take responsibility the abuse will continue.

48. It is incredible that families are prepared to protect the church by not calling out the perpetrators of abuse but we also fail to call out the abuse we have in our own homes for fear of rocking the boat. We perpetually put our heads in the sand or turn a blind eye to ill behaviours which harm humanity. It’s time that we all called abuse for the abuse that it is and started to be more honest about what is really going on in the world around us.

49. When we turn our backs on abuse we are compounding the harm that was caused by the perpetrator.

50. Hi Graeme, this is a great point . . . “When the leaders have failed to deal with the issues, seeing themselves as beyond or above the law, they have not understood that they may be seen as accessories to the crimes that have been committed, and to the crimes that will be committed in the future by those they have failed to deal with and report to the police.”. . . . In fact not dealing with these issues exposes the very foundations that these organisations stand on!

    1. Hi Kathleen, as I reflect on all the issues around abuse, it is also becoming much clearer to me the extent to which families, by failing to name the issues, in order to protect the family name, are doing something similar. Because in the past we have not named the issues we have allowed the abuse to continue. So the responsibility does not just fall on the organizations, it also lies with each of us not to allow family pressure to keep it all hushed up. Until we all take responsibility the abuse will continue.

51. Realising the extent of the abuse occurring under the banner of church/religious institutions is become more widespread as various countries are having to face the tide of people coming forward and now starting to talk publicly about what has occurred. There are thousands so there can’t be any claims that the abuse has only happened in isolation to a couple of people. The extent of the secrecy and denial is also very evident in the way various leaders and the direct perpetrators themselves still fail to see any wrongdoing on their behalf. So well said Graeme – it’s past time for this behaviour to end.

52. These sexual abuse accusation are absolute evidence that these organisations are not religious is the true meaning of the word. In actual fact they give religion the bad name that it has today. It is not surprising that so many people cringe at the word as I used to my whole life up until recently. Before getting to know the ins and outs of the Way of the Livingness, to me religion was just about power and segregation. Thankfully Serge Benhayon has taught me the true meaning of religion which is purely about love and living in a way that honours the love that we are. No preaching, no power trips and nobody better than anyone else. Absolute respect and love for everyone whoever they are and wherever they are at. Now that is what I call religion!

    1. Yes Eleanor, sad but true; so much is done in the name of religion that has nothing to do with God. I feel strongly for those who have made their faith their life’s work, only to have it deeply discredited by those who use religion for their own purposes.

53. “It is also clear that the Ostrich Approach [head in the sand] taken by these organisations has simply compounded the damage”.
    Head in the sand approach is extremely harming for organisations and individuals.
    Thank you for highlighting this important point Graeme.

54. When the bishops and cardinals claim they “were protecting the reputation of the church” I always wonder what that means. It seems to possibly mean “were protecting the reputation of the church in the face of rampant pedophilia among its senior members”. How can you protect your reputation when you condone one of the worst human behaviours among your senior members? How can you even think that is possible?

55. Yes collectively lorrainewellman we are super powerful and it is time we all stood together and spoke up to all that is not true or acceptable.

56. “It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.” Hear hear Graeme. There is a total lack of responsibility with regards to priests in the Catholic Church. It is a disgrace to learn how many and for how long the Catholic Church has been shirking, hiding and by not saying or exposing what has been going on, consenting to what the abuse. This is abhorrent and it is about time those who have abused, are brought to justice and those left, as you say, live up to the standards they proclaim.

57. How absolutely shocking that loving arms cannot be wrapped around an upset child because of repercussions stemming from the reach of an abuser – is the world upside down?

58. Graeme, thank you for writing this blog from your previous experience. It is from absolute importance as a community or leader from a church we put respect first. It is not the church itself that we can blame, but that it is important to look at the responsibility and presence (quality of life) of everyone involved. If we come back to our energetic responsibility instead of a book, we actually claim the strength to be One. From there it is easy to work together, not like we are currently living all over the world.

59. The children that these priests abused were often taught that the priest was a representative of God, that the priest can decide to absolve you from sin or hold it against you forever including in heaven, that you should do whatever they ask you to do. Imagine believing that this man holds this power and then this same priest abuses you. It is not just the horrible trauma of sexual abuse and all its ramifications, but the absolute betrayal coming from someone godlike. These priests are trained for years and it is hard to imagine that they do not understand the depths of their betrayal. It seems a very cynical exercise by the leaders to cover up this atrocity. What did they imagine would happen to all those children and their families?

