Notes for "Scraps"
These are the notes for "Scraps." Due to the content of the poem, some of the following content is distressing.
Father Daniel Kruse -- He has fair skin, brown eyes, and short brown hair. He is tall and slim. He is 53 years old in 2015. Daniel serves as the parish priest at the St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He lives in the rectory next door along with two deacons, who share his proclivities for child abuse. He uses his authority as a priest to pressure children, and his charisma to cover up his crimes. He doesn't care about the sex of his victims and molests as many children as he can. Daniel isn't a very effective priest, but he makes people think he is. As a hobby, he enjoys gardening.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Charisma, Good (+2) Gardener, Good (+2) Memory, Good (+2) Tall
Poor (-2) Pedophile
Pastor of a Catholic parish, Parochial Vicar, Chaplain, Priest
Referred to as The Reverend or Father.
• Omaha NE – The archdiocese released on 11/30/18 a list of accused priests, described as a "list of substantiated claims of clergy sexual abuse of or sexual misconduct with a minor." A very brief "status" of the priest and "description" of the allegation were included, as well as partial lists of assignments without start and stop years. The press release announcing the list stated that it was also included in documents given to the Nebraska attorney general "pertaining to church personnel accused of criminal sexual misconduct since 1978." A FAQ was posted as well.
* * *
“A plain, brown paper-wrapped package came in the mail recently. Upon opening it, I saw that it was a patchwork quilt about four feet by five feet. Many little scraps of cloth, carefully joined by loving hands. Two squares have suggestions of a black cassock and Roman white collar. The maker of the quilt states, “In its variety, I feel it denotes confusion and the world “mixed” up. There are dark spots for the dark times and bright squares, so, hopefully, some good and brightness will come in the future. The other pieces of cloth were of happy times, mothers and children, peaceful settings, happy things.” A note inside stated that she felt we were “scraps,”—the “scraps” that the abusive priests treated us like. They would use us as a scrap is used and then simply toss us aside. I was moved to tears. Holding it in my hands, I could almost feel others' pain and suffering, as I touched each panel. It is a magnificent work, worthy of a prize. I was deeply humbled by the receipt of the quilt. This woman got it; she really got it. This woman got it; she really got it. She has a deeper understanding of what we have gone through. It is rare.”
― Charles L. Bailey Jr., In the Shadow of the Cross
Catholic churches may choose a name from a limited set of categories, one of which is "the name of a canonized saint, as it appears in the Roman martyrology (or appendix)."
Read about the martyrdom of St. Maria Goretti.
Ramps and steps lead up to the entrance of St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church. The administrative area lies to the left of the entrance and the sanctuary to the right. An access road loops around the church to the back parking lot. Handicapped parking spaces line the area near the door. You can see where the ramps were added over the sides of the older steps at the entrance.
In the basement, the cafeteria has folding chairs and tables, with a small stage at one end. Beyond that, hallways lead to bathrooms (left) and other function rooms (right). The far side has a kitchen with a service window. The kitchen has a serving window, a small television, a clock, two refrigerators, a microwave oven, cabinets, countertops, and an island. Here you can see the two refrigerators, two dishwashers, sink, two stoves, two coffee makers, and a cart.
The women's bathroom has two sinks and two toilet stalls. The men's room is similar but has one urinal and one toilet stall. A hallway leads beyond the bathrooms to the utility room and storage areas. The utility room has a laundry sink, washer and dryer, and freezer. Not visible here, the water heater and furnace are in the same room. This is one of the places used for abusing children. The storage room holds an assortment of shelves, tubs, and old furniture.
There are two classrooms for adults. Each has tables and chairs, a chalkboard, a whiteboard, and a small television.
Between the two adult classrooms and the two children's rooms, a former custodial closet was cleaned out to make a seclusion room. When the door is open, it can be used by anyone who needs quiet space, and serves as an auxiliary confessional or pastoral counseling room. However, it's also used for locking up unruly children. That makes it very convenient for priests who indulge in child abuse.
