Priest Church
Years after his teacher allegedly seduced him inside a classroom at Gray Middle School in Tacoma, Wash., it was a church sermon that gave the young victim the courage to come forward. (AP photo)

Years after alleged abuse, boy found 'liberation' in sermon

BY Brandi Kruse  on July 8, 2012 @ 7:37 am (Updated: 10:42 am - 7/9/12 )

Five years after his teacher allegedly seduced him inside a classroom at Gray Middle School in Tacoma, Wash., he claimed it was a church sermon that gave him the courage to come forward. The truth will "set you free," the pastor told the congregation, unsure if anyone in the pews that day had been molested as a child.

The boy, who is 17-years-old, told his mother after church that he had been abused by his sixth grade teacher at the age of 12. His confession led to the arrest of Keshia T. Shaw, 33, on charges of child rape. She pleaded not guilty Friday to five counts.

Prosecutors allege that the abuse began in April 2007 behind a locked door in Shaw's classroom, where she performed sex, oral and otherwise, on her young student.

Shaw began to give the boy rides home, according to court documents, and once paid him $80 after a sexual encounter in a parking lot.

She told the boy to keep their relationship a secret, prosecutors say.

"The sex began in school, in her classroom, in the building," said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. "It eventually migrated to his house when the student's mother was not home."

The abuse went on for a little more than a year, until Shaw "lost interest" in the boy, Lindquist said.

Until now, the boy told no one, save a few close friends, about the abuse he suffered at the hands of Shaw.

It is unclear what prompted the boy's pastor to speak about molestation, although the sermon was delivered sometime in May, in the midst of the child sex scandal involving former Penn. State Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky.

The power of a well-placed word

It is common for pastors to draw inspiration from events happening around the world, said Father John Whitney, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Seattle.

"Otherwise religion becomes something in an ivory tower, behind a wall far away," Father Whitney said Friday. "What we want to speak of is a faith that lives in the world. You need to show that connection."

The violence in Syria, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, immigration and the current presidential campaign are all topics Father Whitney said have "sowed the seeds" for his sermons.

But child molestation, he said, is among the most important topics on which he can preach.

"I have spoken about it from the pulpit many times," he said.

As former provincial for the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus, Father Whitney has spoken with over 200 victims of child sex abuse and fought to bring to light abuse by people in positions of authority, including religious leaders.

"As a Catholic, I know that we've experienced some great pain," Father Whitney said of past accusations of abuse against leaders in the Catholic Church. "Out of that pain, if it is to serve anything, it needs to be a call to people to find some sort of liberation. That we, above all, can say 'it's not a good thing for society to cover that up.'"

Father Whitney said victims are often in need of an invitation to speak about their abuse.

"I believe that the fundamental thing that we're called to do is to invite people into their own depths ... in order to find the liberation and the hope that only God can bring," he said. "It's like opening the door for them and saying ‘you have permission to speak.'"

The story of the boy in Tacoma and the sermon that "set him free," he said, shows the power of a well-placed word.

"You don't have to be religious to know the power of words," he said. "Words still have the power to liberate us. Words still have the power to show us a way out of the darkness which we can find ourselves in ... "

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (13)


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  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Is this chump for real?
    July 9, 2012 9:48 am
    "As a Catholic, I know that we've experienced some great pain," Father Whitney said of past accusations of abuse against leaders in the Catholic Church. "Out of that pain, if it is to serve anything, it needs to be a call to people to find some sort of liberation. That we, above all, can say 'it's not a good thing for society to cover that up.'"

    No sir! As a Catholic (of which I once was) YOU have CAUSED some great pain! And if it weren't for "society" your "cover-up" would have cotinued long past our day!

    I mean no disrespect to Catholic's in general. There are good and bad in all groups. But to have the clergy, including Bishops and on up the hierarchy ignore the cries of all those boys over the years and "solve" the problem by contributing to and expanding the problem, by transferring the molester/rapist/abuser priests from one parish to the other to contiue in their ways, is IMHO an unforgvable sin!

    Then to have this chump refer to these boys claims as "past accusations" (which in fairness could have been the writers assumption) rather than factual and proven events just opens the stitched wounds wide open!

    After all the money that the Catholic church has paid out for this cover-up and after some of the guilty have been sentenced, one would think they would want to admit their wrong, apologize profusely and do whatever it takes to make ammends. (Mea Culpa like)

    Instead, they act as though the organization is the victim! As such, they constantly open the wounds of the past instead of applying a balm with the intent of healing for the future........

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Soo (or is it sue, as in law suit) pur...
    July 9, 2012 10:35 am
    In case you haven't noticed (and those blind with hatred usually can not see), the Church HAD apologized profusely, up to and including the last two Popes. And it HAS done a lot to make amends - usually far more that a school or other such would have done.

