Eduardo Lopez de Casas
“I find it extremely necessary to share my stories with as many practicing Catholics as I can.”
Awake: Eduardo, thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us. As we begin, what would you like to tell us about yourself and your life apart from your abuse?
Eduardo Lopez de Casas: In my particular case people need to understand that abuse is my life. The abuse began when I was so young that I cannot tell you when the first incident happened. From elementary school through college, throughout my musical career and now in my retirement, abuse has always been my companion.
My home is in Houston, Texas, and I am a very young man of 63. I say “young” because sexual abuse victims like me seem to stay frozen in our childhood, forever searching for the innocence that was stolen by our predators. My saving grace through the years was the fact that I was blessed with a talent for singing, which was discovered at a very early age. Eventually I began doing musical theater and singing opera. This allowed me to travel throughout the world singing, meeting people, and discovering different cultures. My talents were also utilized in the Catholic Church. I have probably sung the Schubert “Ave Maria” more than any other song in my career.
Q. Wow, Eduardo, your career sounds so interesting! But I’m also sad that you have been harmed by so many people. You’ve been through so much.
A. Yes, my abuse has been very extensive. I was abused by several teachers in the Galveston Independent School District, a priest, a scoutmaster, and several older friends. When you are abused as a very young child, you become a magnet for predators who can recognize your vulnerability from miles away and know exactly what to do and what to say to get you into those terrible situations.
Q. Thank you for explaining how abuse can sometimes set the stage for additional abuse. That’s a hard reality that’s important to understand. Why have you chosen to share your story with our community?
A. As a victim of abuse who grew up in a conservative Catholic household and worked for the Galveston-Houston diocese for many years, I find it extremely necessary to share my stories with as many practicing Catholics as I can because I personally witnessed the cold looks that parishioners would give when they heard the words “sexual abuse” within the walls of the house of God. I saw how most Catholics simply turned their backs and refused to believe that their priests could do something wrong, particularly with a child. I have always believed that every parish should invite a victim of sexual abuse to address their congregation so that they learn the truth about the horrible things that go on in dark corners of the Church. I hope my words help spread this truth to more people.
Q. I’m sorry that you faced those cold reactions. It’s especially unfair given the tremendous pain you suffered as a child. When you look over all of these experiences, what would you say has been most challenging about your journey?
A. Never getting any justice and watching most of my abusers thrive and succeed has been extremely hard for me to cope with. As the years go by, I also see any justice getting further and further away. Trying not to think about my abuse and helping other victims is what keeps me from going crazy.
Q. Yes, I know you do a lot to support other survivors. What has surprised you most on this journey?
A. I have an inner strength that surprises me sometimes, and I’m driven to live life with a positive attitude no matter what. My background in the theater helps me to hide my sorrows from the general public, family, and friends. I am surprised at how quickly I can set my abuse to one side, but I am also surprised at how quickly and unexpectedly I can get triggered and fall apart at any time.
Q.Thank you for being open about the challenges of living with these wounds. How would you describe your current relationship with the Catholic Church?
A. Sadly, my relationship with the Catholic Church is nonexistent. In 2021, I lost my mother, who was the single most important person I will ever know. Her extremely deep faith in God and the Church always kept me from completely breaking away from religion because I knew that it would break her heart if I did. Until the day she died, I made sure that she never heard me speak badly of the Church or a priest. But once she passed away, I made that most important break with the Church.
Eduardo in costume,
from his opera days
Q. Is there anything that I haven’t asked you about that you would like to address here, Eduardo?
A. I’ve been advocating for some changes to church practices and I would like Catholics to join me in pushing for them too. I would like the Church to stop overnight retreats with children, and for parishes to post publicly the names of accused priests who have served in each individual church. I would also like parishes to do away with the hymnals that include the music of David Haas and Cesareo Gabarain, who were both credibly accused of abuse.
Q. Eduardo, thank you for giving us the chance to hear your story. I wish you continued healing. As we close, could you share one or two things that you would like Catholics to understand about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church?
A. Catholics need to understand that child sexual abuse in the Church has not been eliminated and continues to this day. If you follow the news closely enough, you’ll see plenty of recent stories, and I also hear about current cases all the time as vice president of the board of directors for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests or SNAP. Church leaders really strive to make you believe otherwise. Catholics must also learn to be more compassionate to the existing victims and make them feel welcomed and loved instead of driving them away from the Church.
—Interview by Erin O’Donnell
Note from Awake: We extend heartfelt thanks to Eduardo for sharing his story. We also want to acknowledge that every survivor’s path is different. We honor the journeys of all who have experienced sexual abuse by Catholic leaders and are committed to bringing you their stories. In addition to Eduardo’s story, we encourage you to read our previous Survivor Stories here.
If you have experienced sexual abuse, you can receive support through the National Sexual Abuse Hotline, 800-656-4673, which operates 24 hours a day. If you seek support from the Catholic Church, you can find the contact information for your diocesan victim assistance coordinator here. Also, Awake is always open to listening to and learning from survivors. If you would like to connect with us, we invite you to email Survivor Care Coordinator Esther Harber at estherharber@awakecommunity.org.
