The Garden of Roses: Stories of Abuse and Healing

by Virginia Pickles Jones (Published as “Coping With Clergy Abuse” in the Colusa Sun Herald on February 8, 2008.) Danny’s lawyer grasped my hand and said, “Thank you for bringing Danny into court today.  Can you bring him in tomorrow?” “I’ll try,” I said,  “I have young children; I can’t guarantee that I will make it.” “Can you give him a call to help him get going if you can’t bring him in?” the lawyer asked. “No problem,” I said, “I’ll call him twice. Danny had missed an earlier court date.  The charge was criminal mischief.  He was angry at the Catholic Church for being so slow to settle his clergy abuse lawsuit, and he took his anger out on someone else’s property.  So I offered to bring Danny to court to prevent him from missing another court date.  We arrived late.  I could not leave my own home earlier as my children did not have anyone else to care for them before school.  When I got to Danny’s house, he hadn...

Mr. Eric Gudmunsen sent this song to me last night,  and I got his permission to share it with all of you: Hush Little Boys    Mr. Gudmunsen is a Comedian-Singer/Songwriter-Musician from Dundee, Scotland, who currently lives in the Canary Islands with his Irish wife.  He wrote this song as a protest against clergy abuse.  He said that when he performs it, people laugh for a couple lines and then stop and listen.  My daughter described the song as both depressing and funny.   Sometimes things are so bad all we can do is laugh at how bad they are.  Many years ago I met a Peace Corp volunteer who had returned from Africa.  She told me that Peace Corp volunteers who come back from South America, come back politically active.  Those who come back from Asia,  come back spiritually oriented.  Those who come back from Africa, come back laughing. “Is that because Africans are fun loving people?” I asked. “No,” s...