Healing Mass reaches out to victims of sexual abuse

By Claudia I. Provencio
The Catholic Sun

CHANDLER — As Christians searched deeper within themselves during the Lenten season, the local Church also reflected on past suffering, seeking healing for the sexual abuse scandal that has shaken the faith of Catholics everywhere.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted celebrated a Mass of Healing March 28 with an estimated 500 people at St. Mary’s Church.

“We mourn for the Church, for the way this makes it harder for some people to find Christ in the Church today. That’s really sad that our witness is made less effective because of this,” he said following the Mass.

“But Christ is stronger than our sins,” the bishop added. “That has always been our one hope.”

Bishop Olmsted said the Mass provided an opportunity for the community to come together and pray and “as with everything I do, the key point is to focus on the person of Jesus.”

“It’s very striking that He Himself was a victim, He Himself was unjustly treated and He entered into every one of our situations of brokenness,” he said. “That’s why everyone can be redeemed because He is there with us and that’s why the Eucharist seems to be such an important part of the healing process.”

Rocio Del Valle claims to be a victim of abuse. Although she was emotionally torn about attending the Mass, she acknowledged she desperately wanted the healing it was offering.

“At the beginning, when I got there, I was kind of angry,” she said. “But then when I heard the homily, it was a different feeling.

“I liked it a lot when the bishop said even if nobody understands what I went through, Jesus does,” the 33-year-old added. “He understands because He went through all that abuse and all that pain. At that moment, I felt like He was beside me, on my side, and that He was going to be there forever… He knows what I went through.”

She has gone to Mass off and on since her abuse occurred 18 years ago. This Mass was another step forward.

“It definitely helped a lot. During the communion I closed my eyes and I was praying and I felt like I was part of (the Catholic Church),” she said. “I’m going to be part of this Church forever and it doesn’t matter if we are not like holy people, we are sinners, including myself. But it’s my faith, it’s my Church and God is going to be there always.”

Others said they found attending the Mass difficult, but have found solace in meetings with Jean Sokol, diocesan youth protection advocate, whose office was created in 2002 by the U.S. bishops to reach out to victims.

Although some found peace at the Mass, some were saddened that others, like a man who stood outside throughout the liturgy, could not.

Sokol said the Mass showed the power of collective prayer and its impact on the well-being of victims, many of whom expressed positive feedback following the Mass.

“The homily was powerful. It touched the deepest part of my soul,” Sokol said. “As I sat between two survivors, tears started to flow, we shared Kleenex and held hands.”

She said she hopes this is the first of many healing Masses that can restore hope to not only victims and their families but to the whole diocesan community.

Another Mass is scheduled for late May or June at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glendale.