This month’s cover story looks at the practical steps victims of sexual abuse can take to find healing.
Since most of the remedies suggested are psychological, we add an article on spiritual helps for emotional healing. After all, most people do not approach therapists; they make do with common sense and the support of family and close friends. One resource that is always available and can be supremely effective is spirituality.
In fact, in a number of distressing maladies, such as, addictions, a combination of psychological and spiritual helps works better than the psychological alone. It is more than likely—and supported by anecdotal evidence—that more people may have come out of alcoholism or drug-addiction through spiritual retreats than through psychotherapy.
It will be wise, therefore, to know what the different healing professions can contribute, and how to combine their efforts. What matters, after all, is that a suffering or dysfunctional human being walks free again, and is able to live a happy and productive life—not which profession or expert provided the tools.
Since Church personnel need to know more about the disastrous effects of sexual abuse and master effective remedies to help survivors, we introduce our readers to a “Child Protection Programme” prepared by Gregorian University, Rome. The online course is offered free. Those interested in more details can contact me.
The Indian government law on Child Sexual Abuse, called POSCO, is briefly explained by a legal expert.
The 2018 National CRI Calendar looks full, as you will have seen in the plan presented in the January issue. The most important event of the year was finalized after that issue went to the press: The Triennial Assembly of Major Superiors, which will be held at SRM University, Chennai, from May 27th to 30th. I have written to all major superiors about this. I will be in touch with them again and again in the coming months, with more detailed information on the topics, speakers, registration, arrival and departure, etc. I am grateful to the founder and senior leadership of this prestigious university for agreeing to host us on their lovely, huge, architecturally impressive and beautifully maintained campus, where normally 12,000 of their 55,000 students reside. Our Assembly will be held during their summer vacation.
More about this by email.
From what a number of you tell us, MAGNET is touching minds and hearts and is becoming a trusted and eagerly awaited community member. Why not introduce it to your family members and friends? If you want us to send any of them a sample copy, all you need to do is to give us their postal address.
I want to say a special “Thank you” to the bishops and provincials who are subscribing to MAGNET for all the priests or religious in their care. This gesture affirms our work powerfully. May your “tribe” increase!
Fraternally in Jesus,
Fr Joe Mannath SDB
To subscribe to the magazine Contact Us
