Victim-survivor support groups for clergy and other abuse and a new Eucharist initiative are bearing fruit, said Paula Kaempffer, outreach coordinator for restorative justice and abuse prevention in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
“They come and they have been transformed,” Kaempffer said of online support groups that draw people locally and from around the world. “They are healing each other. The healing may not necessarily be coming from the top down. They are healing each other through their sharing, through their affirmation, supporting each other through tears, supporting each other through laughter.”
A new support group for victim-survivors of abuse in faith institutions has had one meeting, and 17 people participated, she told Patrick Conley, host of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show on Relevant Radio 1330 AM. Kaempffer spoke with Conley for a program debuting at 9 p.m. April 21.
An effort in the archdiocese to offer the Eucharist in the homes of victim-survivors because coming to church for them can be too traumatic is just underway, with a married couple — the wife a victim-survivor — that will be offering the ministry now obtaining certification under safe environment standards, Kaempffer said. The woman is a eucharistic minister at her parish and has brought the Eucharist to one victim-survivor who was able to receive it “after many years of not being able to receive Communion,” Kaempffer said.
“And what this says to the victim-survivors is so important,” said Kaempffer, herself a victim-survivor of adult clergy abuse.“It says that they are such a vital part of our community and that they have gifts to offer our community and that they belong to our community. It’s really such a vital ministry in our Church.”
To learn more about Kaempffer’s ministry through the archdiocese’s Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment, and the importance to her work that she is victim-survivor relating to fellow victim-survivors, tune into the show. It repeats at 1 p.m. April 22 and 2 p.m. April 23.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with Bishop Michael Izen, who reflects on his recent episcopal ordination and new responsibilities; and School Sister of Notre Dame Kathleen Storms and Adam Fitzpatrick, social mission outreach coordinator for the Center for Mission in the archdiocese, who discuss the Laudato Si’ apostolate and stewardship of creation.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at?PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.
