Christ calls for us to forgive

I HOPE THAT all of the other young boys that were abused by Arthur Perrault can find peace in the love of Jesus Christ. I was abused by Art Perrault when I was 11 years old in 1973. It was at a place called Ghost Ranch, and he was a friend of my father, who was a Presbyterian minister. We didn’t have much money and always stayed in the campgrounds, so when Art Perrault offered for me to stay in his room which had a spare bed, no one thought it would be an issue. I slipped out of the room in the middle of the night after being abused by him and walked the two miles in the dark with light rain to the campgrounds where I slipped into the tent that my old brother was staying in. I did not tell anyone for years; my shame was great.

I write this today to encourage others who have felt this shame to forgive Arthur Perrault. Not for him necessarily, but for each of us. Christ calls us to love one another, even those who have hurt us. It is a part of the healing. This does not mean I want him walking around; no he must face the consequences for his actions, and society must be protected.

The Catholic Church also shares a great deal of the blame, but anger and hate do not help us or the church. By forgiving the Catholic Church and forgiving Arthur Perrault, we move to healing. By resting in Christ’s grace, we show the love of him, and hopefully, encourage others to find Jesus Christ. I pray for all those hurt by the Catholic Church and Arthur Perrault to find peace. DAVID SMITH Flower Mound, Texas