Altar Boy...Mmmmmm...
So I've applied for private Catholic school for my youngin'.
He's written the entrance test, met the teacher got a look around the school and seemed to like it. I spent the time while he was testing (about and hour and a half) talking with a few other nervous mothers as well as the school's principal who all seemed rather nice.
They've got basketball, volleyball, flag football and best of all school uniforms. No more crazy morning shit trying to pick clothes, which seems always makes us late.
I have to admit I was really impressed with the campus. Large enough to be a social scene yet small enough that children don't fall through the cracks like most LAUSD campuses.
As we were leaving however, a lovely old fellow approached us, put his hand on my sons shoulder and said (after reading his name tag) #$%# my boy, I'm Father (so and so) the priest at the church here. I hope you will be able to attend our lovely school and maybe you can be one of the altar boys.
GULP!!!! As I looked at his hand firmly gripping my sons shoulder, his words reverberating like a rubber ball in a conrete room in my mind, I felt breathless.
For anyone who reads or listens to the news about all the goings on in the church I think my reaction was not the least over the top. All those stories ran through my mind at lightening speed in those brief seconds and without realizing it, I reached over and pulled my boy close to my side and out of the grasp of the jolly old priest.
Later, I found myself in a delimna over this situation. Although I want my son in a small environment with a little religion under his belt I couldn't help but wonder, with all the shifting around of the good, the bad and the downright ugly priests, all the cover ups and denials, and eventually some of the truths that have recently arisen, am I wrong to worry?
I have already started investigating his background but is that enough? With all the very recent headlines screaming 'cover up' in the Catholic church one can't help but think the worst.
It's bad enough sending your kids off to various places where some of these elements lurk (this is Los Angeles and there are A LOT of creeps out there) I have to wonder, seriously, whether or not I am placing him directly in harms way or am I just an over protective mother making a mountain out of a mole hill. I'm a mother and I have to think like this!
I suppose fair is fair and until I hear differently and until my investigation proves innocence, I will always suspect the jolly old fellow.
He's written the entrance test, met the teacher got a look around the school and seemed to like it. I spent the time while he was testing (about and hour and a half) talking with a few other nervous mothers as well as the school's principal who all seemed rather nice.
They've got basketball, volleyball, flag football and best of all school uniforms. No more crazy morning shit trying to pick clothes, which seems always makes us late.
I have to admit I was really impressed with the campus. Large enough to be a social scene yet small enough that children don't fall through the cracks like most LAUSD campuses.
As we were leaving however, a lovely old fellow approached us, put his hand on my sons shoulder and said (after reading his name tag) #$%# my boy, I'm Father (so and so) the priest at the church here. I hope you will be able to attend our lovely school and maybe you can be one of the altar boys.
GULP!!!! As I looked at his hand firmly gripping my sons shoulder, his words reverberating like a rubber ball in a conrete room in my mind, I felt breathless.
For anyone who reads or listens to the news about all the goings on in the church I think my reaction was not the least over the top. All those stories ran through my mind at lightening speed in those brief seconds and without realizing it, I reached over and pulled my boy close to my side and out of the grasp of the jolly old priest.
Later, I found myself in a delimna over this situation. Although I want my son in a small environment with a little religion under his belt I couldn't help but wonder, with all the shifting around of the good, the bad and the downright ugly priests, all the cover ups and denials, and eventually some of the truths that have recently arisen, am I wrong to worry?
I have already started investigating his background but is that enough? With all the very recent headlines screaming 'cover up' in the Catholic church one can't help but think the worst.
It's bad enough sending your kids off to various places where some of these elements lurk (this is Los Angeles and there are A LOT of creeps out there) I have to wonder, seriously, whether or not I am placing him directly in harms way or am I just an over protective mother making a mountain out of a mole hill. I'm a mother and I have to think like this!
I suppose fair is fair and until I hear differently and until my investigation proves innocence, I will always suspect the jolly old fellow.
posted by jbwritergirl at 8:38 PM
2 Comments:
Hey Girl... like I said... it will be ok... and ya I know I've been gone too long. I'm trying to get it back together? It's hard to know what to do in this crazy world we live in. Life is going so fast, and were all just hanging on with white knuckles and crossed fingers... hoping to make it in one piece.
I am sorry that fear has crept so deeply into your soul that it has made you fearful of everyone. Let your kids know that their are perverts in the world and how to deal with them by saying no and telling someone immediately. We are here to make the world a better place not continue the hate and fear that so many people harbour when they watch the 'news' with such trusting eyes. There are what 5 million priests in the world and 20 cases of sexual abuse in the news regarding priests. Those odds are pretty slim. I was sexually abused as a child but never by a priest. Did not have to go far from home either. We really have to be careful when we stereotype people and then publicly denounce them. 1 in 4 girls are abused and 1 in 7 boys are abused and not very many of them by priests. Priests are only human. Are we going to look at our neighbours because they are just as likely to abuse as anyone. We need to empower our children to be aware but do not make them afraid with fear that the boogy man is around every corner, some of those corners have great love and beauty and we will miss them if we are blinded by fear.
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