books come highly recommended by clergy abuse victims

ALL these books come highly recommended by clergy abuse victims. There are many more books out there that may well be just as helpful – these are ones that victims have specifically recommended  in support groups or to me.

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Clergy abuse – dynamics, personal stories

* When Ministers Sin – Neil and Thea Ormerod. Millennium Books 1995. Publisher’s phone number: Australia 02-9550 2355 Covers in detail the issues surrounding clergy sexual abuse, and includes six case studies to illustrate various scenarios. An excellent and comprehensive overview of the topic.

* In the Shadow of the Cross – Bruce Blyth. P&B Press 1998. Publisher’s phone number: Australia 08-9450 2513 Tells the story of VOICES’ battle for justice against the Christian Brothers in Western Australia.

* Breaking Through – Cathy Ann Matthews. Strand Publishing. Currently out of print. The autobiographical story of a clergy sexual abuse victim, who didn’t disclose until after she became a minister’s wife.

* The Australian Paedophile and Sex Offender Index – Deborah Coddington, 1997. ISBN 0908578660. A list of Australians convicted of sex offences. Unfortunately quite hard to find now. Regular searches through http://booklovers.com.au may turn up a copy. Books-a-Million also might have a copy, but prices are not cheap and in American dollars.

Is Nothing Sacred? – Marie Fortune. Harper San Francisco 1989. Subtitled “The Story of a Pastor, the Women He Sexually Abused, and the Congregation He Nearly Destroyed”, its title speaks for itself. Marie Fortune has specialised in clergy sexual abuse, and is a recognised authority on its dynamics. This and others of her books may be helpful. Not currently available in Australia, although it can be ordered in.  Buy “Is Nothing Sacred” from Amazon (or look inside the book)

Unholy Orders: Tragedy at Mount Cashel – Michael Harris. Viking Penguin, Canada. Hardcover 1990 ISBN 0670834815. Paperback 1991 includes updated information ISBN 014013929X. Currently out of print. Institutional physical and sexual abuse at a Christian Brothers orphanage in Newfoundland, Canada. The investigation into the charges revealed a cover-up at the highest level of government. Later a TV documentary.  Buy “Unholy Orders” from Amazon

* The Almond Tree: Child Sexual Abuse and the Church (stories from country Victoria) – Heather McClelland. Self-published (PO Box 3 California Gully, 3556), 1995. 25 personal stories followed by the author’s comments. McClelland was a pastoral counsellor in a country Victorian town and the book’s conclusion has some excellent tools to aid the healing process for victims of sexual abuse

Victim to Survivor: Women Recovering from Clergy Sexual Abuse – Nancy Werking Poling (ed). United Church Press, Cleveland, 1999. The six victims who tell their stories in this book chronicle six different paths through betrayal to hard won healing. It’s the details in their stories that make you feel, not just think, about how terribly wrong clergy sexual abuse is. Snippets about the pastor who jokes that he could raise money for the Church by writing erotic books, before he tries to kiss the young associate he supervises, or the spiritual director who offers sacramental wine before he suggests that a young victim of incest act out her sexual fantasies with him. Buy “Victim to Survivor” from Amazon (or look inside the book)

Forbidden Fruit – Annie Murphy and Peter da Rosa. Warner Books, 1994. Young Annie Murphy, her marriage over, goes to Ireland looking for healing. What she finds is a secret love with Eammon Casey, who became the Bishop of Galway, Ireland. The birth of their son, her years of hardship and the publicity surrounding the 1992 disclosure of the cover-up are told in this book.  Buy “Forbidden Fruit” from Amazon
Fall from Grace: The Life of Eammon Casey – Joe Broderick. Brandon House Publishers, 1992. This short book follows Bishop Eammon Casey’s work for the homeless in England, his founding a Third World development agency, and ends with the series of confrontations about his fathering a son with Annie Murphy, a woman from Connecticut. She insisted he actually meet his son, something he finally did for three minutes, assuring the 16 year old that he prayed for him twice a day.  Buy “Fall from Grace” from Amazon

Betrayal of the Innocents : Desire, Power, and the Catholic Church in Spain – Timothy Mitchell. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998. From the blurb: Mitchell’s powerful & compelling book is the first to assess the long-term consequences of clergy sexual activity for an entire culture. Buy “Betrayal of the Innocents” from Amazon (or look inside the book)

How Little We Knew: Collusion and Confusion with Sexual Misconduct – Dee Miller. Self published. ISBN: 0933451180 The author’s account of her discovery of sexual misconduct by a fellow missionary, and the further betrayal that often comes from the church’s reaction to disclosure. Order through Miller’s website at http://members.tripod.com/~NoColluding/

The Truth about Malarkey – Dee Miller. 1stBooks Library, 2000. ISBN: 1587215551. A fictional but truth-based account of a church where clergy abuse is disclosed. Miller weaves a story of denial and blaming the victim and blaming the messenger in one nondenominational congregation that could be most churches anywhere. A realistic look at the denial, ignorance and minimisation that happens so often. This book is also available at reduced cost as an e-book, through 1stBooks. The site also contains a review and preview of the book.

Habits of Sin: An Expose of Nuns Who Sexually Abuse Children and Each Other – Ashley Hill. Xlibris Corp., 2000. ISBN: 0738826146Research and case studies of sexually abusive nuns. Both abuse of children and abuse of other nuns within convents is addressed. Extremely useful for those abused by women who need validation of their experiences. An excerpt is available online at www.xlibris.com

Sister Philothea: Relationships between Women and Roman Catholic Priests – Tineke Ferwerda. SCM Press. ASIN: 033401526X. No detail, but the title sounds like it might be good. Currently out of print.