The Sunday School Room for children ages 5-9 has tables and chairs, cabinets of supplies, and bulletin boards to display current topics.
The nursery for children younger than 5 has rocking chairs, high cabinets of supplies for adults, and low cabinets of toys for children.
The lobby on the first floor has a reception desk along with tables and chairs.
The women's bathroom has three sinks and five toilet stalls. The men's bathroom is similar, except it has three urinals and two toilet stalls.
The sanctuary has two rows of pews leading to the chancel. The vestry lies to the right of the chancel and the confessionals to the left. A choir loft overlooks the sanctuary. Each confessional has a kneeling bench and two chairs.
The business office has a large wraparound desk for the secretaries. The financial office includes a desk and filing cabinets for the Deacon of Finance. The Deacon of Charity is a neatnik, so the charity office has only a desk and an end table with two guest chairs. The sanctuary office has a desk with storage shelves for the Deacon of Sanctuary. The pastor's office has a divided desk with several chairs for consultation, and the room is decorated with many religious icons.
The meeting room includes a table with fourteen chairs, a side table, and a viewscreen.
The bathroom has linen cabinets, a sink, a toilet, and a bathtub with shower.
The choir loft includes two rows of seats. This workstation provides audio programming for the sanctuary below.
The parking lot lies behind the church, surrounded by trees.
The rectory lies to the left of the church, down the hill. The pastor and two deacons live there. On the first floor, the garage holds a car shared by parish staff, the church shuttlebus, and a handicap transport van used to pick up disabled parishioners. Upstairs, the pastor has Bedroom 1, the Deacon of Charity has Bedroom 2, and the Deacon of Sanctuary has Bedroom 3.
The first floor of the Charity Building has interview alcoves; a free shopping area for food, clothing, and other charity goods; a food circle soup kitchen; a children's nutrition and play room; offices; and a laundry room. The second floor has classrooms with a learning kitchen, flex space, a workroom, flex space, workspace, and offices. This provides a place to make and repair clothes and other household goods.
The homeless shelter lies to the right of the church. This is a typical floor plan for the apartments.
The basement has a large open space that can be used for emergency shelter. When the residential units fill up, single people get placed in the basement.
The laundry room has 3 washers and 3 dryers. Not visible here, the far wall has chairs and a counter for folding clothes.
Each unit has a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room with kitchenette. These go first to couples and families.
The common halls have nooks at the ends with a windowseat, desks, and shelves.
A parish is a community of Catholics in the care of a parish priest.
(These links are sad.)
Reactive Attachment Disorder is described as a failure on the part of the child to meet adult expectations of affection. Attachment damage, or connection disruption, instead describes an injury to the child caused by adults failing to meet the child's needs for safety, security, and love. Changing the focus changes the whole treatment plan -- not a goal of making the child behave in ways pleasing to adults, but making the child feel safe so that healthy relationships become possible.
(These links are intense.)
Dire experiences can leave people with traumatic stress. This can cause a variety of conditions. Prolonged Duress Stress Disorder is similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but involves a long span of torment instead of a single brief incident. Developmental Trauma Disorder describes the effects on a developing psyche. Traumatic stress tends to have a profound negative impact on relationships and socializing. This encourages isolation, which can cause further problems. Understand how to cope with traumatic stress or help a friend with it.
(So are these.)
Trauma survivors often show worrisome symptoms of decompensation as the extreme stress overwhelms their coping skills. Trauma-informed care offers compassionate, effective ways to help survivors.
(And these.)
Clergy sexual abuse and other religious abuse can cause Religious Trauma Syndrome.
I made this page of references for the aftermath of sexual assault.
Asking for help or even accepting help can be very difficult, especially for people who have had bad experiences with it in the past. This is huge progress for Shiv, compared to how he's handled things alone before due to lack of better options, or actively swatted people away. Follow the steps to stop thinking of help as a sign of weakness, to ask for help, and to accept it.
