The Church never abandons her children, especially those who suffer. Dawn Eden, through her book My Peace I Give You, continues to be an instrument of Christ for the healing of those who have suffered sexual abuse.
Anthony Esolen, a writer I greatly admire, has written an essay in defense of the innocence of children inspired by reading Dawn’s book. And The Catholic Herald picked up on her work, occasioned by her recent speaking engagements in the UK.
Her she is speaking on the healing of memory, a subject, which I believe is terribly important:
Mary Victrix 
What is the difference, if it exists, between healing of the memory, prayer of deliverance, and the more extreme practice of exorcism?
Prior to last summer I would have ignorantly denied the validity of such prayer/practices.
A wonderful priest spent more than three hours with me discussing hurts from my childhood, and throughout my life. (I had become ‘disfunctional’ in my daily life as a result of some recent mental trauma). He then guided me through prayer to be released (unbound) from that pain.
When Father X was finished I was a little girl! I hugged him and said, “I love you”, without embarrassment; just like a child. 🙂
I agree with Dawn that traumas, without regard to type or degree, greatly influences our present behavior. It becomes the fabric of who we are. Giving it all to God frees us to be the children of God we were meant to be. And that is called having peace.
Is Dawn’s discussion the same thing as I have described?
Many thanks.
We need more good willed souls like Dawn in the Church. God bless her.
Yes, there has been an assault on innocence in our culture, a violence to the purity of imagination in our culture. Please pray for my daughter and my niece as they need healing and a restoration of their hearts and minds. Emotional and mental illness has more to do with this type of violence than doctors and pastoral workers understand. Now the schools are getting involved with declaring children mentally ill. Schools are having this diagnosis as part of “health centers”. May God continue to bless the Friars with their charism of holiness and spreading it worldwide! I highly recommend Dawn’s book, as well!
“Emotional and mental illness has more to do with this type of violence than doctors and pastoral workers understand.”
Mary,
There are many priests in the Church who have been given the gift of healing. It was through the Chancery in my diocese that I was led to Father X. Not only was I set free (‘unbound’, and the caveat is that I had to desire this freedom), but this elderly priest was able to bless me with a particular crucifix that carried the plenary indulgence. (I’m sure I didn’t write that properly, but I hope you understand). This priest called my home the following day to say he was coming over to ‘see how I was doing’.
Everything I wrote above is very scriptural, just in case some readers have any doubt.
{Still hoping someone with knowledge of this topic would be so kind as to answer my question above.}
Mary, please be at peace. All things work out unto good for those who love God. 🙂
I finally got a chance to listen to this and, as always, Dawn expresses things beautifully. Those of us who never experienced childhood trauma like this cannot pretend to know what it takes to fully heal — if indeed full healing is typically possible in this life. Yet, to be able to forgive so that one can live past it all with some level of peace is the hope. As Dawn pointed out, a number of Saints experienced these pains and can teach people HOW to do it and give the hope that it is indeed possible. I don’t know where God is calling Dawn down the road, but He certainly will use all of her brokenness — it’s through her ‘cracks’ that His light shines brightly. The irony of it all. 🙂