Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

Message from Ann Brentwood

2009-11-14T17:07:00.004-05:00

Dear SNAP associates, As of November 9, I am officially resigned, retired, and only minimally available to the SNAP organization. I am presently hospitalized, paralyzed from the waist down, will not be returning to my home, and will not be answering any phone calls made to my home telephone number. All commitments that I have made to meet with the district attorney's in North Carolina, and elsewhere, do press conferences in Louisville, Memphis, Savannah and other places are here by voided. The people involved, as in district attorneys, press people, and significant participants need to be notified of this information by the specific parties involved other than myself. I have extended my cell phone minutes so that I may be contacted by cell phone, but this should be used for limited important issues only. Needless to say, I am involved in many medical procedures and may not be able to return calls in a timely manner. My present predicted life expectancy is two months, possibly six weeks. Therefore, any commitments made past that time are for sure null and void. In other words, gang, you are on your own. Many of you who were made aware of this approaching demise will understand. It has moved more quickly than I had hoped and some of you will be caught off guard regarding this information. I apologize for that but no matter what I said people just didn't seem to believe I was going to die so soon. I have loved every minute of working with each of you and have felt very honored to have known and enjoyed the trust of sharing and growing with you. You have made a difference and children will be safer in the future because of your efforts. Lovingly submitted, Ann Brentwood (865) 607-6119 P.S. There will be a planned celebration of life memorial service and notification will be sent to you in the future. For those who are willing and able, your presence would be appreciated.

Fugitive sex offender, former priest arrested in California

2008-11-18T09:39:00.000-05:00

For immediate release: Monday, Nov. 17, 2008

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell)

Once again we see a pedophile priest getting no supervision by the church hierarchy and going on to commit more crimes. We're seeing this pattern more and more and expect this trend will accelerate.

This is why predator priests, when convicted, need long sentences. Most of them are compulsively driven to commit more sex crimes.

We hope that others who saw, suspected or suffered Sherwood's crimes will gain the strength to come forward, get help and call police.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

******
Fugitive sex offender, former priest arrested in California

12:09 PM Mountain Standard Time on Monday, November 17, 2008

PHOENIX - The following is a press release from the Department of Justice U.S. Marshals:

Late yesterday morning Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers from the Phoenix based Child Predator Apprehension Team in addition to the Northern California Fugitive Task Force arrested fugitive sex offender and former Catholic Priest Wilputte Alanson Sherwood, 63, as he was leaving the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in San Francisco, California.

Wilputte Sherwood was originally convicted in 1993 of Sexual Conduct with a Minor, Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and Dangerous Crimes against Children in Maricopa County. It was alleged that Sherwood kept extensive logs and video tapes of many of his sexual encounters with numerous underage boys. Sherwood subsequently served 10 years in an Arizona prison and was released in 2003. It has been reported Sherwood targeted over 3600 individuals for sexual interludes spanning 12 years and five different parishes. It is estimated Sherwood had over 1800 sexual affairs resulting from Sherwood roaming the streets of Phoenix targeting hitchhikers and runaways. Upon his release Sherwood was placed on lifetime probation and was required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. In 2005, Sherwood absconded from probation and fled the Phoenix area not be heard from again until yesterday. In March 2008, Sherwood was named as the Most Wanted Sex Offender by the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department.

Recently Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers from both Phoenix, AZ and San Francisco, CA conducted a joint fugitive investigation which developed information that Sherwood was residing in the Castro District in San Francisco. Yesterday morning Deputies and Task Force Officers established surveillance on Sherwood and followed him to a local San Francisco church where he was positively identified. After the service, Sherwood was arrested without incident. Sherwood was booked into a California jail, where he awaits extradition proceedings for his return to Arizona. Sherwood is also pending federal charges for failing to register as a sex offender.

United States Marshal David Gonzales praised the work of Deputies and law enforcement officers adding, "The U.S. Marshals, along with our state and local partners, will spare no expense in going after predators like Wilputte Sherwood. We are committed to making sure those who are required to register as sex offenders are held accountable for their failure to do so."

