Abuses in the Religious Life and the Path to Healing

• An in-depth perspective on abuses in religious life
• Written by a Superior General of the Carthusian Order
• Important assessment of dangers and challenges in community life
• How to evaluate, communicate, change and heal these wounds

Sexual abuse is not the only mistreatment that can happen in the Church. There is also spiritual abuse. Fr. Dysmas de Lassus, Superior General of the Carthusian Order, denounces the unacceptable behavior of some religious superiors and founders of communities. He offers a framework for evaluating the dangers of certain spiritual practices and methods of government associated with community life. 
Speaking out for the first time, he condemns an era of mental abuse in the Church and in the world. This free and liberating guide exposes some of the abuses within religious orders and includes testimonies of victims. 

You will learn:

• How to determine whether a community is following tradition or falling prey to cultlike practices
• The two primary challenges to those in positions of authority
• Behaviors in a community that cause harm and psychological murder
• Four stages and characteristics of “sectlike” behavior in dysfunctional religious communities
• Five layers of knowledge of those entering a community experience — from the outside and the inside 
• The dangers of manipulative personalities and abuses of power 

You will also gain a proper understanding of obedience and discover the three conditions, according to St. Francis de Sales, that highlight what blind obedience really means. Moreover, you will see the difference between the silence that is life-giving and the silence that kills. You will also find two criteria for healthy communication with the outside world and the way to achieve balance in living a life of sacrifice to foster genuine humility. Above all, you will see the necessary path to healing and how the truth sets us free. 

• Author: Fr. Dysmas de Lassus
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 256