by Reinhold Niebuhr

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. 
Living one day at a time; 
Enjoying one moment at a time; 
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; 
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.

Maria Goretti patroness of abused children
icon by Fr. Bill McNichols
 

Healing and Restoration can be yours. Join us for a 10 week healing group for survivors of sexual assault.  Online groups for women in English and Spanish are starting soon.  For more information or to register contact Bernice Simmons for English at 972-333-9859 or Adriana Villa for Spanish at 214-926-9478 or email healing@dawnofmercy.org

Shannon Deitz McGraw  "Exposed:  inexcusable me...irreplaceable Him",
2016.


Shannon provides a moving but not traumatic account of the effect of abuse on an individual and a family.





Allen Hebert, Deborah Rodriguez (Author), et al. "Abuse of Trust: Healing from Clerical Sexual Abuse"  2019

Deborah Rodriguez (Author), is a contributor to this important book.  Abuse of Trust, 2019, offers readers a perspective on the interplay between abuse and Faith along with Hope for the Church offering meaningful help on the healing journey. Abuse of Trust covers a lot of ground and covers it very well. Those sharing the experience of abuse, and the not infrequent failure of leaders to respond effectively, provide a moving account of their journey. The sections on trauma and the Theology of the body are both well done and provide practical insights.  - Fr Gavin Vaverek


Forgiveness Made Easy: The Revolutionary Guide to Moving Beyond Your Past and Truly Letting Go    Barbara J. Hunt, 2017

Many people don't understand what forgiveness really is. Most people don't realize that they are the one who stands to benefit the most from forgiving. This simple, revolutionary guide explains what forgiveness really is - letting go of bad feelings - as well as what forgiveness isn't and how to overcome the five most common obstacles to doing it.
Once you know what's been getting in your way, you can use the simple seven-step Forgiveness Made Easy Process immediately...


My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints Paperback – May 14, 2012, by Dawn Eden 
Eden uses her own story as a backdrop to introduce numerous holy people--like Laura Vicuna, Thomas Aquinas, and Bernard of Clairvaux--who suffered sexual abuse or sexual inappropriateness, as well as saints such as Ignatius of Loyola who suffered other forms of mistreatment and abandonment. Readers seeking wholeness will discover saints with wounds like their own, whose stories bear witness to the transforming power of grace. Eden explores different dimensions of divine love--sheltering, compassionate, purifying, etc.--to help those sexually wounded in childhood find their identity in the abiding love of Christ.


Healing the Ravaged Soul: Tending the Spiritual Wounds of Child Sexual Abuse  – February 15, 2016 by Sue McGrath

"Why does God hate me?" "How can I believe in a God who has allowed my suffering?" These are just two of the difficult spiritual questions that survivors of child sexual abuse struggle with. In addition, survivors often have mixed feelings about the church because of perceived judgment and indifference, their own shame, or their discomfort with certain aspects of worship. Of the many aftereffects of sexual abuse, spiritual wounds are the least talked about, yet they are central to adult survivors who seek to heal and find faith and meaning in their lives. With grace and gentleness, this book seeks to answer survivors' spiritual questions and address some of the common misconceptions that often develop when young victims attempt to understand what has happened to them. It explores the origins of their spiritual issues with clear psychological insights and guides survivors on a spiritual journey toward healing, wholeness, and a deeper relationship with God.

Miguel Prats speaks on behalf of male surivors of abuse on I HAVE A VOICE. He can be reached at 713-851-3708 and miguel@mgoretti.org.

Shannon McGraw  is a survivor and formed HOPEFUL HEARTS MINISTRY
(Visit and Subscribe to Shannon's YouTube Channel here). .

Debbie Rodriguez MD, Pacific NW Regional MGN Mgr, speaks on Trauma Informed Care & other related topics related to healing. Contact her @ "debbie@mgoretti.org"

Fr. Gavin Vaverek VP of MGN speaks on the Church's role in healing all survivors of abuse not just those abused in the Church. fatherg@mgoretti.org

Philip Fry Arizona/NM Group Leader can be reached at pfry@mgoretti.org or 520-609-5930.