The emails have not stopped

I have been trying to sort out so many things in my brain over the last two months.  Writing posts did not make the top of the list.

I have a list of topics for posts that need some attention.   There was a great post on Tim Fischer’s blog “Altered Boy” that talked about the holidays.  I wanted to riff off of that and add my own personal talent at torpedoing the holiday season.  Never got to it.

The news never stops coming of priests committing sexual crimes and dioceses spending more time pointing out that they are unjustly spotlighted when there are other cases of abuse in other religions.  Deflection, right out of the Vatican playbook.  I wanted to comment on that.   Never got to it.

Legislation is pending in Virginia to extend the statute of limitations on sexual crimes. I let myself down on that one. I will get to it, and soon.

The emails don’t stop coming.  That is not a bad thing.  It can be stressful and heartbreaking when you read the email from a survivor who has sent me his or her story.  A story not shared with a spouse, family or a close friend.  It is shared with me by someone who I have never met, but with whom I am permanently connected.  In some cases, the great terrible secret remains only now I am a party to it.  Some of them are Robert Gibson’s victims.  (Note to the Diocese of Scranton, While you claim that he has had 4 victims, I have spoken to many more than that.) The most recent was an altar boy who Gibson groomed at the parish that proved to be his last. He used the same games, the same manipulations he used on countless others.

On the plane from San Diego to Atlanta the other day, I received an email from a Notre Dame classmate who stumbled on this blog. There was an offer of support (gratefully accepted) and a mention that, as an adult, there were questions about odd behavior on the part of Gibson. That so many people consistently tell me that they thought he was odd is very telling.

I have a lot to catch up on. Many topics need to be addressed, and more questions need to be asked. I will try to be more consistent in my postings. In the meantime, I still want to hear from survivors and people who are willing to stand up to protect children, even when the Catholic Church seems to be incapable of doing the right thing. The crisis continues, whose side are you on?