Roland, Tony, On behalf of my classmate thanks for the dignity and grace of
your points of view. cyprian
> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected]
> Date: Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:19:35 -0400
> Subject: Re: [Goanet] Life in the rearview mirror
>
> Dear Tony, thank you for telling us your story related in the opposite way to
> Cypriano's blog commentary on the abuse of the Goan boy, now a man. I
> understood the need to bring a sense of balance to the perceived vile history
> of abuse in the Church we could all have done without.
>
> There are very few among those of us with a Catholic boyhood background and
> even among those who were not Christians, who do not appreciate the good work
> in education, discipline and family and community values imparted to us by
> the priests in our lives. There is absolutely no doubt about that
> contribution and the good it did us in our adult lives.
>
> However, Tony that is not in question when such narrations arise. What is in
> question is the gross abuse of the relative minority of those priests who
> shattered the tender lives and the bright futures of the young ones under
> their care. It is a question of abuse of the trust and authority placed on
> them by their devout flock and by the vesting of their office. Even that,
> grievous though it is, would have been seen as a minor problem. The real
> tragedy here is the cover-up by higher Church authority leading to the papal
> office, which led to the compounding of that abuse. By people who should have
> known better.
>
> I once had a long conversation with a Goan lady who is a brilliant
> sociologist with a stellar career in the prison system here. I asked her
> whether Goa would have been immune to this catholic priest child abuse
> situation in the rest of the world. In my Goaness, I secretly wished she
> would answer yes. She did not give me a direct answer because she wanted to
> lead me through a logical process of the social environment and circumstances
> prevailing then, which would resonate with me and she then hit me with
> incident after incident which I would not have imagined. She had answered my
> question with an irrefutable reply.
>
> All that Cypriano's Goan victim from Africa needs from us is to tell him that
> we are in moral support, one in his memories and suffering. As many of us who
> would like to participate in his healing journey should do so without
> hesitation through a few words of comfort. And that it seems, is all he wants.
>
> Roland.
> Toronto.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> To: Goa's Premiere Mailing List, Estd 1994; Gabe Menezes
> Subject: Re: [Goanet] Life in the rearview mirror
>
> Gabe Menezes <<<This is a blog by my school mate, who preceded me by some
> years. Most of us
> in school had an inkling what was happening, alas as is portrayed, the
> circumstances and the faith and respect to be given, in which we were
> brought up, caused what happened. I guess this is true also of what happened
> in Ireland and other places. Thank God that we are now more aware and
> perceptive!>>>
>
> Comment:
> THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIRROR
>
> The story told by Cypriano about his friend is horrifying. Yet there is also
> the other side of the mirror.
>
>
