L.A. ARCHDIOCESE DEDICATED FIFTH GARDEN OF HEALING FOR SURVIVOR-VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE
November 18, 2024  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

Outdoor Spaces of Healing and Reflection Now in All Five Pastoral Regions of Archdiocese

The fifth Garden of Healing was dedicated yesterday at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church in Long Beach. Auxiliary Bishop Marc V. Trudeau for the San Pedro Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Fr. David Loftus, pastor at Our Lady of Refuge presided over the dedication and blessing of the garden which marks the creation of an outdoor space of peace, comfort, and healing for those impacted by sexual abuse in the Church, their communities, or families in each of the five pastoral regions of the
Archdiocese which comprises Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

The Garden of Healing initiative is a first of its kind in the Archdiocese which was inspired largely by a survivor-victim, Joe Montanez, who taught horticulture and landscape design locally for more than 30
years and shared his experience and vision in planning the simple but important gardens.

“These gardens have been made possible by the collective offering of parishes throughout the Archdiocese as a manifestation of our ongoing care for and support of those impacted by sexual abuse in all its forms,” said Dr. Heather Banis, Victims Assistance Ministry Coordinator for the Archdiocese.
Gardens of Healing have been inaugurated at St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care in Los Angeles (San Gabriel Pastoral Region), Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Ventura (Santa Barbara Pastoral Region), St. Francis de Sales Parish, Sherman Oaks (San Fernando Pastoral Region), and St. Bernadette Parish, Los Angeles (Our Lady of Los Angeles Pastoral Region).

“My grandmother would often say ‘one is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.’ Those words echo in my mind today, as they have so often these past two years, as we have built healing
gardens dedicated to child sexual abuse survivors in each of the regions of the Archdiocese,” said Dr. Banis. “I pray this garden at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church and all the healing gardens make tangible our acknowledgement of those harmed and our commitment to prevent abuse, while offering a beautiful, safe and sacred space to draw close to God – to feel the fullness of God’s loving presence and draw strength and healing from it.”

The design of the garden of healing is built around a weeping wall placed somewhere outside the church providing those who might find it difficult to step inside the church with a sacred and welcoming space dedicated to those impacted by sexual abuse.

Water flows up the inside of the “wall” coming out and over the top, slowing “weeping” down the front into the rocks at the base – symbolic of the ongoing tears for tragedy of sex abuse in the church yet an embodiment of a pattern of renewal in healing and cooling waters. These same design principles were incorporated in each site.

The Archdiocese stands against any sexual misconduct and is resolute in our support for survivorvictims of abuse. The Archdiocese encourages anyone with information regarding these matters to please make a report to law enforcement and/or the Office of Victims Assistance Ministry at (800) 355-
2545 or protect@la-archdiocese.org. For more information on the abuse prevention and protection efforts of the Archdiocese, please visit https://lacatholics.org/protect/.

****PHOTOS AVAILABLE HERE:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13S_hCQv9B4mh9Ab752PToIXPLnn3Ic4S?usp=sharing

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