Victims of sexual abuse by nuns and their supporters will protest outside the national convention of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in Dallas today.
The group, affiliated with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), has asked to speak at LCWR's annual convention for seven years. LCWR has denied the request, saying that is not the proper venue.
The protesters also are asking for an independent investigation to learn how widespread abuse by nuns is and for Catholic parents to ask their children if they were ever violated by nuns.
Just last week, two dozen former residents of a Native American orphanage run by the church sued the Sioux Falls, N.D. Diocese, alleging sexual and physical abuse by priests and nuns, the Associated Press reported.
For coverage of SNAP's recent convention in Chicago, see my blog posts here. A longer piece, which focuses on abuse by nuns and other less visible victims of clergy sex abuse, will run in the Aug. 20 of NCR.
