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By Nancy Frazier
O’Brien Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) — A new comic book produced by
the Archdiocese of New York aims to help middle school and high school
students protect themselves from sexual predators and have the courage
to report improper advances.
Called “Archangel,” the 28-page comic book tells the story
of a young man — once a victim of sexual abuse himself — who
learns at his new school that the father of one student is abusing some
other young women at the school.
In “conversations” with a statue of St. Michael the Archangel
at the school, the young man debates whether to report the abuse to school
authorities and recalls his parents telling him, “Remember, son,
when love is real, it never has conditions. Someone who truly loves you
will never say, ‘You will if you love me’ or ‘This is
our fun little secret.’”
Ed Mechmann, director of the New York archdiocesan Safe Environment Program,
said the idea for the comic book and a coloring book for elementary school
students that was published last year came from Charles Barnett III, a
professional comic book artist.
Barnett was participating in a Virtus “Protecting God’s Children”
class because of his volunteer work at the Church of St. Catherine LaBoure
in Lake Katrine, N.Y.
“It was one of those inspirational moments,” Mechmann told
Catholic News Service in a telephone interview from his New York office.
“He said, ‘I can do something for you.’”
The comic book and the 22-page coloring book, called “Being Friends,
Being Safe, Being Catholic,” are offered as resources to teachers
in archdiocesan schools and religious education classes and have been
well-received, Mechmann said.
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