Posted April 16, 2009

By Christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer

Victims of child sexual abuse are remembered in a prayerful way through a rosary guide for healing and protection, one of many resources available through the web site of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Child and Youth Protection.

“The prayer reflections for the mysteries of the rosary offer a reminder of the wounds that are inflicted on victims of child sexual abuse,” said Evelyn Brannan Tarpey, the safe environment coordinator for the archdiocesan Office for Child and Youth Protection. “From their pain, we recognize the ongoing need to protect children from this evil.”

In addition to the rosary guide, the secretariat provides a child abuse prevention blessing and a prayer for healing victims of abuse.

“In using these prayer resources, I ask everyone to pray for God’s continued grace and guidance in all that is being done to bring healing to those who have been abused, to restore trust among the faithful and to keep children safe,” Tarpey said.


April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. “Awareness and education are key to the prevention of child sexual abuse,” added Tarpey.

To learn more about how to help protect children, Tarpey recommends visiting the U.S. Bishops’ web site at usccb.org. The web site includes numerous articles about child safety, including “What Parents Need to Know to Keep Children Safe,” “Protecting Youth on the Internet,” “How to React to Reports of Child Sexual Abuse,” “Healing: A Slow, Steady Process” and “Protecting Children: The Job Goes On.”

Among the contributors is an FBI agent who now heads a consulting firm specializing in crimes against children; a consultant for INTERPOL and other agencies on child abuse investigative techniques; and the executive director of the USCCB Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection.

For more information about victim assistance and safe environment programs in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, visit archphila.org.

CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine may be reached at (215) 587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.