Nothing good happens in the dark. But light brings about healing.
But When I Fly is a heart-wrenching memoir of a survivor of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest. Each page, filled with vulnerability, explores the author's journey toward forgiveness as she finds healing through her trauma, uncovers the beautiful gift of grace, and reclaims her faith despite her childhood experiences.
At four years old, Shannon Shaughnessy Age began experiencing what no child ever should. A priest had begun grooming her family-building a deep friendship with her parents-which, in turn, created an environment of unquestionable trust and unimaginable trauma. A person who was supposed to be a safe place quickly became quite the opposite. His position of trust within the family and within the church, along with the religious terms and symbolism he used during the multi-year sexual abuse, left deep emotional and spiritual scars that Shannon still is forced to face daily, decades later.
This powerful and moving book recounts her journey through sexual abuse trauma to find healing while navigating the impact it has had on her life and faith. Intertwined is an exploration of forgiveness and hope as well as the deep and complicated impact trauma has on its victims, and the persistent reminder that even in the darkest of times, God can be found.
Shannon's story exposes the complexities of coming to terms with abuse; grappling with honest and raw feelings of anger, shame, and despair; and finding the courage to move toward healing with compassion and grace. As Shannon developed the strength to address what happened to her-and the passion to bring to light such a dark and challenging time of her life-she highlights the importance of community by joining alongside other abuse survivors to hold the Church accountable and her vigor to continue advocating for policy changes for the future.
But When I Fly is a testament to the resiliency of Shannon and other child sexual abuse victims like her as they call for greater accountability. It is also a beacon of hope, communicating to victims and advocates that they aren't alone, validating their experiences and offering hope for change.
Her personal story brings to light the healing dialogue that can take place around difficult and painful topics such as religious-based sexual trauma and can give hope to other clergy abuse survivors. The path to fly is through the hardship. Shannon continues to find her wings and hopes to help others find theirs too.