60. It is corruption in its purest form when the very words we claim to live and be of truth are the ones that we live in complete violation of. The words are super clear, undeniable and evident throughout the bible if we take an open heart to what is being wholly presented through it. God is Love and there is no way the abuse on any level to others is part of this Love.

61. ‘It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.’ Absolutely, Graeme. The irony of the phrase, ‘Practise what you preach’ seems apposite here and I’d also ramp it up to suggest that when such degrees of evil have been imposed on others and all credibility is at rock bottom, leaders in fact need to operate at an even higher level of integrity, commitment and resolve than should be expected, to even begin to fill the chasm of distrust they have established between themselves and their congregations.

62. Solid words, well spoken Graeme Nash. It is such a deep shame that men can no longer have the freedom to be naturally loving and caring with a child because of a few who abuse and the many who have supported this behaviour by hiding and burying it.

63. The evil that was perpetrated by a few is affecting a whole generation of loving and caring people who are now constrained to keep from hugging and comforting children. Fear and suspicion were at play when I, a woman of a certain age, was asked to move along, while watching children play in a Paris playground.

64. Yes this true Judith and maybe do so in the belief that if nothing is happening in the local community or own family we do not have to pay attention. However any act of abuse anywhere affects every one of us.

65. It is so true that for every person who stands by and doesn’t speak up, they become an accessory to the crime also.

    1. This is a really good point and highlights the responsibility each and every one of us has to speak up for to do nothing is effectively saying that this abuse is okay.

       1. Absolutely deborah!

66. Yes Judith, it is so true that for every person who stands by and doesn’t speak up, they become an accessory to the crime also. Turning a blind eye does not absolve responsibility any more than for those who are more directly responsible for the cover-up.
    I agree that it would be simple to bring accountability, if the masses where prepared to stand together and say Enough!

67. This is a profoundly important piece of writing Graeme and your final comment sums it up, a vital part of any true solution… “It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.”

68. Abuse of children, whoever the perpetrator, is harmful to all of us and covering up the abuse to protect the abuser and the particular community they belong to compounds the damage; trust is lost and all fall under suspicion and the victims suffer in silence feeling that they will not be believed and that it is somehow their fault.

69. Great exposure Graeme.
    The wicked acts of the few affect all of us.

    This is what gave us the phase ‘stranger danger’.
    This isn’t true.
    There is only a minority of people who are dangerous. Laws come in place to protect us from everyone while inciting constant suspicion.

70. This is really sad, when the leaders of organizations don’t really take responsibility for everything what is happening in the organization. To accept any kind of abuse is very harming. Thanks Graeme for addressing such an important topic.

71. It is often our inaction that has more disastrous consequences than that which we seek to avoid – the Catholic Church’s handling of sexual abuse allegations a tremendous case in point.

72. It is such an important and powerful blog you wrote Graeme – thank you so much for this very much needed insight. You wrote:”Like any wound with poison in it, if it is not treated it will fester, spread and become far more damaging.” That is so true and it is hard for me to understand that any religion can accept and hide any form of abusive behavior – that is not acceptable at all and has to be strictly condemned. It is the duty of each member of a religious group where an abusive behavior occurred, to say No loud and clear, otherwise they are adding to this abusive incident.

73. Powerful piece of writing calling for accountability long overdue.

74. ” … seeing themselves as beyond or above the law, …”
    It has been a revelation to me that church leaders cannot be sued and that they are exempt from our laws. Since when did that happen? Medieval times are long gone but it seems the corruption, manipulations and power plays of those times are not yet expunged from our society.

    1. Yes Marian, it is antiquated to have any member of our society today not accountable to the same laws. For all the fighting for our supposed human rights and equality across so many arena’s, this is one glaring area that we have missed, which shows me that we have not really applied these concepts in truth. How many more incidences and exposures will it take before society intervenes in a way that is effective, as perhaps it is exposing something that goes so much deeper than we (as a society) are currently prepared to see. Why would millions remain loyal to an organisation that handles such things in this way? How is it justified? And what does this cover?

75. Well said Graeme, ‘living by the standards they proclaim’. Without this, all they have are empty words and actions that mean nothing if not embodied by a person, organisation or institution. There is no responsibility here…and there is certainly no love.