Father Daniel Kruse -- He has fair skin, brown eyes, and short brown hair. He is tall and slim. He is 53 years old in 2015. Daniel serves as the parish priest at the St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Omaha, Nebraska. He lives in the rectory next door along with two deacons, who share his proclivities for child abuse. He uses his authority as a priest to pressure children, and his charisma to cover up his crimes. He doesn't care about the sex of his victims and molests as many children as he can. Daniel isn't a very effective priest, but he makes people think he is. As a hobby, he enjoys gardening.
Qualities: Expert (+4) Charisma, Good (+2) Gardener, Good (+2) Memory, Good (+2) Tall
Poor (-2) Pedophile
Pastor of a Catholic parish, Parochial Vicar, Chaplain, Priest
Referred to as The Reverend or Father.
• Omaha NE – The archdiocese released on 11/30/18 a list of accused priests, described as a "list of substantiated claims of clergy sexual abuse of or sexual misconduct with a minor." A very brief "status" of the priest and "description" of the allegation were included, as well as partial lists of assignments without start and stop years. The press release announcing the list stated that it was also included in documents given to the Nebraska attorney general "pertaining to church personnel accused of criminal sexual misconduct since 1978." A FAQ was posted as well.
* * *
“A plain, brown paper-wrapped package came in the mail recently. Upon opening it, I saw that it was a patchwork quilt about four feet by five feet. Many little scraps of cloth, carefully joined by loving hands. Two squares have suggestions of a black cassock and Roman white collar. The maker of the quilt states, “In its variety, I feel it denotes confusion and the world “mixed” up. There are dark spots for the dark times and bright squares, so, hopefully, some good and brightness will come in the future. The other pieces of cloth were of happy times, mothers and children, peaceful settings, happy things.” A note inside stated that she felt we were “scraps,”—the “scraps” that the abusive priests treated us like. They would use us as a scrap is used and then simply toss us aside. I was moved to tears. Holding it in my hands, I could almost feel others' pain and suffering, as I touched each panel. It is a magnificent work, worthy of a prize. I was deeply humbled by the receipt of the quilt. This woman got it; she really got it. This woman got it; she really got it. She has a deeper understanding of what we have gone through. It is rare.”
― Charles L. Bailey Jr., In the Shadow of the Cross
Catholic churches may choose a name from a limited set of categories, one of which is "the name of a canonized saint, as it appears in the Roman martyrology (or appendix)."
Read about the martyrdom of St. Maria Goretti.
Ramps and steps lead up to the entrance of St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church. The administrative area lies to the left of the entrance and the sanctuary to the right. An access road loops around the church to the back parking lot. Handicapped parking spaces line the area near the door. You can see where the ramps were added over the sides of the older steps at the entrance.
In the basement, the cafeteria has folding chairs and tables, with a small stage at one end. Beyond that, hallways lead to bathrooms (left) and other function rooms (right). The far side has a kitchen with a service window. The kitchen has a serving window, a small television, a clock, two refrigerators, a microwave oven, cabinets, countertops, and an island. Here you can see the two refrigerators, two dishwashers, sink, two stoves, two coffee makers, and a cart.
The women's bathroom has two sinks and two toilet stalls. The men's room is similar but has one urinal and one toilet stall. A hallway leads beyond the bathrooms to the utility room and storage areas. The utility room has a laundry sink, washer and dryer, and freezer. Not visible here, the water heater and furnace are in the same room. This is one of the places used for abusing children. The storage room holds an assortment of shelves, tubs, and old furniture.
There are two classrooms for adults. Each has tables and chairs, a chalkboard, a whiteboard, and a small television.
Between the two adult classrooms and the two children's rooms, a former custodial closet was cleaned out to make a seclusion room. When the door is open, it can be used by anyone who needs quiet space, and serves as an auxiliary confessional or pastoral counseling room. However, it's also used for locking up unruly children. That makes it very convenient for priests who indulge in child abuse.
