In March 2020, I attended an event at the University of Scranton where I challenged officials from the Diocese of Scranton on their lack of honesty when dealing with victims of Diocesan priests. I wanted to point out that survivors have a voice, a story to tell, and the right to be heard. While I think I changed some minds that night, shutdowns caused by the pandemic precluded any opportunity to coordinate an event that would allow survivors to speak publicly about their stories and the lifelong impact of the abuse they suffered as children or teenagers.
Over the past few months, I have been working with two University of Scranton professors on an event to give survivors and laity an opportunity to be heard and take questions. We are working out the details and finalizing plans with the panel. If I am honest, I am surprised that the University is allowing this plan to go forward.
Stay tuned. I will be back with information on the topic, participants, date, and location of the discussion on The University of Scranton campus.
Off My Knees - A Blog by Michael Baumann 