Atonement service begins healing of church

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By Thomas Geyer | Thursday, August 28, 2008 11:33 PM CDT | () comments

Standing before a crowd of 58 people Thursday at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Davenport, Diocese Bishop Martin Amos said that the priest sex abuse, the damage from which has permeated throughout the Catholic faith, is analogous to the forest fires that altered the lives so many in California.

The fires, he said, began locally, and then spread to affect many people. So, too, the sexual abuse by priests happened locally but then its harmful effects permeated throughout the church, he said.

“Sin always affects the entire body of Christ,” Amos said, adding that the abuse done by trusted priests destroyed parts of many lives.

“What gives me hope,” Amos said, is that after the fires are out, “a blade of grass comes out, and then a flower grows.”

Because of the fires, some lives will never be the same. So, too, the many lives touched by the abuse of priests will never be the same, he said.

But now, “the healing process for the whole body of Christ can take place,” he said.

In closing the half-hour ceremony that opened and closed with the hymn “Amazing Grace,” Amos said the church needs to “make sure this can never happen again” and has taken steps to ensure that it will not happen again.

Amos has 52 more atonement services to preside over, and he has two years to complete them. The services are a non-monetary requirement of the Diocese’s $37 million bankruptcy settlement.

The Diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2006 after it lost its first civil sex abuse trial. The diocese, its insurance company and the creditors committee agreed to a $37 million settlement. The

settlement included a list of

18 non-monetary agreements.

The services are to be held at parishes where sexual abuse occurred or where a priest that was credibly accused of sexual abuse had served.

Amos was at Our Lady of Victory because the Rev. James Leu served there from 1978 to 1985. Leu was not accused of abuse until 1988 and that came out of Lone Tree.

Amos assured the congregation that no priest, no one, with any credible allegations of sexual abuse is serving in the Davenport diocese. “We’re doing everything in our power to prevent abuse to children and adults.”

And he apologized, “for the inappropriate actions or inactions by some of my predecessors. As a result people have been harmed.”

Each of the atonement services will be the same, Amos said.

Those who attended the service thought it was appropriate.

“I liked it,” said Rayne Schwenn, who is a member of Our Lady of Victory parish. “I usually come to prayer here on Thursdays.” She and Charles Heirigs are both members of the Legion of Mary. “It moved us to come here tonight,” she said.

Rita Hagner said she forgives the priests who inflicted such harm on the church. “They need the healing of Christ,” she said.

“I think it definitely helps,” Nancy Gusse said of the service. “It addresses all facets of abuse.”

Connie Creen said she thought it a very moving service.

“We are all the body of Christ,” Creen said. “It’s all our responsibility to be forgiven and to forgive.”

Thomas Geyer can be contacted at (563) 383-2328 or tgeyer@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.

Atonement

services

List of upcoming Atonement Services to be given by Davenport Diocese Bishop Martin Amos

Sept. 9: Sacred Heart, Lost Nation, 6:30 p.m.

Sept. 9: St. James, Toronto, 8 p.m.

Sept. 10: St. Paul the Apostle, Davenport, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 4: St. Patrick, Ottumwa, 10 a.m.

Oct. 4: St. Mary of the Visitation, Ottumwa, 11:30 a.m.

Oct. 4: St. Mary, Fairfield, 2 p.m.

Oct. 4: Saints Joseph and Cabrini, Richland, 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 6: Holy Family, Davenport, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 9: St. Patrick, Delmar, 6 p.m.

Oct. 9: Saints Philip and James, Grand Mound, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 13: Church of All Saints, Keokuk, 6 p.m.

Oct. 13: St. Boniface, Farmington, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 15: St. Joseph, DeWitt, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 29: St. Patrick, Iowa City, 6 p.m.

Nov. 5: St. Alphonsus, Davenport, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 17: Our Lady of Lourdes, Bettendorf, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 23: St. Peter, Cosgrove, 2:30 p.m.

Nov. 23: St. Wenceslaus, Iowa City, 4 p.m.