By Bill Rewak

Last week at the Los Altos Rotary Club, the Rev. Bill Rewak, Jesuit Retreat House Director in Los Altos, shared the following message. We asked permission to reprint the message here for all our readers.

-P aul Nyberg, Publisher

The news events of the past week, regarding the issue of sexual abuse at our center in Los Gatos, have been incredibly disturbing. Perhaps understandably, there have occurred some inaccuracies in the media accounts, but as far as we know, the basic facts are as they have been reported. So for us Jesuits, the national scandal of recent months has suddenly come very close to home.

I am the only priest in this group and the only Jesuit, and I feel I should stand before you and apologize, publicly, for the real crimes that have been committed, for the hurt that has been visited on the victims.

There has been a betrayal of the Gospel and a terrible betrayal of trust. There has also been a persistent culture of secrecy and defensiveness that has only created further pain and betrayal.

I am deeply ashamed. All the priests and Jesuits I know are ashamed. We feel very much like the prophet Jeremiah who says, “My grief is beyond healing, my heart is sick within me.”

I can only assure you that those of us who feel such shame will do our best to help create a culture of stewardship where these events cannot happen again.

I stand here also because, as a part of your community, I ask your prayers that victims made be made whole; that there will, after suffering, be redemption; that healing may occur; and that the love of God may be the controlling grace in all of our lives.