An organization advocating for survivors of clergy sexual abuse is holding a healing service for survivors and families in Syracuse this weekend.
Michael Koplinka-Loehr of Lansing has spent his life dealing with the decades-long trauma of being groomed and sexually abused by a priest.
"It's a long time for someone in their teen years to have that developmental stage kind of interrupted by someone who's interested in getting their needs met sexually," said Koplinka-Loehr. "So I've had a lifelong journey of the impact."
He’s been sharing that experience with the Syracuse Catholic Diocese through the group Hope, Healing and Solidarity, which is sponsoring this weekend’s events. He said it’s more important now than ever to keep the issue in the forefront, now that the Syracuse Diocese has reached a financial resolution to the clergy sexual abuse cases locally, making payments of $176 million to victims.
"It's not like we dust off our hands and we can move forward now that this whole thing is behind us," he said. "You have decades of impacts on survivors, but then you also have eating safeguarding and precautions going forward so that doesn't happen again."
Koplinka-Loehr believes there are more victims who are still dealing with the effects of clergy abuse, and he has a message for them.
"You are not alone," he said. "That you don't have to deal with this in isolation. It is awkward. It is uncomfortable. There is all kinds of shame, secrecy, silence, stigma that accompanies this dynamic. But you can reach out."
All are welcome to events today and tomorrow at Le Moyne College. There will also be a Blue Sunday Mass for Healing Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Syracuse on April 26.
