Protecting our Children
Pastoral Outreach / Victim Assistance
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The Diocese of Sacramento is committed to pastoral care that heals the heart through counseling and spiritual assistance.
Toll-free Number
The Diocese of Sacramento provides a pastoral care coordinator to assist persons who have suffered sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy and other Catholic Church workers. The Pastoral Care Coordinator may be reached through a toll-free number at (866)777-9133. Staff is available to take reports in English and Spanish. If you are seeking assistance in coping with this tragic situation, please call the toll-free number.
Pastoral Care
Pastoral care may include counseling, spiritual direction and other assistance that may be necessary to facilitate healing. It is available as needed and may be arranged by contacting the toll-free line at (866) 777-9133.
Support Groups
The Diocese of Sacramento, as a component of its pastoral outreach program, assists victim/survivors by providing support groups for men and women. These groups are open to anyone sexually abused by clergy, religious authority figures and other church workers either within the Catholic Church, or any other denomination. The formation of these support groups responds to mandates of the U.S. bishops’ Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
The 12-week groups, currently offered in Sacramento, will be facilitated by a licensed clinical social worker and designated for those who have reached a point in their recovery where they are ready to explore their trauma with other survivors. The therapists have extensive experience in group therapy with victims of sexual abuse. The Diocese is examining the need for groups in other regions.
The group sessions are free to participants and convene at the therapists’ offices, separate and exclusive of any Diocesan involvement.
The therapists have identified key areas of focus for the groups:
- To help each other heal without judgment or accusations
- To experience a shared belonging and understanding where there had been loneliness or a sense of being different
- To explore how the “soul death” of the trauma continues to impact their lives
- To learn new ways of coping
- To recover a sense of true self, independent of the trauma
- To experience shared community to restore trust and develop health relationships
Information about the availability of these support groups has been shared with more than 75 counseling services, agencies, associations, and religious organizations.
For more information about the support groups and therapists,
contact the facilitator:
Esther Castillo at (916) 733-0142
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