Page 14 - Dispatches - Winter 2022

At the time, our country manager, Francesca the presence of the Vatican. Priests who are
Russo, and I were working from home, and accused of abuse are shuffled from one church
one of our projects was perfecting the four to the next, and it’s nearly impossible for
Pillars of Discovery. The Pillars, consisting survivors to get justice of any kind. Talking
of Controversial Topics, Home-Hosted about it is incredibly taboo, too—many
experiences, a Day in the Life, and the Grand conservative Italians choose to turn a
Circle Foundation, are the enriching people- blind eye.
to-people encounters that form the heart and
soul of every O.A.T. adventure. Italy is filled Once we decided on this topic, our search
with so much beauty, but we also have our began to find someone who would be willing to
challenges and to gloss over them would not talk with travelers about this issue. We called
do justice to the stories that should be told. anyone we knew who worked for associations
Hear a video message connected with the church but had little luck.
from Simona In Rome, we had a Controversial Topic A search on the web brought up Rete L’abuso
Salvatori, Senior Vice discussion on immigration that we thought (the Network of the Abused)—the only Italian
President, Italy, about could be improved. We needed a topic that network of survivors of clergy abuse. We
this story. went deeper—something that Italians found the phone number of the president of
absolutely did not want to talk about. As the organization, a man named Francesco
Watch Video Francesca and I bounced ideas around during Zanardi, and decided to give him a call.
a virtual happy hour, we thought about
the many issues that plague Rome. That’s A survivor himself, Francesco was very
when Francesca suggested, “what about the reluctant to speak with us at first. We
priests?” explained to him our goal of bringing
meaningful conversations to American
Rhea and Tamara’s The Catholic Church has faced thousands of travelers who wanted to learn the good, the
Experience in Malta child sexual abuse allegations around the bad, and the ugly of Italy. It took nearly a
world, but in Italy, it is particularly bad due to month of building trust, but we finally got

Follow two sisters as
they experience a trio
of Maltese towns.

Watch Video

Right: Francesco
Zanardi stands with
a portrait of himself
at the age of his
abuse along with
his message to the
Catholic Church.

14 DISPATCHES • WINTER 2022

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