Companions in Hope
Artistic Expressions
CATHOLIC MONARCHY - CROSSWALK CD
Raising Awarness of Priestly and Government-Sponsored Sexual Abuse
"Crosswalk is a compilation CD featuring 21 Chicago bands who each re-composed in their own style a Catholic hymn. Proceeds from the CD will go towards the production of a documentary film that examines priestly sexual abuse and its connection to the lesser-known phenomenon of government-sponsored sexual abuse.
The hope of this compilation is to bring awareness to the needs of these victims so they may acquire justice and realize heaing."
Read more about this important project and purchase the Crosswalk CD at
www.catholicmonarchy.com .
Suzanne Vega singing Luka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZyxYL753w4
Singer/Songwriter Joni Mitchell on the Magdalene Laundries
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S2hv7uVXXY
Beauty in Their Gravel Roads
(written by Rochelle Brancato; published by Matt C. Abbott of renewamerica.us in December, 2008)
Behind us are storm clouds, symbolizing the storm our family has made it through - as well as storms certain to come.
The gravel road and gate represents the tougher, less traveled road we've taken. We like the Highwaymen song that says, "True love travels on a gravel road".
The best part of the photo is the sun shining on our faces and foreground, despite the storm. Hope.
And yes, the motorcycle represents freedom and zest for life. Bob is a suicide survivior. I survived near death in childbirth. Our baby girl survived eight weeks of prematurity.
With all the doom and gloom in the news today, may your readers stop and see beauty in their gravel roads.
(full article available at bishop accountability.org)
Have Hope!
We are not abandoned.
Have Hope!
We are not alone.
Have hope
That we can find the answers.
Everyday, when you pray,
Have hope!
Have Hope!
We can heal the sorrows.
Have Hope!
There is a Master plan.
Have hope
That we can change tomorrows.
Everyday, when you pray,
Have hope!
written by survivor Belinda Martinez, Minnesota
Fear not!
You who rise up to take control of the church, can still get to heaven!
You won't be risking your soul.
You might even save it.
a quote from the Gospel of Phil Saviano, a survivor
An Invocation
-for Paul Shanley, my abuser
By Arthur Austin
You grew old in my silence, you grew safe.
But my silence did not grow old.
In enfolded your secrets like a chrysalis,
Slow-growing the words and sounds
To summon my freedoms
And the truths I would need to tell.
Your secrets became my voice--
And now I have told them all.
My voice emerges in
Irridescences of loss and knowledge,
From the dark thing you spun
Around me. My voice glows.
Beware of shiny things, old man.
You cannot hurt me anymore.
These are your secrets.
You are the lie in the smiling face.
You are the calculating hard-on
Stiffening behind the gentle questions.
You are the filth of your own mind.
You are every obscene thing.
You made me do.
You are the garbage.
You are the piece of shit.
You are nothing, nothing.
You are a worthless faggot:
You are all these names
I called myself for 30 years,
When you had breathed on me.
Now, my voice says:
May you die in agony and terror.
May it be long and lingering.
May you be alone.
May you be haunted by the faces of each one of us
You conjured and corrupted.
May our sufferings enter you like fire.
May you remember all of our names.
May our names close in on you, as fatal as panthers.
I hope your heart explodes.
I hope your veins run with blades of ice.
I hope you scream for my forgiveness
So that I can come bend over you and whisper
OH, NO....NOT NOW...NOT EVER. DIE.
I am summoning my freedoms.
Now I am the one breathing the names
And I am naming you.
I blame you with every blame.
You living in darkness.
You walking death.
You night terror.
Cemetery gate.
Assassin.
Apothecary of sin.
Eater of souls.
Betrayer.
Strangler of hopes.
Poisoner of dreams.
Emptiness.
Incubus.
Forger of Christ's signature.
Even my hatred is a mercy too good for you:
Priest !
Do You Think That They'll Let Me In Heaven?
by Pat
Do you think that they'll let me in heaven,
After what I did to that priest?
With those boyish looks and blonde curls,
And my sycophantic "Yes, Father's".
Sure, the man didn't have a chance, or a choice.
No, I don't think that they'll let me in heaven,
After I went and corrupted that priest.
Do you think that they'll let me in heaven,
After what I did to the church?
The rock that Jesus founded,
That binds heaven from Earth.
And condones the loosened cassock.
No, I don't think they'll let me in heaven,
After I went and reported the church.
Do you think that they'll let me in heaven,
After abusing 'cause I was abused?
My ex, my kids, my family.
M friends, my community, my body.
It was all that priests fault, wasn't it, Pat?
No, I don't thinig they'll let me in heaven,
After I went and blamed someone else.
Do you think that they'll let me in heaven,
After felching the churches coffers?
Inadequate payment for a night-time of horrors.
For what profit a man...
Final payment for the final part of my soul.
No, I don't think they'll let me in heaven,
After I went and sought compensation.
Do you think that they'll let me in heaven?
No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No Way, No!
If only it wasn't so....
Also check out more music videos and films on our Video Links page in The Library
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Companions in Hope
P. O. Box 638
Geneva, Illinois 60134
mail@companionsinhope.com
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