Predatory minister is suspended; sex abuse victims announce

2008-11-13T06:54:00.000-05:00

Predatory minister is suspended; sex abuse victims announce

After 2 years, church determines he molested a young girl

Signed verdict includes finding that pastor obtained tattoo on his buttocks with victim’s initials

He’s also just resigned as divinity school admissions director

Despite a $100,000 payment to victim, he remained a pastor for months

But self-help group now wants his former congregants to know he’s guilty

SNAP urges others who saw, suspected or suffered his misdeeds to come forward

WHAT

At a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will announce that

- a formal church trial about a child molesting clergyman has ended,

- he’s been deemed guilty on all counts and is now suspended, and

- he’s also resigned his position at a local divinity school.

They will also urge others who may have seen, suspected or suffered misdeeds by the predator to contact law enforcement, speak up and get help.

WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 13, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: On the sidewalk in front of the Presbyterian headquarters (‘presbytery’), 100 S Morgan (by Monroe Street)

WHO: A 37 year old Minnesota woman, her relatives, and several members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including the organization's founder and president

VISUALS:
The group will provide copies of legal letters/documents, a photo of predator and childhood photo of victim

WHY: After a two year process, an ecclesiastical trial has found a Chicago minister, Rev. Ron M. Campbell, guilty of molesting a girl in the late 1980s. (He’s the former pastor of the Elmwood Park Presbyterian Church.) The verdict includes a statement regarding the tattoo Campbell has on his buttocks with the victim’s initials inside a heart.

In July 2007 officials with the Chicago regional Presbyterian office paid Julie Hokanson $100,000 because of the childhood sexual abuse she suffered from Campbell. Yet for months, Campbell was still allowed to work as a pastor.

SNAP now wants church officials to notify Campbell’s former congregants of the verdict.

The crimes took place in 1984 -1988 at the First Presbyterian Church of River Forest in River Forest beginning when the victim was 14 years old. She met Campbell through membership at his church.

Top Presbytery officials include Rev. Robert C Reynolds (Executive Presbyter), Presbytery of Chicago, 100 South Morgan, Chicago, 312-243-8300, Rev. Barbara Bundick (Stated Clerk), 10412 Lucas Rd, Woodstock, (815) 337-9068.

Campell’s attorney is James Betke (now retired), a session member of First Presbyterian Church of River Forest during the time the abuse took place, home: 530 N. East Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302. 708-386-5603

Copies of the church’s final “Signed Verdict" & other documents will be provided:

Rev. Campbell worked as the Director of Admissions for Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Trinity Graduate School in Deerfield, IL until as late as last week.

Hokanson is married, has 3 children and works as an appraiser in a MN suburb.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/03_04/2008_04_23_Lee_ChurchCourt.htm

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP National President (312) 399 4747 cell
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566 9790 cell

Rembert Weakland, in first ever video testimony, details sex abuse fraud by archdiocese

2008-11-12T02:19:00.006-05:00

Rembert Weakland, in first ever video testimony, details sex abuse fraud by archdiocese

In response to recent archdiocesan claims, SNAP releasing DVD of court deposition taken in June, 2008

Church officials argue archdiocese won’t get a “fair trial” in fraud cases because “key players” in cover up are dead

However, Weakland, very much alive, tells of 25 years of sex crimes by priests and concealment from parishes

WHAT
Leaders of SNAP, or the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, will screen, discuss and release to the public an approximately 15 minute DVD containing video taped testimony of former Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland taken during a nine hour court deposition this summer by Attorney Jeffery Anderson. SNAP urged the release of the deposition in response to published claims by the archdiocese this week that because “key players” in the sex abuse cover ups are dead, church officials are not going to get a “fair trial” in the fraud cases recently filed against the archdiocese by childhood rape victims of four Milwaukee priests.

This is the first time that Weakland has answered questions under oath concerning his nearly 25 year involvement with dozens of priest sex offenders under his supervision while archbishop from 1977 to 2002. Weakland resigned in 2002 after it was learned that had paid a half a million dollars in hush money to a man who says Weakland sexually abused him as an adult. Weakland denies the abuse and calls the sexual relationship “inappropriate.”

