Back
Foreword by Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Newark
Afterword by Fr. Hans Zollner, SJ, Director, IADC, Pontifical Gregorian University
Can victims of clergy sexual abuse find healing within the Catholic Church that failed them?
Clergy abuse survivor Mark Joseph Williams shares his personal journey of spiralling after abuse and trauma into shame, substance abuse, and the isolation that followed. For Williams, confronting evil and his own anger while also realising his own worthiness despite the agonising results of trauma provided a starting point for healing. And he discovered something so central to his healing and faith in the place few would look to find it: the church. When he rediscovered the sacraments, he met his liberative healing path, despite and beyond the harms of clergy abuse, their secrets, and political plays of hierarchy—he discovered healing found deep within the Church. And from his unique perspective as a victim seeking redemption, he has counselled both victims of clergy abuse and faith leaders who care about transforming a broken church. And he provides concrete spiritual and institutional path forward of changes to be made in the Church, for justice, wholeness, and humility. By embracing the sacraments, he found a path to peace. Now Williams works to transform a broken church, through accompaniment between harmed and harming. For those abused and disillusioned, he offers hope that the Mystery of the Cross demands a resurrection—that the Church can be renewed by restorative love.
Mark Joseph Williams is a management consultant and forensic psychological clinician. A clerical abuse survivor, he’s co-founder of Global Collaborative, and he represents the Archdiocese of Newark as Special Advisor. He also serves on North American Safeguarding Committee of USCCB. He holds an MS in Social Work from Columbia University. For over twenty-five years he has done human resources consulting and project leadership. Previously he held leading Human Resources roles in several global companies. He and his wife, Karen, have four grown children and five grandchildren.
