"The secret not yet told": Women describe alleged abuse by nuns

[_Abyssinia]

Catholic bishops from across the U.S. are gathering Wednesday for a weeklong retreat on the clergy sex abuse crisis at a seminary near Chicago. Organizers said the retreat, which was requested by [Pope Francis](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-francis-clergy-sex-abusers-hand-yourself-over-today-2018-12-21/), will focus on prayer and spiritual reflection and not policy-making.
The gathering comes as CBS News has also learned of several cases involving nuns accused of sexual misconduct. The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests – or SNAP – said it doesn’t keep count of sexual abuse allegations, but CBS News’ Nikki Battiste has spoken with several women who recently reported misconduct, ranging from forceful kissing to molestation, all carried out by nuns.

Nun sexual abuse: "The secret not yet told": Women describe alleged abuse by nuns - CBS News

 

[Cathoholic]

From the OP article . . . .

Cahill reported her abuse to the sisters of charity of St. Elizabeth in 1994. The congregation paid her a $70,000 out-of-court settlement.

“They had canon lawyers on retainer just for people like me. Shut her up, pacify her, tell her you love her and you’ll pray for her, and send her on her way,” Cahill said.

In a statement, the congregation told CBS News, “The case was investigated immediately when it was reported in 1994 and a settlement was reached that was mutually agreed on by all parties. We believe that the Sisters of Charity acted in a responsible manner.”

We reached out to Sister Eileen Shaw who Cahill said she continued to see for years as an adult. She hung up on Battiste.

The Sisters of Charity removed her from her role as a grade school principal but reports she remains a nun.

This is part of the reason WHY the Church needs to publicly come out and void (from their part) all Non-Disclosure Agreements.

If these things were more transparent, these proverbial “abuse pedigrees” could more easily be followed and it would be more difficult for the perps using it to hide their sexual deviancy.

It would also help some of the victims to publicly discuss this sort of thing. At least for those victims that feel the need to do this (other victims may WANT this to remain quiet–their choice).

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. . . Cahill said the settlement she signed wasn’t enough to help her deal with a lifetime of trauma. But she hopes that her voice can help prevent this from happening again.

“That this is the beginning of many, many times more that I get to speak and I get to educate, and I get to, possibly, prevent this from happening to anyone ever again,” Cahill said. . . .