Talk About Guts!

Controversial poster ripped from Drogheda church door

REFORMATION DAY NOTICE NAILED TO FRONT OF

AUGUSTINIAN CHURCH

Credit: Paul Connor
By Christine DOHERTY
Wednesday October 13 2010

A CONTROVERSIAL poster launching Reformation Day 2010 was ripped down just hours after it was nailed to the door of the Augustinian Church on Shop Street.The poster, announcing plans for Reformation Day for worldwide survivors of clerical sexual abuse in Rome on October 31st, was put up by three men backing the day of solidarity.
But later that day, the poster disappeared.

Augustinian Prior Fr Iggy O'Donovan said he hadn't even seen it pinned to the door.'The Augustinians are not involved with this. I didn't even see it at all. I wasn't involved in it.'

Three men, Brendan Butler, John McEvoy and Emmet Devlin felt they were recreating the beginning of the Reformation, when Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk, posted his 95 theses or proposals on Wittenberg Cathedral's door in 1517, by using the door of the Shop Street church to promote the October 31st event.

Brendan Butler told the Drogheda Independent that he had been given permission to put up a poster by Fr O'Donovan.

'I thought it was just distributing posters and I get lots of people who ring up and ask if they can put up posters inside the church and I always say yes,' said Fr O'Donovan.

The poster did attract a small crowd during Wednesday afternoon with a number of people walking up to the door to see what had been posted.

The three men, who put up the notice are all loosely affiliated with the US group, Survivor's Voice which is behind the international event. 'On that day, people from around the globe will gather in St Peter's Square, Rome to stand with survivors of clerical sex abuse and say in one voice, enough,' said Emmet Devlin.

'This a movement for change to challenge the abuse of many different groups throughout the Church including sexual abuse and also the abuse of women,' added John McEvoy.
All three intend to be in Rome for Reformation Day.

On difficult passages hikers stack stones to say: "You are on the right path..." or "I was here too." We will raise a monument for all victims of sexual abuse in Saint Peters Square.

Reformation Day Schedule of Events

October 31, 2010

Click here for the complete website schedule

11:00 - 1:00 General meeting of survivor & support groups from around the globe at:Via di Torre Argentina, 76 Roma.

1:00 - 4:00 Survivors and their supporters will have an opportunity to deliver their own personal message to the press at : Via di Torre Argentina, 76 Roma.

***Please remember that regarding speaking to any news organization, this is an invitation not an obligation.

5:00: General Gathering: City Square in front of the of the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome.

6:00: Gary Bergeron & Bernie McDaid From the US Group, Survivors Voice, will address the group.

6:30: A 60 second moment of silence will take place for all survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

6:31: "The Year of The Survivor" will be announced.

6:45: One candle will be lighted, which will then be passed from person to person, eventually lighting all candles.

7:00: Bernie and I will be walking with our candles to St. Peter's Square to leave personal messages to the Vatican.

The event will end when Bernie and I begin our walk to St. Peter's Square. We survivors, have yet to be given a permit to have a procession, or permission to enter St. Peter's Square as a group.

Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome Click here for google earth photo

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