Off My Knees – A Blog by Michael Baumann
Standing up for myself and other victims of sexual abuse by clergy.
Whoever listens to a witness, becomes a witnessElie Wiesel The University of Scranton's Task Force on Healing, Reconciliation and Hope was created in 2018 with the mandate to "address the difficult but necessary questions raised by the Grand Jury report detailing the sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania and failures by church leaders in… Continue reading The University of Scranton Task Force Report Is In
From the Diocese of Scranton's Media Page. Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton I was surprised to find out that Bishop Bambera of the Diocese of Scranton held a Healing Mass for Survivors of Abuse. At this mass, “he acknowledged and again apologized for the pain of survivors of sexual abuse.” Wow, what… Continue reading Bishop holds mass for survivors but didn’t invite them…
I do not believe in accidents when it comes to justice for survivors of child sexual abuse. So when I heard last week about the “mistake” made in the process of bringing an amendment that would extend the timeline retroactively for victims to file civil actions against the predators that abused and raped them, I… Continue reading Justice Denied by Clerical Error? I Think Not!
We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein While I was at the Task Force Event at the University of Scranton, I had the opportunity to meet Paul and Kris Ciaccia, the husband and wife team behind The Angry Catholic. They run a site… Continue reading The Angry Catholic.com
I traveled to Scranton for the University of Scranton's Task Force on Healing, Reconciliation & Hope presentation Diocese of Scranton: Learning Lessons, Strengthening Safeguards & Empowering Survivors. The event featured the Vicar General of the Diocese, the Victim's Assistance Coordinator (VAC), and the Safe Environment Coordinator. A friend from the Class of '82 made the trip… Continue reading All Roads Lead to Scranton
Packing my bags for the event in Scranton on Thursday. I can't forget my Bingo Card to keep score. Thanks to Mike McDonnell for posting this to Facebook.
I was going through kitchen cabinets tonight looking for one of my old Navy mugs when I stumbled on a University of Scranton Orientation '81 mug. It was a thank you gift for the student volunteers who made Orientation go flawlessly for the class of '85 during Labor Day Weekend, 1981. I was one… Continue reading Questions, I Have So Many Questions
‘We are still transferring priests that molest children?’ judge asks in sentencing Allentown Diocese priest for groping a 17-year-old girl A link shared on Facebook by Catholics4Change. I thought I would pass this along for the benefit of all those churchgoing types that have been telling me that all this is in the past. You… Continue reading It is still happening in the Diocese of Allentown
During the last week, I have heard from several survivors from the Diocese of Scranton responding to my call for people to come and engage the Vicar General of the Diocese in a forum scheduled for March 5, 2020, by The University of Scranton's Task Force on Healing, Reconciliation, and Hope. It looks like there… Continue reading Empowering Survivors to Come Face to Face with the Vicar General
At this point in my journey, nothing really surprises me anymore. Priests who question the handling of abuse cases by bishops are silenced. Parishioners sit in silence, almost oblivious to the overwhelming evidence of corruption in the hierarchy. The Bishops pay lip service to survivors and their supporters, hoping that time will wear down resolve… Continue reading The Letter
Off My Knees - A Blog by Michael Baumann 