WHERE
The Healing Center, 611 W. National Avenue - 4th Floor (parking also available behind the building)

WHEN
Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.

WHO
Survivors of childhood sexual molestation by Milwaukee clergy who are members of SNAP, including its long time Midwest Director, accompanied by the Wisconsin and Milwaukee Directors.

WHY
In 2007, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that victims could sue bishops and church officials for fraud after a twelve year, 1st amendment ban on civil claims against state religious leaders and supervisors who covered up for sexually abusive clergy.

Although fraud is challenging to prove and only permits a small percentage of Wisconsin victims to file claims, nine childhood victims of four Milwaukee priests have met the legal guidelines for fraud claims and for the first time in over a decade, sexual abuse cases are proceeding against bishops and church leaders in the Milwaukee archdiocese.

The current cases involve some of the most notorious, career pedophile priests from the archdiocese: Frs. Franklyn Becker, Douglas MacArthur, Siegfried Widera, and Bruce Murphy. Murphy, who ran a boarding school for deaf children, is deceased, as is Widera, who jumped to his death in 2004 as federal authorities were about to arrest him. Becker lives in Mayville, Wisconsin and MacArthur was convicted of child sex assault this summer in Juneau County.

During nearly the entire time that these four priests were assaulting children they were under the direct supervision of Archbishop Rembert Weakland. At least 60 diocesan and religious order clergy have been acknowledged by church authorities to have assaulted children and minors over the past three decades, most of them perpetrated their crimes while Weakland was archbishop from 1977 to 2002. Weakland himself resigned from his position in the spring of 2002 when it was learned that in 1999 he had paid a former seminarian nearly $500,000 in a hush money settlement for what Weakland called an “inappropriate relationship”.

For two days this June, Weakland testified under oath for the first time as to his knowledge of sexually abusive priests. He describes repeatedly and in detail how he and archdiocesan officials did not report criminal activity against children by priests to the police or civil authorities, concealed from parishes and the public their knowledge of clergy child molesters and, without giving notice, transferred known clergy offenders into new assignments, where they again raped and sexually abused children and minors.

SNAP is releasing the Weakland video to counter the Milwaukee Archdiocese’s misleading statements posted on their website this week, including claims that church officials cannot get a “fair trail” in the upcoming fraud cases because the “key people” involved in the abuse cover up are dead.

Weakland claims that the current Archbishop in charge of abusive priests and prevention policy, Timothy Dolan, has not once met with him to discuss his involvement or knowledge of current and former priest abusers that Dolan is now in charge of.

Dolan authorized 17 million dollars in settlements in 2006 for some ten California victims of Milwaukee priests who were transferred out of Wisconsin after they had been caught sexually abusing children. Over half those settlements were paid by insurance. This August, however, a Milwaukee County Judge ruled that the fraud cases against the archdiocese were not covered by insurance.

CONTACT
Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director (Milwaukee), 414.429.7259, cell
Mary Guentner, SNAP Wisconsin Director, 414.418.3191, cell
John Pilmaier, SNAP Milwaukee Director, 414.336.8575, cell
David Clohessy, SNAP National Director (St. Louis), 314.566.9790, cell
Attorney Jeff Anderson (St. Paul), 651.227.9990, office; 612.817.8665, cell
Attorney Mike Finnegan (St. Paul), 651.227.9990, office; 612.205.5531, cell

*************
Video in its entirety is posted at this link.

*************
See video below in 4 parts

All four parts of the video may be found at YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/snapnetwork2

Most Dangerous US Predator Priests Walking Free – a SNAP Fact Sheet (11/08)

2008-11-11T10:34:00.001-05:00

Most Dangerous US Predator Priests Walking Free – a SNAP Fact Sheet (11/08)

