Camden Diocese Sets Evenings of Prayer for Victims of Abuse, Reparation for the Sins of the Catholic Church

CAPE MAY – The Diocese of Camden, in a Sept. 24 release, announced two evenings of prayer services for the victims of sexual abuse and reparation for the sins of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic faithful are invited to join with Bishop Dennis Sullivan and the clergy of the diocese as they publicly, solemnly, and humbly ask God to bring peace to those abused by priests and to their families.
“We as a church community must show our solidarity that this never happens again. That we as clergy will always protect youth and young adults; that we as church leaders will continue to immediately engage law enforcement the moment we hear a report of abuse; and that you, the laity, will hold us to this pledge,” wrote Sullivan in a recent column announcing the prayer services.
The first service will be celebrated by Sullivan Sept. 28 at Our Lady of Hope Parish (Saint Agnes Church, 701 Little Gloucester Road., Blackwood) at 7 p.m.
Oct. 5 Services:
To make sure all Catholics have the opportunity to partake in a prayer service, the second evening will be held at six churches around the diocese Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. The locations are:
Our Lady Star of The Sea, 525 Washington Mall, Cape May
St. Joseph the Worker, 901 Hopkins Road, Haddonfield
Church of The Incarnation, 240 Main St., Mantua
St. Andrew the Apostle, 27 Kresson Gibbsboro Road, Gibbsboro
Christ the Good Shepherd, 1655 Magnolia Road, Vineland
St. Katharine Drexel, 6075 W. Jersey Avenue, Egg Harbor Township
“Amidst a scandal this awful, there are also prayerful things we can do as a community of faith. These include the opportunity to ask God’s intervention that we may never forget our duty to protect the most vulnerable and to ensure the Church always meets a higher standard of oversight,” stated Sullivan. “These prayer services are important opportunities to add our spiritual weight to the legal, psychological and pastoral work that is already being done in our state, our region and around the world.”