Broken Trust: Stories of Pain, Hope, and Healing from Clerical Abuse Survivors and Abusers

by Sue Lauber-Fleming, Mark T. Matousek, Patrick Fleming, et al.

Book Overview

From Boston to Los Angeles, Catholic sexual abuse scandals have been widely coverd in the media. Here for the first time the personal stories of those involved, both abusers and survivors, are... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0824524101
• ISBN13: 9780824524104
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Crossroad Publishing Company
• Length: 239 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.9" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

A Must Read

Broken Trust provides deep insight into the reasons why clergy become perpetrators of abuse. We can blame and create villains out of these men who abuse. We can call for them to be defrocked and jailed but the real stories of their own abuse and pain as children leads us to a place of at least beginning to understand why they then abuse others. I am a survivor of abuse and it has taken me years to heal. In order to stop the abuse we have to know why it began in the first place. Broken Trust tells the stories of five priests who have abused and three survivors of abuse. Their stories are tragic, their abuse seems unforgiveable and yet we see how they can overcome and heal those hurts, seek forgiveness and make amends. The three survivors of abuse by priests speak boldly of how they healed the pain from sexual abuse and have transformed their pain instead of transmitting it to others. As a Christian I find Broken Trust to be a clear voice in helping all of us understand the sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. This issue is huge for the Catholic Church and all denominations. Until they can seriously look at these issues apart from trying to protect Holy Mother Church, they will not get it. The newest allegations of abuse in Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands will perhaps draw their attention. I encourage everyone to read Broken Trust to read about the real stories of real people dealing with real abuse.

Favorite Book: Broken Trust

An excellent approach to a difficult subject. BROKEN TRUST ROCKS!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

U-Turn View of Religious Abusers

Broken Trust is a u-turn in the plethora of literature spawned by the multitude of clergy abuse cases published in recent years. The glaring magnified light under which these eight cases are exposed reveals poignant details, indeed the very humanity under which the abuse occurs. This is not an emotional revelation meant to capture sympathy. reveal salacious detais or glean accolades of any kind. Contrarily, it exposes the humanness, the sorrow, the life-changing forces that created the situation and the gut-wrenching depths to which an individual much reach to reclaim his or her life. The first five cases are written by Catholic priests who have sexually abused minors. The personal narratives strike a chord with the reader that reveals an honest humility and the struggle to change one's life. The touching quality of each story resonates with an honesty, an openness, and a desperate day-to-day struggle to grow spiritually while facing the devastation caused by their behavior. The book does not purport to see them in any other light than souls who are committed to working diligently, with guidance and supervision, to become redeemed. The last three stories are those of victims. Again, the purpose is not to castigate the perpetrators, but to show that life does not end, nor does it have to be permanently crippled the by abuse. Quite the contrary, through counseling, prayer and the tenacity of the human spirit, these three former victims have become strong, productive, spiritual energies who have created positive changes not only for themselves but in the work they care called to do. The abuse they suffered no long shackles them but indeed has created roots from which new life has emerged. Broken Trust can re-formulate in the mind a different framework or lens through which to view this crisis in the Catholic Church. It certainly does not condone the actions of the perpetrators but opens a vista where one can see both sides of the picture with new eyes. Every Catholic who has been aware of the abuse crisis in the Church within the last twenty years as revealed primarily in the media would benefit from this book. It may well be the only book that challenges us to understand the woundedness on both sides of the issue. The authors, Patrick Fleming, Sue Lauber-Fleming and Mark Matousek make a profound statement to the church that, "The new story needs to include the victims' voices and minister to their needs. It needs also to incorporate the story of the priest abusers and their own history of being abused and vicimiszed, allowing greater ministry to their needs as well. It needs to include a re-humanizing dialogue between victims, victim-abusers and Church leaders. It requires accountabiliy and forgiveness, truth, and reconciliation. Most of all, it must provide hope for healing for all parties and transformation of their common suffering into new life and purpose. what Jesus achieved in his narrative, the story of the gospel."