MD – Fr. Fernando Cristancho
In 2001, he sexually exploited and impregnated Dalia Fernandez. She gave birth to triplets and he molested two of them in 2005-06, according to a ruling by Maryland's second highest court (the Court of Special Appeals). The court gave custody of the six-year-old triplets to Fernandez. The priest is originally from and worked in Virginia and Maryland. In 2004, the Baltimore archdiocese apparently revoked his permission to act as a priest.
http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?id=8916&type=UTTM
http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/crime/Priest_loses_custody_of_triplets.html
Details: Becky Ianni of Northern Virginia SNAP 703 801 6044

MA, NY, MD: - Fr. A.J. Cote
He is accused in a civil lawsuit of molesting two Massachusetts boys in 2005. While committing those crimes, he was on suspension for also sexually abusing a Maryland boy in 2001-02. That boy settled his civil lawsuit against Cote and his employers (the Dominicans) in 2007 for $1.2 million. Cote is believed to be living in western Massachusetts or Manhattan.
Details: Attorney Jeff Anderson of St. Paul MN 651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell

AZ – Msgr. Dale Fushek
(http://www.kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=8482564)
He is awaiting trial early next year on seven "misdemeanor sex charges" stemming from his relationships with five boys in the 1980s and '90s, including indecent exposure, assault and contributing to the "delinquency of a minor," according to news accounts. For years, he traveled the country promoting the 'Life Teen' program he founded. In January 2008, Phoenix's archbishop warned Catholics to avoid the new church Fushek started and still runs.
Details: Attorney Stuart Mermelstein of Miami 305 931 2200

NY – New York City - Msgr. Wallace Harris
In August of this year, he was forced to step down as pastor because of allegations of sexual abuse. He now faces ten accusers but many of his parishioners have rallied around him and have basically erected a shrine to him outside his former church.

Harris is charismatic and well connected in both political and church circles. (New York's governor is a parishioner and Harris helped plan the Pope's spring 2008 visit to NY.)
Details: Rev. Eric C. Crumbley, founder of Harlem Faith Center in Harlem 516-884-2744

NY – Long Island – Msgr. Alan Placa
In a 2003 grand jury report, Placa is accused of molesting kids himself and of helping other predator priests cover up their own child sex crimes. By virtue of his training (he's a civil and a canon lawyer), his connections across the country (he advised bishops on how to 'handle' abuse cases), and his close relationship with Rudy Giuliani (they're boyhood pals and he's on Rudy's payroll), Placa must be considered very dangerous.
Details: Richard Tollner of Albany, New York 518 724 2462, 518 428 5000, tollner1@aol.com

IL - Fr. Kenneth J. Martin
As recently as last month, Martin, an admitted and convicted child molester, was working and living part time for a close friend who heads the Chicago archdiocese. In 2003, six months after bishops pledged to 'reform' and be 'open' about child sex cases, a reporter discovered Martin lived a week each month with Cardinal Francis George's Gold Coast mansion. In the ensuing public uproar, George said Martin would no longer work for the archdiocese. But George kept Martin on the payroll anyway.
Martin is especially dangerous because he's clearly very close to and favored by George, the current head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Because his conviction was before 1996, when Delaware's sex offender registry was created, Martin doesn't have to register as a sex offender. In the only interview he gave to a reporter, he denied having pled guilty to criminal abuse charges.
Details: David Clohessy of SNAP, 314 566 9790 cell

CA - Fr. Eric Swearingen
In 2006, in a civil trial, a jury found him guilty of molesting then 12 year old Juan Rocha in the late 1980s/early 1990s. (They deadlocked, however, on whether or not church supervisors knew earlier that he was a molester. So the judge declared a mistrial.) Afterwards, he was named rector of a diocesan high school. Now, Swearingen is the pastor of Holy Spirit Church in the Fresno Diocese.
He's still pastor at Holy Spirit Church in Fresno CA:
Details: Dave Drivon of Stockton 209 466 0982, drivonesq@yahoo.com, drivon@drivonlaw.com
Larry Drivon of Stockton 209 644 1234, 209 969 0982 abatare@comcast.net

