Voices from the Edge on 04/29/10

 

 

Revelations earlier this month implicating Pope Benedict XVI in cover-ups of clergy abuse in Europe are just the latest developments in an issue that is rocking religious institutions to their foundations. It is dividing communities into those accused of blind faith and those labeled anti-church, while preventing reformers, clergy abuse survivors, and the faithful from moving forward. How can we shift the debate to address the underlying issues creating clergy abuse? How do we hold abusers accountable and heal the community?

 

This week on Voices from the Edge, Jo Ann and Dave talk with two people deeply involved in the answering those questions. Virginia Jones is co-founder of Compassionate Gathering, a Portland-based organization promoting restorative justice and other strategies for addressing clergy abuse that bring the whole community into the process. Dr. Jaime Romo is a clergy abuse survivor, educator, consultant and author who has worked for over a decade helping other clergy abuse survivors. He is the author of Healing the Sexualy Abused Heart: A Workbook for Survivors, Thrivers and Supporters and the blog "Healing and Spirituality."