76. “It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim” – absolutely. How so-called authorities have got away with corruption over the history is just astounding. It’s true that there’s fundamental lack of integrity, but the fact that it’s been going on for so long also highlights the fact that we give our power away to such organizations and became resigned to it, and we have this attitude that wants to distance ourselves from complication unless it is directly affecting us. Definitely time to change the habit.

77. Each person should be accountable for their actions regardless of their position or title and that goes for organisations as well. Sweeping sexual abuse under the carpet is not the answer.

78. Thank you Graeme for your sharing. I am just so pleased that at last more people are speaking out about these crimes against our young and innocent, and many are being brought to account for these deeds that were dismissed by many Adults and Ministers of Religion. With no support offered and no credence being given, these children were forced to live in pain and suffering for most if their lives.

79. Graeme this is the second time I have read this powerfully honest post. What struck me this time was how sad it is that people who care for children no longer feel safe to show their natural physical connection. This needs to change as children and adults for that matter need to feel loving touch from other who care.

80. Thank you Graeme for shining a light on and calling out the corruption and abuse present in the Church. And I agree that sweeping sexual abuse under the carpet is an equally damaging and destructive crime, if not more so as it dishonours the victim and gives permission for this behaviour to continue by removing accountability from the perpetrator. With this the truth is deliberately concealed and corrupted and a lack of integrity and justice is served, which cultivates a lack of trust in humanity.

81. What stand out for me is the priest who was not able to touch a child in a caring way, because of the actions of others. What stands out about this is that he was a caring man, NOT because of his religion, but because of something within him, those that abused where likewise abusers not because of their religion but because of something unresolved within them. YET – the religion chose to protect the abusers at the expense of those who love.

    1. Thanks Joel, I think you have put this really well, Graeme Ness

82. “It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.” I am not sure about this. If the standards they proclaim are harmful, nobody, not even they themselves should be required to live that way.

83. Beautifully written piece Graeme, there should be no area of life, no role whether it be priest or teacher for example where treating others with abuse is acceptable.’ It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.’ Absolutely!

84. absolute truth, this touches me deeply, as this is real. You are sharing reality here and this is something we need to share with the world.
    Yes it is the responsibilty for those who are responsible and have been around this issue to do something with it and make it more knowable what has been really going on- not shuffling it under the carpet. A big NO GO. It is our future that is ahead of us and so close. It is our responsibility to act on that which we have faulted this time or past – in order to correct it in the future. You saying ” Like any wound with poison in it, if it is not treated it will fester, spread and become far more damaging”, it is the truth. Admiting and being honest about abuse is far more better & clever than continuering ”pretending that it is all fine’. We know this and we should life up to it. Time for the absolute & real truth, which this blog is absolute inspirational for.

85. Graeme a much needed piece to expose the abuse by the Catholic Church – 1. abuse through accepting sexual abuse happens in its own cloisters by its own trusted brethren, 2. for hiding this very fact and 3. continuing on as if nothing is happening/has happened, and 4. holding themselves above and beyond the law whilst committing all the former 3 points. Disgusting. This to me is not a religion when any form of abuse, let alone child sexual abuse, is allowed to occur within its ranks or custodianship, when custodianship is to only uphold, live and serve God’s work on earth – Truth or Love. How is it that millions of people are part of a faith which condones the exact opposite of this through the sexual abuse of children by its own ‘servants of God’? How rotten to the core.

86. The Catholic Church has betrayed many of its most devoted participants. Victims are persuaded it did not happen or convinced it is their own fault. This double whammy cuts them off from everyone the only support they know, leaving them alone. I agree with you 100% Graeme that the church operating above the law is a medieval hang up, and that the police, and legal system must address these crimes.

    1. Yes Bernard the Church has betrayed its devoted participants however the responsibility for addressing this lies with many… including those followers and the victims. It is horrific and catastrophic for children to be abused in this way and nothing excuses that, however every one of us knows the truth of things and can choose to turn a blind eye, or be over-ridden by another’s opinion, force of action etc. What l’m saying is, there is great responsibility to be taken by all those directly and indirectly involved as this is reflective of a societal issue, not just an issue within the Catholic Church.

87. The more I am commited to God, the more I am commited to truth. That’s why I had to renounce the membership of the protestant church at some point. And that same commitment brought me to the Way of the Livingness, my truly chosen religion.

