If you are survivor of clergy sexual abuse, we are glad you have found us. If you are a supporter of a survivor, we welcome you.
When Jesus needed renewal, he visited his friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, in Bethany. Journey to Bethany seeks to bring caring people together to accompany one another in healing from clergy sexual abuse.
Our ministry is being formed based on needs expressed through surveys and in conversations with survivors and families. We are grateful to the many survivors, family members and concerned people whose insight guides our work.
What is Journey to Bethany? What do we do?
We want to help survivors get the mental health resources they need. Working with the Victim Assistance Coordinator for the diocese, we can help with counseling referrals. We are also talking with survivors, their families, and supporters about support groups and other types of therapies.
On December 16 we’re hosting a Community Conversation about clergy sexual abuse in light of the documentary, Procession. This conversation will help you work through feelings that the movie and recent attention to the clergy sexual abuse crisis may have brought up for you. We’ll start by asking why you chose to attend the conversation and what’s at the heart of this issue for you. Most importantly, you will find others who share your struggles.
We have created a website dedicated to easing the shame associated with abuse. Here we link to the diocese list of accused, victim assistance coordinator and information on reporting sexual abuse. We invite visitors to sign the letter to survivors. You’ll also find lots of resources on the site like self-care suggestions, prayers, and how to respond when someone discloses abuse to you.
In 2022, we are planning webinars and events to help us all better understand trauma-informed care and response, small group sessions.
If you have ideas for how we can serve survivors, we would love to hear them. Please call our Director, Jennifer Prusa at 816-683-8999 or email us.
