Translation from the German CHURCH AND TRAUMA Klaus Mertes SJ An Article for “Stimmen der Zeit”, A German Jesuit monthly magazine 1. Explanation of Terms The notions of “church” and “trauma” can be related actively and passively: “the traumatizing church” and “the traumatized church”. Each has its proper place. While the church, as an institution, is not an offender-subject in the same sense as a lone offender, the church is still involved in the abusive deeds insofar as the offenders represented the church officially, because the responsible office holders in the ecclesiastical institutions affected did not listen as the victims tried to speak, or because they did hear the victims but then hushed it up and relocated the offenders. This aspect of abuse is generally just as painful for the victims as is sexualized violence by an individual offender. 1.1.
Traumatized Church
Conversely, it has become quite common to speak of the traumatized institution. As is well known, trauma reactions to abuse are displayed not only by the individuals affected but also in the systems involved such as schools, communities, associations, clubs and other institutions. However, this formulation can be misunderstood to mean that the institutions affected are likewise to be defined as victims! For the process between institution and victim it is decisive, first of all, that the representatives of the institution assume responsibility for their own failure − so that they certainly do not define themselves as victims, but admit their systemic membership of the offenders’ side. But, on the other hand, clearing up a case of abuse is always connected with experience that is also extremely painful for the institution. For example, Canisius-Kolleg: the rector assumes responsibility. But, in fact, the others who belong to the same institution, namely its employees, children, youths, parents, and former members, are treated as liable as well. When, on January 28, 2010, the Berliner Morgenpost published my letter to those born in the 1970s and 1980s, the children and youths at Canisius-Kolleg ran through the city’s streets and saw the picture of their school under headlines such as “School of Horror”, “School of Abuse” emblazoned across the newspaper kiosks. That hurts, and is experienced in the “System” as unjust, yet it must be accepted if one is to face the truth. 1.2.
The Especially Great Fall
Church is more than mere institution, but it is also an institution, both in its composed structure and its component institutions such as congregations, schools, and hospitals. Church is also more than Roman Catholic Church, although it is primarily the Roman Catholic Church which the reader should have in mind. Church is also not an institution like every other institution. It has an especially strong understanding of itself as an institution. Indeed, there has been talk of the especially great fall that is given in the case of sexualized violence by catholic priests and in catholic institutions. This is related to the special claims of a theological and