88. The abuse is a horrible thing, especially people who are in positions of trust. It has a compounding affect in so many ways. It taints all situations with mistrust and suspicion..

89. Since it has come to my awareness, I have been sickened and also deeply saddened by the cover-ups of sexual abuse within Churches and religious organisations. How can this have been allowed to go on for so long and even with all the media exposure still be going on today? Why is it that some Priests appear to be above the law? Until there is full exposure and the long arm of the law put into place, these cover-ups are going to continue.

90. The poison that is the sexual abuse of children by any church or organisations and the wound that festered for so long has now been exposed. It is our commune responsibility to ask for full disclosure and transparency on the part of authorities.

91. It is a tragedy that because this gross abuse has been effectively swept under the carpet, that every priest and every man is then tainted and will dare not show true affection to a child. This is a crime that affects us all deeply — the unwillingness on the part of the Catholic Church to bring those responsible to account not only makes the whole of the church liable for the horrors that have taken place, it sweeps into this ugly place the rest of humanity as well. And so we hold back from wrapping our arms without inhibition to children in public, we hold back from showing deep care and love. What type of world do we live in where these repercussions are seen as acceptable?

    1. Absolutely Katerina. It is a crime that stretches far and wide, affecting far more than the Church could even comprehend. Their heads can only be buried in the sand for so long, until the sand too reflects the rot and irresponsibility they haven’t wanted to see.

    2. Well said Katerina – on what planet would this terrible behaviour be acceptable? Yet right here in our communities it is happening right under our noses and yet quietly swept under the carpet. Most just prefer to turn a blind eye, however thanks to people like Graeme who are beginning to speak up and voice their concerns in order to bring accountability and justice.

92. Graeme, thank you for highlighting and increasing our awareness around “Secrecy and Sexual Abuse in the Church”
    The damage and harm caused by the coverup and denials is catastrophic and a very disgraceful blight on churches and their leaders.
    Perhaps now is the time for institutions to lead the way and take full responsibility for the truth to be told and justice done.

93. Thank you Graeme for writing on this subject. “Religious and other organisations have also used the loyalty of the victims and/or their families to the organisation and to their “good” name, to put pressure on them and ensure that no reports are made to police:” This tactic at dealing with abuse is vile and very corrupt and benefits no one.

94. Graeme a person should never be allowed to be protected by his or her title or uniform, however ‘high up’ that person is deemed to be. I feel that we will eventually have a society that is able to feel energy to such a degree that it brings in natural transparency. A society where it will be impossible to hide behind any-thing. We shall all be standing in full view and shall be felt for who we truly are.

95. The head in the sand (ostrich) approach adopted by the Catholic Church has retraumatised so many victims, some of whom have, as is well known, taken their own lives. Honesty and taking responsibility are way overdue here, both by individual priests and workers as well as the organisation itself. The rot has got to stop.

96. ‘ How have these religious institutions been allowed to hide this for so long?’ We have given them the power by not objecting to it. If we call another to live true and loving, it means we also have to claim that for ourselves, something we have been reticent to do, in protection of our comfortable lives.

97. ‘It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim.’ A much needed statement and action Graeme. Thank you for speaking up about this issue.

    1. I agree, they urgently need to begin walking the talk

98. I absolutely agree with you. If the leaders do not deal with their issues, than how could they teach or be role models for others?

99. Its almost like they are trying to create their own world and own rules that suit them instead of being an equal member of society and committing to real life. Guidelines and laws we have as humans need to be followed – it’s reality, deal with it.

100. Having recently walked into a Catholic Church for work purposes, with the knowledge of these immense and large scale crimes, plus simply not enjoying the energy filling the building – I wonder why many many thousands of people on these shores and millions further afield continue to practice within an institution with such a long factual history of scandal and abuse.

     1. Yes it does have a terrible history of scandal and abuse and I think this does make many Catholics very sad as of course they do not agree with it. Having been brought up as a Catholic however I think that the Catholic consciousness around us being lesser is so strong that it keeps many in guilt, shame and the need to do ones duty. If this is in your body then it is hard to see the wood for the trees as you are owned by this quality no matter what common sense dictates. Furthermore many people belong to the Church out of a need for belonging, a need for their emptiness to be filled and the need for purpose. The Church sustains these needs without offering the whole truth and so perpetuates this cycle, keeping its congregations feeling small whilst offering up a carrot in arrogance that only Christians will make it to heaven. Catholics I feel are forever living in hope that things will get better without looking at their choices in the now. I remember one day as a teenager simply seeing through the whole theatricality of the show as it simply didn’t marry with the truth I felt inside of me. Since then it has been easy to observe the effect belonging to the Catholic Church has. It is very strong and the consciousness is like a dog with a bone – it does not let go unless you are willing to see what it does to you – but then it is you that has to make the conscious choice to let go of it.