The Sunday School Room for children ages 5-9 has tables and chairs, cabinets of supplies, and bulletin boards to display current topics.
The nursery for children younger than 5 has rocking chairs, high cabinets of supplies for adults, and low cabinets of toys for children.
The lobby on the first floor has a reception desk along with tables and chairs.
The women's bathroom has three sinks and five toilet stalls. The men's bathroom is similar, except it has three urinals and two toilet stalls.
The sanctuary has two rows of pews leading to the chancel. The vestry lies to the right of the chancel and the confessionals to the left. A choir loft overlooks the sanctuary. Each confessional has a kneeling bench and two chairs.
The business office has a large wraparound desk for the secretaries. The financial office includes a desk and filing cabinets for the Deacon of Finance. The Deacon of Charity is a neatnik, so the charity office has only a desk and an end table with two guest chairs. The sanctuary office has a desk with storage shelves for the Deacon of Sanctuary. The pastor's office has a divided desk with several chairs for consultation, and the room is decorated with many religious icons.
The meeting room includes a table with fourteen chairs, a side table, and a viewscreen.
The bathroom has linen cabinets, a sink, a toilet, and a bathtub with shower.
The choir loft includes two rows of seats. This workstation provides audio programming for the sanctuary below.
The parking lot lies behind the church, surrounded by trees.
The rectory lies to the left of the church, down the hill. The pastor and two deacons live there. On the first floor, the garage holds a car shared by parish staff, the church shuttlebus, and a handicap transport van used to pick up disabled parishioners. Upstairs, the pastor has Bedroom 1, the Deacon of Charity has Bedroom 2, and the Deacon of Sanctuary has Bedroom 3.
The first floor of the Charity Building has interview alcoves; a free shopping area for food, clothing, and other charity goods; a food circle soup kitchen; a children's nutrition and play room; offices; and a laundry room. The second floor has classrooms with a learning kitchen, flex space, a workroom, flex space, workspace, and offices. This provides a place to make and repair clothes and other household goods.
The homeless shelter lies to the right of the church. This is a typical floor plan for the apartments.
The basement has a large open space that can be used for emergency shelter. When the residential units fill up, single people get placed in the basement.
The laundry room has 3 washers and 3 dryers. Not visible here, the far wall has chairs and a counter for folding clothes.
Each unit has a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room with kitchenette. These go first to couples and families.
The common halls have nooks at the ends with a windowseat, desks, and shelves.
A parish is a community of Catholics in the care of a parish priest.
(These links are sad.)
Reactive Attachment Disorder is described as a failure on the part of the child to meet adult expectations of affection. Attachment damage, or connection disruption, instead describes an injury to the child caused by adults failing to meet the child's needs for safety, security, and love. Changing the focus changes the whole treatment plan -- not a goal of making the child behave in ways pleasing to adults, but making the child feel safe so that healthy relationships become possible.
(These links are intense.)
Dire experiences can leave people with traumatic stress. This can cause a variety of conditions. Prolonged Duress Stress Disorder is similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but involves a long span of torment instead of a single brief incident. Developmental Trauma Disorder describes the effects on a developing psyche. Traumatic stress tends to have a profound negative impact on relationships and socializing. This encourages isolation, which can cause further problems. Understand how to cope with traumatic stress or help a friend with it.
(So are these.)
Trauma survivors often show worrisome symptoms of decompensation as the extreme stress overwhelms their coping skills. Trauma-informed care offers compassionate, effective ways to help survivors.
(And these.)
Clergy sexual abuse and other religious abuse can cause Religious Trauma Syndrome.
I made this page of references for the aftermath of sexual assault.
Asking for help or even accepting help can be very difficult, especially for people who have had bad experiences with it in the past. This is huge progress for Shiv, compared to how he's handled things alone before due to lack of better options, or actively swatted people away. Follow the steps to stop thinking of help as a sign of weakness, to ask for help, and to accept it.