In 1973. when I was nine, Roe v Wade was passed by the Supreme Court making abortion legal in some cases and up to a certain point, across the country. At that time there were a plethora of photographs of aborted fetuses. No one can claim ignorance as to what abortion really is. Fast forward to my seminary days at Seton Hall University, Immaculate Conception Seminary. There was a pro-life celebration and there were banners with photographs of aborted fetuses all over campus. To my utter amazement one of the seminarians who is now a priest voiced his disgust at such a crass display. WHAT? Luckily the moral theology teacher was present and offered the real life story of a young lady on campus who changed her mind about aborting her child after seeing those photographs Fast forward further. In an article about use of the abortion pill the story was told about woman in great pain and traumatized upon gazing on their dead baby. Again, WHAT? Abortion is often called murder because it is. The photographs prove it.

There are some people who regard those who have been abused by priests as being aborted too. The less extreme settle on the term soul murder. True there are some of us who have killed themselves because of the abuse suffered. Some have turned to self medication via drugs and/or alcohol. And there are some who try to stumble on in life. I myself never wanted to give up control by being drunk or high so the demons I battle are real and not those often found in an altered state.

Maybe that is what the bishops and priest who dismiss or misunderstand what our lives are like need to know. There are a plethora of demons we are battling that we never invited into our lives. I resist this temptation but there are times I just want to smack them for their self-righteous indignation. Here’s indignation for you. I WAS SEXUALLY MOLESTED.

Bishops are still covering for priests all around the world. Some bishops have admitted to being abusers themselves. How many are out there for every McCarrick that is caught? Where is your indignation now?

Since I am getting angry I am going to stop.