World Day For Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation

11-19-2023Pastor's CornerVery Rev. Robert J. Deehan, VF

In 2022, the United Nations declared November 18 as World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence. Cardinal Sean asks the people in all parishes of our Archdiocese to mark this weekend as a time to pray for those impacted by child abuse and to publically reaffirm our Church’s commitment to remain vigilant in our efforts to keep all children safe. Child abuse in our society is a far too frequent occurrence. The numbers are staggering, and the lifelong impact can be profound. Each of us must do all that is possible to intervene – preventing abuse wherever it occurs, interrupting and reporting it when it is happening, and helping heal those who have been abused.

As an archdiocese, we do this by screening and training clergy, volunteers and employees, and by training our youth how to recognize and respond to risks and get help when something is wrong. We provide targeted pastoral care for those who were abused by clergy or other representatives within our Church to assist them in healing. We ask everyone to join these efforts through prayer, kind and compassionate outreach to those who are impacted by abuse, and full participation in our abuse prevention efforts. To learn more about how you can help, contact the Office of Pastoral Support and Child Protection at 617-746-5995 or go to www.BostonCatholic.org.

I hope you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving with your family members and friends this week. As you gather around the Thanksgiving table, I invite you to use the prayer below that I came across a while ago.

A Thanksgiving Grace

Gracious God, giver of all good gifts, we gather today to give thanks. We thank You for all Your gifts to us, those we recognize and those we take for granted. We thank You for the blessings of the year and for Your presence with us. Help us to be grateful and generous. Bless all gathered here, bless our meal, those who made it possible and those who prepared it. We are especially mindful of those not with us today, especially, (include names), whom we miss and love. Help us to remember those who lack food, and those who lack family and friends, and are so in need. May this time together remind us of our love and Your goodness. For all Your gifts to us, for everything we have, For all that we are, we give thanks to You, O God.

Amen.

God bless you!

Fr. Bob