• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Protect children, each and every one

April 5, 2018
By Paul McMullen
Filed Under: Amen, Amen McMullen Commentary, Child & Youth Protection, Commentary, Local News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

The most recent inductees to the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame included Thori Staples Bryan. She was a world-class soccer player and a fine track and field athlete, but what I recall most about her was her mom, Sonda.

As The Sun’s resident track nut, I met Thori at Joppatowne High School in the spring of 1990 or ’91. The coach who arranged our interview left Thori and I to ourselves, but her mother insisted on sitting in on the conversation, making my high-minded self quite irate.

About 25 years later, I sat down to chat with some service-oriented seniors at one of our all-girls high schools. Their moderator asked if she could leave me with the young ladies for a moment, entirely appropriate given their number and my training. Nonetheless, I asked that she not, because of my own caution, which approaches hypersensitivity.

You know the harsh reality that altered my approach to dealing with minors.

The scourge of pedophilia has afflicted the Catholic Church, USA Gymnastics, Penn State football and just about any endeavor or enterprise that involves children.

Before background checks and the screening of employees and volunteers became standard practice, my awareness of the issue accelerated when my son Don entered a Scout troop and I read “Scout’s Honor: Sexual Abuse in America’s Most Trusted Institution,” a 1995 book by Patrick Boyle.

For too long, the Boy Scouts of America, not unlike the Catholic Church and other institutions, did not share knowledge of adult leaders who were guilty of abuse, allowing them to continue doing harm in neighboring communities and states.

Not every abused child becomes a pedophile, but it is likely that a pedophile was abused as a child. The psychological disorder is self-perpetuating. It’s a universal problem that requires a universal approach – as well as a widening of the subject matter.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and sexual abuse is just one way in which society needs to be more vigilant about preventing, and healing, the damage being done to children.

Start at the very beginning, with the unborn, and the need for more pregnancy centers such as the one George Matysek wrote about here.

As Emily Rosenthal wrote here, the Archdiocese of Baltimore continues to emphasize best practices when it comes to providing a safe and secure environment in our schools and religious education classes.

The cause extends beyond campuses.

Those who turn a blind eye to the children  who are victims of human trafficking; young refugees from Afghanistan or Syria; or the young ones among us who do not have ample food, clothing, shelter and education, contribute to their neglect.

You can help endangered children, by supporting agencies such as Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services, with its international mission, and Catholic Charities of Baltimore, which keeps expanding its identification and treatment of childhood trauma, the foundation of dysfunction that leads to illiteracy, unemployment and addiction.

In our own homes, think back to the example of Sonda Staples, and the vital importance of monitoring and moderating a child’s influences and interactions.

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Paul McMullen

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

  • Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

  • Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

  • A butterfly lands on a flowering bush with purple blossoms A Miracle for a Baby in Rhode Island (and for all of us)

| Latest Local News |

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

| Latest World News |

Warsaw archbishop ‘devastated, crushed’ by priest’s arrest in brutal murder of homeless man

Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says

New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program

Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options

Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Warsaw archbishop ‘devastated, crushed’ by priest’s arrest in brutal murder of homeless man
  • Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says
  • New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program
  • Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options
  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary
  • LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids
  • FBI surveilled SSPX priest amid probe of suspected neo-Nazi’s plans for violence
  • Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives
  • Our faith is not afraid of questions

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en