TX, CO, MO - Brother William Mueller
Just last month, 23 civil lawsuits were settled against this cunning predator, who often used ether to knock teenaged boys out, then sodomize or molest them. Mueller often deceived his victims, claiming to be studying psychology and conducting bizarre 'experiments' about fear and trust. A former Marianist, he walks free now in San Antonio, Texas.
Details: Bryan Bacon of Columbia MO 573 874 7777
Attorney Adam Horowitz and Jeff Herman of Miami 305 931 2200
Attorney Dan Craig of Kansas City 816 221 7772

TX – Fr. Anthony Gonzales
In March, a civil lawsuit against him was settled. He molested at least 15 girls and admits, under oath, fathering at least eight children. After one of his teenaged victims gave birth, Gonzales' Oblate colleagues lied, telling her Gonzales had died. He abused, impregnated and then abandoned a teenager who was living with her mentally ill mother in an abandoned house in Houston.
Gonzales now lives in Taylor Texas (population 15,000) where his sister is the mayor.
Details: Attorney Tahira Khan Merritt of Dallas 214 503 7300

MO – Fr. Thomas M. Reardon
Reardon is the most widely accused predator priest in Missouri, who faces at least 20 accusers in civil lawsuits. He also has a counseling license and until recent years was seeing drug and alcohol-addicted teens as a therapist. Along with his colleague, Fr. Thomas O'Brien, he's accused of holding wild, liquor-laden parties with teens at a remote lake house where perhaps dozens of boys were molested.
Details: Attorney Rebecca Randles of Kansas City 816 931 9900 work

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 19 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home),
Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747),
Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688)

St. Louis: Vianney/Osborne/Marianists

2008-11-11T10:19:00.000-05:00

Fact Sheet

Isn’t there just one accuser?

Last November’s Post Dispatch reports two accusers. And a third has come forward recently and filed a police report.

Was only sexual abuse alleged?

No, several boys reported that Osborne gave them alcohol. And Osborne admitted keeping liquor in his office at Vianney.

Wasn’t he ‘cleared’ by police?

Nope. After a thorough investigation, the police found the allegations credible enough that they forwarded their report to the county prosecutor.

But the prosecutor declined to press charges, didn’t he?

Yes he did. Keep in mind several facts: Most criminals are never charged. Child sex cases are very tough to win. Most prosecutors are reluctant to take on high profile cases where the defendant is a trusted religious figure.

Wasn’t he ‘cleared’ by a church investigation?

This claim, that an accused priest has been ‘cleared’ by a church probe, has been made hundreds of times but they will never reveal how the investigation was carried out, who they spoke with, what evidence was discovered, etc. Why should the church investigate crimes? Isn’t that the job of trained law enforcement professionals?

No one from the church ever contacted one of the victim’s therapist, lawyer, or family members.

But the insurance company forced the Marianists to settle the lawsuit, right?

--The Marianists say this but have produced no proof of this. In our 17 years with SNAP, no church official anywhere in the US has ever claimed that an insurance company “forced” them to settle a case.

But maybe the insurance company really DID make them settle the case?

-- Maybe. But if so, the question then becomes “Why would an insurer force a settlement if there was no evidence of a crime?” Insurance companies try to make a profit. Why would they willingly give away money for something that did not happen?

Let’s say the insurance company DID force the Marianists to settle.

-- In that case, the Marianists should be ashamed of themselves for hanging an innocent man out to dry and Osborne should sue them. If the Marianists believe Osborne is innocent, and to save money they settled this case, they are irresponsible and immoral and every Marianist employee should be up in arms at this injustice.

Osborne has been in education his entire life. If he’s innocent, why don’t the Marianists assign him to one of their dozens of schools across the country.

But Fr. Osborne is such a wonderful man, has done so much for so many, is widely loved. . .

Of course he is. Most predators are. If a predator doesn’t work hard to come across as caring, kind person, no kid would want to be with him and no parent would let their child spend time with him.

Other facts to consider:

-- if one of the accusers is lying, think about who he’s fooled: his dad, his therapist, the Kirkwood police, the most experienced sex abuse attorney in Missouri, and several veteran members of SNAP (all of whom have spoken with hundreds of clergy sex abuse victims).