    What you fail to acknowledge is that, widely reported as the sins of clergy and the Church have been, incidents were still relatively rare. As I have noted, however, the predators were attracted by access, not anything to do with theology. Just as others were and are attracted to youth programs and even to public schools.

    Is the Church a victim ?? ... No, not the Church per see, but the millions the Church has now been unable to help - the poor, the needy and the sick - for funds going to what YOU, and all others who will never move on, fail to even notice. The Church may be its own victim, but it still hurts those who may no longer receive the help they need.

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  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ ron prevost
    July 9, 2012 3:20 pm
    Please! Cry me a river!

    I don't care if it were only 1 child. Your "relatively rare" argument holds no water. It was the cover-up and condoning that I am referring to. And it went on for a long time and messed up a LOT of kids!

    And, by the way: Had the church done the right thing, WHICH THEY DIDN'T and stopped this at its incept WHICH THEY DIDN'T , "the poor, the needy and the sick" as you label them (and might I add the abused, the molested and the raped) would have been helped, as you claim the church is now being restricted from doing. Imagine that!

    Much like the Mafia building baseball fields and parks for the kids while embezzling money from and killing their parents as well as others, you seem to give the Catholic church a free pass. You want to bury your head in the sand and not accept the fact that the Church did more harm to these boys than the "good" they may have done to others, that is your choice. But get off your condescending high horse and quit accusing those who don't share your, "relatively rare" excuse, of being blind with hatred.

    I am disgusted with and hold the church in contempt for what they fully participated in, not blind with hatred!

    Blaming the victims for the church's self inflicted predicament, as you clearly did in your post is truly amazing. And not very loving for someone who extols the virtues of the supposed Catholic Church....... :-{

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    soo purlativ - apparently I was wrong about you.
    July 9, 2012 5:46 pm
    I had previously thought you a fairly reasonable person. But, apparently, there is absolutely NOTHING the Church could do to satisfy you.

    Just what more SHOULD be done? Do you actually have suggestions? Apparently the millions and millions in settlements, including from over 30 years ago is not enough for you. Nor are the apologies of John Paul II and Benedict. Nor are measures to (hopefully) prevent such sins in the future. ......... But what DO you want ?

    Certainly even one child was too many. But certainly the Catholic Church is not the ONLY place such abuse happened. And I have yet to hear of the Boy Scouts, the Y or public schools - where abuse certainly DID happen, and certainly WAS covered up - paying massive settlements. Nor, even for all the notoriety, have I heard as yet any settlements forthcoming from Penn State, that second mile group or Jerry Sandusky himself. Or is it OK with you that Penn State never even says 'sorry' ?

    .

    And no one ever did blame the victims. But can you not realize that every lay Catholic and parish and priest who was never a part of the abuse or coverup is also a victim? As are those no longer aided by the Church. ... And I don't see ANYONE picking up the slack outside to help the poor.

    No winners here - only losers.

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  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ ron prevost
    July 9, 2012 8:15 pm
    Not concerned about your opinion of me, so save it for someone who might worry about what YOU think of them. I don't base my opinions on whether others will like me, hate me or whether they accept it or reject it.

    In regards to your other examples of orgs. facing abuse issues: I have been equally disdainful of them and consistent in my disgust. In my book, no one gets a free pass no matter their affiliations when it comes to child abuse in any of its ugly forms. Whether they be public schools, private schools, religious, political or otherwise. Matters none to me.

    With that in mind, stay focused and try to stay on topic. You know, the one about the Catholic church and child abuse. I didn't mention the Catholic church when I was railing against Penn State, so why should I mention Penn State in this discussion? I shouldn't, so I didn't. A person should not have to qualify every statement with a barrage of examples to justify a certain position in regards to every topic. Stay around this blog long enough and you will see my disgust with other orgs. on this issue.

    In my world any organization that condones such behavior especially when its leaders are fully knowledgeable should be dissolved. But, since I am not King, all I can do is share my brilliance with others, like it or not........

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  • MrCarleone wrote...
    Anything the Catholic Church says regarding morality is absolutely ridiculous in itself !
    July 9, 2012 10:59 am
    considering the entire Church has issues with ITS PRIESTS, and their continued abuse of young children ! Pretty hysterically funny that the world's most grandiose and self-righteous institution is flagrantly guilty of the most despicable treatment of the most innocent. Until the Catholic Church actually PROVES its morality by its actions, I'll just look at them as pedophiles in silly hats.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    excuse me, cornholey
    July 9, 2012 12:34 pm
    I was posting to Soo purletiv, whom I am assuming from past posts is a fairly reasonable person.

    You, of the other hand, have proven yourself to be a lost cause. Please go back to wherever it is you inhabit and leave these posts for half way intelligent humans.

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