Groups call for national day of prayer for all hurt by clergy abuse

Published: 2003-11-19

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The National Office of Black Catholics and Pax Romana, a Catholic movement for intellectual and cultural affairs, have issued a call for a national day of prayer Nov. 30 for all parties affected by the trauma of sexual abuse cases in the U.S. Catholic Church. "The boards of directors of our two organizations issue this call for prayers for the healing of everyone involved in the tragic trauma of sexual abuse," said Walter Hubbard, National Office of Black Catholics executive director, and Joe Holland, Pax Romana president, in a joint statement released in Washington. They said that, first and foremost, all victims of sex abuse should be included in the prayers of the faithful at Masses Nov. 29 and 30. But prayers should also be said for the victimizers -- all of those who in any way failed to help the innocent victims -- they added.

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