Bishop humbled by resilient faith of many abuse survivors

Speaking after celebrating Mass on the annual Day of Prayer and Penance for the Victims of Abuse and Violence on the first Friday in Lent, Palmerston North Bishop John Adams said he had offered Mass “for the reality that the Church has been a party to abuse” and acknowledged that “most of the complaints against the Church are upheld”.

He emphasised that abuse often remains hidden for decades, yet its effects can shape a person’s life for a very long time.

Bishop Adams also spoke of the survivors he has met over the years – always with appropriate safeguards in place – and the pastoral listening the Church seeks to offer. Many survivors return more than once simply to be heard or reconnected with someone they trust.

“There are some abuse survivors who come back several times just to see us,” he said, describing these encounters as meaningful and personal.

He contrasted this relational approach with the more procedural systems survivors may face elsewhere, noting that genuine human connection must remain central to the Church’s response.

What humbles him most, he said, is the perseverance of faith many survivors continue to show, even when their relationship with the Church has been deeply strained. “Often these people still have faith,” he reflected, adding that some express sorrow at having felt distant from Jesus, yet still hold onto belief.

Bishop Adams did not shy away from acknowledging the failures that have contributed to this harm. He stressed that while abuse is not a problem exclusive to the Catholic Church, it is undeniably a problem within the Catholic Church.

“The Catholic Church doesn’t turn men into abusers, but we have turned some abusers into priests,” he reflected with sadness. He also noted that it is not only priests who have perpetrated abuse, but also members of religious orders – including, at times, women religious.

Bishop Adams urged the faithful to keep survivors in their prayers – not only on that designated day but throughout the year. Survivors’ trauma is often ongoing, he noted, and prayer is one essential expression of the Church’s desire to stand with them and work toward justice and healing.

Anyone who has a concern or complaint about abuse in a Catholic setting is encouraged to contact the Police or the Church’s National Office for Professional Standards on 0800 114 622.

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Day of Prayer for Victims of Abuse and Violence | A Call to Prayer, Truth and Healing (Tūmanako/Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North)