Who Are We
Companions in Hope is a registered non-profit educational, charitable, and social organization based in the state of Illinois. We are survivors, advocates, and simply American citizens who care when the rights of others are so cruelly trampled upon. We are outraged at the way the Catholic hierarchy has been complicit in the rape and endangerment of tens of thousands of children. We are appalled at their cold-hearted treatment to the adults who have survived and to the family members of those who didn't. Most of us have grown up in the Catholic faith. Some of us continue to receive the Sacraments while some of us have left the walls of the institutional church. We are all on our own journey, but find comfort and strength in journeying with other Companions in Hope.
Who We Are Not
We are not "Catholic-Bashers", "Clergy-Killers", "Dissidents" or "Antagonists", though we have been called all of the above. We are American citizens who challenge or call out those who have either caused great harm to a child or have paved the way for others to do so. We abhor those evil acts, especially the ones performed by bullies who undeservedly enjoy the public trust and blind obedience simply because they wear a Roman collar. We have an entire web site filled with factual information to back up our criticism of those we refer to as "Weeds" (borrowed from St. Catherine). No judgments we make are rash and, therefore are perfectly within the teaching of the Catholic Church, as is the voicing of our opinions to the hierarchy, laity, and media. So, anyone who resorts to throwing insults like the ones above because they do not have the truth on their side and, therefore, cannot justifiably argue the merits of the issues based on the facts are only exposing their own ignorance. Any reasonable person who reads this site or others like it will plainly see it is the Catholic hierarchy - not survivors and their advocates - who has done the most damage to Holy Mother Church.
Our History
This web site began in early 2007 under the name of WeAreCATHOLICS.com. The domain name was an acronym of We Are Catholics for Accountability, Transparency, Healing, Openness, Lay Input, Compassion and Sincerity. The domain name was changed to CompanionsInHope.com in March 2009 when we became incorporated as a non-profit organization under the name of Companions in Hope.
Some Background on Kate Bochte
When it comes to Companions in Hope, I am the one responsible for putting materials and information collected by many others up onto this web site. As the eighth (of ten) child born to my very loving and humble parents, I was baptized as a Roman Catholic at 13-days-old. The pastor who signed my birth certificate was recently removed from ministry by the Chicago Archdiocese due to credible allegations of abuse against him.
I was taught by the Dominican Sisters at St. Lawrence O'Toole Catholic School in Matteson, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago. After attending public high school, I received a Bachelor's Degree in Health Education from De Paul University, operated by the Catholic Order of the Vincentians. I went on to earn a Master of Science degree from a public university.
Besides teaching and parenting, I have had the privilege of doing volunteer work with the American Cancer Society, the Little Brothers of the Poor, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Special Olympics, prison ministry, and a domestic assault assistance program. I have been involved with Respect Life work since 1973 when I was 12.
In 2003, I was appointed as the Parish Respect Life Coordinator at St. Peter Catholic Parish in Geneva, Illinois. But, after speaking out against the handling of abuse cases at the parish - sexual and otherwise, the lack of accountability for the wrongdoers, and the disregard for the victims, I was dismissed from that post and banned from teaching religious education - something I had done for 5 years. (I had been signed up to teach my son's 3-grade class.)
I have received threatening letters from my pastor's personal attorney and have been stalked, harassed and literally waved out of the church by fellow parishioners. I have had my pastor show up at my workplace trying to intimidate me into silence. I've had the associate pastor sit parked in front of my house and his lady-friends doing looky-loo drive-bys. I've had one of my customers (an ignorant one at that) request to be helped by "the other lady who goes to St. Peter". One female parishioner, a school bus driver, called my home more than once to verbally attack me. Another blogged about driving by my house and suggested she call some friends to help "decorate" our property. Another public school bus driver/parishioner reports on the pastor's message board which cars are parked in my driveway as he sees from his bus route everyday. Yet another parishioner and former acquaintance asked a priest loudly in my presence if he knew any exocists because she knew some people who needed an exorcism. These are the 'Catholic Christians'
I share this information not for sympathy but for understanding. Catholics who keep giving money to the Church ought to know what type of institution they are financially supporting. More importantly, survivors and victims' loved ones might be comforted in knowing about this hostile backlash inflicted upon anyone who speaks out (though they probably know better than anyone about that). Intimidation and retribution are the modus operandi of the Catholic hierarchy which is no doubt keeping some victims from coming forward which is probably the hierarchy's intent.
I believe, however, that there is a strong undercurrent of quiet support for victims and survivors within the Catholic community - lay and otherwise. Unfortunately, the hierarchy's cruel game of Whack-A-Mole prevents many good people from sticking their heads out to demonstrate that support. Of course, it is my hope and prayer that this will change for the betterment of all.
Meanwhile, I have stepped outside the walls of the institutional Catholic Church and, though still very much a Christian, no longer participate in any organized religion. The reason? Thomas Doran, bishop of the Rockford Diocese, knows all that has happened at St. Peter Parish in Geneva and has condoned it. He, like the pope and most other bishops, are weak and worthless. My husband, Frank, and I want our two precious children to grow up with examples of courage - not cowardice, humility - not pride. We believe the best way for us to follow Christ is to leave the stuffy building with hateful and/or oblivious laity, pick up our crosses and walk with the 'least' - the tired, wounded, lonely, and in-need. To us, that is Christianity. I believe God will give us all the grace we need for the trip - Sacraments or no Sacraments.
Some Background on Maureen Hartman
I was born in 1958 and baptized two weeks later in a beautiful church called St. Agnes, just across the street from the hospital in which I was born. Shortly thereafter, I became critically ill with pneumonia and nearly died. But, God's plan for me was that I would survive.
My name is Maureen Hartman. I was raised by very loving parents who have always believed in God's will and taught, with devotion and commitment, the basic human values and morals in the Catholic faith. Love, Compassion, Acceptance, Understanding, Forgiveness and Hope.
Those values have been tested many times in my journey through life thus far. It is with those values that I have embraced Companions in Hope.
Those moral values, that I believe should be interwoven in the fabric of our society, is absent when considering victims of sexual crimes. Understanding that, I worked in an effort to strengthen child protection/victims rights laws in Colorado. I witnessed first-hand the discrimination of those basic Christian morals against victims of sexual crimes, incest and rape.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Denver, led by Archbishop Charles Chaput, opposed and defeated legislation that would have protected children in Colorado from sexual predators.
My faith insists I have the courage and strength to be a voice for those society and the church have shunned into silence and oppression.
(According to a Report to the Nation from the National Victim Center, 29.3% of Rape Victims are under age 11. 32.3% of Rape victims are between the ages of 11and 17.)
More profiles of Companions in Hope will be added at a later date.
Companions in Hope
P. O. Box 638
Geneva, Illinois
mail@companionsinhope.com
Thank you for your interest and your participation.