Steve Fearing, who was abused by a Franciscan priest from the Province of Santa Barbara, reconciled with Fr. Armando Lopez, a Santa Barbara Franciscan, on February 9, 2008. Steve first came to a Compassionate Gathering on January 12, 2008. On that day we discussed how to reach out to survivors and other Catholics with the Sack Cloth Penance Patch as a form of apology and penance for clergy abuse. Three survivors of clergy abuse, several Catholic parishioners and Fr. Armando all participated in the discussion as coequals. On February 9, 2008, Steve returned to Compassionate Gathering to share his story of abuse and survival with us. We validated Steve’s experiences, feelings, and values.

Then Fr. Armando turned towards Steve, “We priests have to humble ourselves and speak from the heart and apologize for the abuse. I’m sorry.”

The two men embraced. Other Catholic parishioners followed Fr. Armando.

Steve said to Fr. Armando as he hugged him, “Father, this is the first time in a long time that I’ve hugged a priest and the first time I’ve called anyone “Father” other than my own father in a very long time.”

To the rest of the Compassionate Gathering, he said, “You’ve given me so much love. I can take that love and give it to other people.”

Tears trickled down the cheeks of Catholic parishioner Ann Czuba as Fr. Armando and Steve Fearing embraced.

“This is so beautiful,” she said.

Clergy abuse survivor Elizabeth Goeke also shed tears, “We survivors have been told that we are only welcome in the Catholic Church if we are silent. We are on Holy Ground here. I am so honored to be a part of this.”

After the Gathering was over Fr. Armando said,“It was wonderful to meet Steve and say ‘I’m sorry’ in the name of my Brother who abused him. It was wonderful that Steve responded with a warm embrace. That touched my heart.”

Biographies:
Steve Fearing was abused by a Franciscan priest who was served as pastor of an Oregon parish from 1967-1972. In 1990 another survivor asked Steve if he had been abused by that same priest. This helped Steve start his journey to healing. Steve sued both the Franciscans and the Archdiocese of Portland after the Church refused to pay for the therapy required by his psychologist. Coming out of the 1993 Independent Board of Inquiry Investigation of abuse at St. Anthony's Seminary in Santa Barbara, California, the Franciscans settled quickly with with Steve. The Archdiocese of Portland fought Steve's claim all the way to the Oregon State Supreme Court--a fight that lasted nine years. Steve won, and his case clarified a state statute which allowed survivors to sue for damages within three years of realizing that they have been harmed by abuse. The Archdiocese of Portland paid Steve five times what the Franciscans paid him. Many other clergy abuse lawsuits followed Steve’s lawsuit--precipitating the declaration of bankruptcy by the Archdiocese of Portland in 2004.

Steve continues to work hard on healing through therapy and twelve step groups. He teaches yoga four nights a week. He is also fortunate to have a very supportive family--a loving wife, two grown children and one grandchild, but he has been changed forever by his unfortunate abusive past.

Fr. Armando Lopez is a member of the Order of Friars Minor, Province of Santa Barbara. He was ordained in 1988. He served as an Assistant Pastor at San Luis Rey in Oceanside, California from 1988 to 1994. From 1995 to 2003 he worked as a Itinerant Spanish language preacher. Fr. Armando came to Ascension Catholic Church in Portland, Oregon as Parochial Vicar in June, 2003. Since January, 2005, he has served as pastor of Ascension. Fr. Armando endured childhood physical and emotional abuse inflicted by an alcoholic family member. He struggled as a new immigrant to the United States working series of low paid, factory jobs. A Youth Retreat helped restore his faith in God and the Catholic Church and started him on a path of healing the wounds from his childhood and eventually led him to joining the Franciscan Order. Fr. Armando’s compassion for people abused by individuals and by society has led him to advocate for immigrants and now for survivors of clergy abuse. Fr. Armando welcomes Compassionate Gathering to meet and support survivors from inside a Catholic parish and participates in our Gatherings as much as he is able to. Fr. Armando has also counseled and mentored a number of survivors of clergy abuse in private.

Contact:
Steve Fearing
    e-mail: s_fearing@yahoo.com

Fr. Armando Lopez
   Ascension Parish Office: 503-256-3897