101. Your article Graeme highlights two things; one the power play that has bound religious organisations and leaders – protecting their perceived position within society rather than the society itself. And secondly, that because of this power play, society does not raise its voice as loudly as it could – truth needs to be exclaimed in every opportunity.

     1. Thanks Lee, your comment is a good one. The retaining of power is too significant for many leaders, whether they be in churches or other organizations.

102. Beauty full point Otto, one I will take with me to ponder on. Thank you.

103. It’s with great sadness that I read your article Graeme. The incredible atrocities inflicted on innocent children by people in power they trusted, is beyond belief. That said, it must be called out and spoken of otherwise this vile energy will continue to permeate and contaminate our society.

104. Totally agree Graeme, “It is well beyond the time when the leaders must be required to live by the standards they proclaim” and in their position of trust, there never was a time when it was okay to be living anything less.

105. This is really Shocking! What is sad in this case is as you said, a person is not permitted to show their love and care of another human being because they are associated with an organisation (in this case the church) that has had corruption and some who abuse.

106. Very well said Golnaz, the betrayal of a organisation that is supposed to be about love is deeply damaging throughout all society.

107. Very true Joseph our ostrich approach is something we comfortably resort to in all area’s of life as long as our personal situation is not affected. Sure we may comment over a newspaper or tv item but do we actually look at our own lives and look where we let things, slide, pass, look the other way and so on? Since Universal Medicine I have come to see where and how I do this in my life and with such a strong living example as a support, I have been able to make many changes.

108. Thank you Greame for this important piece of writing. As you say rightfully it is well beyond the time that our leaders start to live what they preach and that responsibility is taken in every rank of a religion or organisation.

109. Indeed it is time we all stand up and speak out against abuse in any form – as for far too long abuse has been allowed to continue unabated.

110. Thank you Graeme for not being afraid to express the truth of what is truly occurring in the religious orders. One day all will see that Catholic Church cared more about it self and its ‘good name’ than whom it was truly meant to represent – the people of its congregation. No wonder people cringe at the word ‘religion’.

111. I am sure suffering sexual abuse by a priest would be as devastating as suffering this form of abuse off a parent. Priest’s have a role of caring for their congregation, they are called father. I can imagine a child would feel there is no where to turn for support or guidance when a highly regarded figure such as a priest is the perpetrator.

112. The hypocrisy of the Catholic church and other religious organisations has caused so much suffering to the very people they were allegedly saving from ‘hell’. No matter how much seemingly good work was/is done by these organisations in my mind it has never overcame the dilemma of the blind eye that was/is being turned at many levels within these organisations to what was/is happening. Thanks Graeme for writing a blog on such an insidious issue.

113. This is so true Graeme. The hypocrisy of those that preach love from the pulpit and cover up abuse from their colleagues and members cannot be tolerated. The full extent and impact of this abuse will never be known. There are so many who will never admit that they were abused.

114. When I was in my thirties I was told that certain people I knew where sexually abused by the brothers from a boarding school they went to when they were kids. Because it was not so widely talked about back then I was ignorant and at the time found it hard to believe… how could some-one who professes to be a servant of God do this? As I considered it further I realized that the brothers were no different to other men except they hide under the cloak of being religious when in fact they are, in these circumstances, quite the opposite. It opened me up to see how I was giving my power away to the church and because I had done this I had blinded myself from the truth.

115. It was great to read this blog from someone within the clergy obviously dedicated to the truth. It speaks a lot to me about the true seed of religion.

116. Thank you Graeme for this blog as the true responsibility that the church has to face is one that humanity has to know about to truly evolve together.

     1. Beautiful wise words 1heart1love1earth.

117. May the truth be told and may we the people not allow this to continue by exposing and the abuse within churches , who have been hiding these criminal sexual abusers.
     Thanks Graeme for your blog .

     1. Hear hear! It’s time to call an end to it.

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