Supporters of victims of clergy sexual abuse handed out fliers Sunday calling on parishioners at a Chicago church to learn more about Jesuit priests like defrocked Donald McGuire, who have been convicted of abuse."These people [the parishioners] have a lot more influence than we could possibly imagine," said Peter Isely, Midwest director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, outside the historic Holy Family church at 1080 W. Roosevelt Road.
"The way to make changes is to make a call or two, and those things really add up. That's our hope."
Chicago Breaking News reports that on Feb. 11, McGuire, 78, was sentenced to 25 years in prison, marking another chapter in his stunning fall from the pinnacle of the Jesuit order. He had once traveled the world giving spiritual retreats and had even acted as a confessor to Mother Teresa.
On Friday, another lawsuit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court alleging sex abuse and a coverup by McGuire and his supervisors.
Isely said that the group was passing out fliers at Holy Family, the city's second-oldest church, because it was run by the Jesuits for more than 100 years. In 1996, the Archdiocese of Chicago leased the church and operates the parish today.
St. Ignatius College Prep, which is still run by the Jesuits, is next door.
The flier urged parishioners to learn more about clergy sex abuse and demands that Jesuit officials release the names and work assignments of priests who have abused children.
Kate Bochte, 47, traveled from Geneva to show her support for victims of sexual abuse in the church.
"These individuals have done nothing wrong and the church turns their back on them in a very cruel way," she said.
"I always feel like there should be a millions Catholics beside me doing this. But there aren't."
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(Source: CTHUS)