--If Osborne’s innocent:
-- why hasn’t he spoken publicly about the case?

-- why does he continue to hide behind his lawyer?

-- why won’t the Marianists let Osborne work at any of their schools?

-- why didn’t Archbishop Burke make a public announcement before letting Osborne work in your parish?

Statements

Statement by Barbara Dorris of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests 862 7688

The bar for prosecution of child sex abuse cases is a high one. It's hard to build a successful case when it may largely be the word of a couple of kids against a prominent priest. But it can be done, and we hope it will be done against Osborne soon.

We're disappointed that no criminal charges are being filed against Osborne now, but hope that others who he manipulated and exploited will come forward soon. That's what happened in the Kuchar case - once a mistrial occurred, others with information finally were brave enough to come forward, and a conviction resulted.

It's hard to disclose abuse, especially when you're a teenager. It's even harder in a closely-knit context like a high school. And it may be hardest of all when the predator is a well-connected clergyman. But we're hopeful other Osborne victims will do what's right, protect others, and speak up.

Still, it's important to remember that at least two youngsters filed police reports against Osborne and we applaud them for showing such strength. We hope that other kids and adults will follow their courageous lead and come forward now.

Others have been hurt by Osborne. We've heard from a few of them. We ache for them and pray for their recovery. We also hope they'll call the police soon. (At least one of Osborne's victims was treated with great compassion by the Kirkwood police and we commend them for that.)

What matters most is that the first Osborne victim to come forward is getting better, and that it's harder now for Osborne to gain access to other vulnerable teen

*************************************************************************************

Statement by Fred Carr of St. Louis (314) 838 0296
St. Louis SNAP outreach director, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

Three individuals have now accused Fr. Robert Osborne of child sex abuse, two recently and one some years ago.

It is tragic that another child may have been hurt, but it is admirable that he and his family are strong enough to come forward and smart enough to go to criminal authorities, not church or school authorities.

The Kirkwood police are to be commended for urging other victims or witnesses to speak out too. That's the only way the full truth will be known,

It's incredibly hard to come forward if you have been abused. It's even harder if you're a teenager, it's same-gender abuse, and your perpetrator is a popular and powerful priest.

The entire Vianney community should be grateful to all three youngsters. Church and school officials should work hard now to foster a supportive atmosphere that enables the victims of sex crimes to feel comfortable and speak up.

Others who suspected or witnessed or experienced Osborne's crimes and misconduct will be tempted now to stay quiet. But now is not the time to be timid. Now is the time to come forward, so the vulnerable are safeguarded and the wounded are healed.

CONTACT
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566-9790 cell
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President (312) 399 4747 cell
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP National Outreach Director (314) 862 7688

Letters

March 2, 2006

Dear Brother Glodek:

Once again, we find ourselves trying to persuade you to do what Jesus told us to do: reach out to the lost and wounded sheep.

There are now at least five separate allegations of misconduct against Fr. Robert Osborne. At least four of them are recent. At least three have been reported to the police.

They include:

-- a report to Kirkwood police involving alleged child sexual abuse,

-- a report to Kirkwood police that Osborne gave alcohol to a child,

-- a second ‘similar’ report to Kirkwood police days later,

-- a civil lawsuit in involving child sexual abuse, and

-- an allegedly “unsubstantiated” allegation against Osborne from years ago, which your own public relations woman admitted (but only after repeated questioning at a news conference on the day the civil child molestation case was filed).

Citizens have a duty to help police solve suspected crimes. Your current and former students and staff may have information that could benefit law enforcement. But that information will likely remain hidden unless they are prodded to do so by someone in authority like you.

You have access to thousands of former staff and students. Some of them may have been hurt by Osborne. Some of them may have witnessed misconduct by Osborne. They need to be contacted.

They need to understand that secrecy hurts everyone involved. They need to be told that they are helping, not hurting, their alma mater by speaking up. They need to know that even though the criminal justice system can seem daunting, they have an obligation to tell police what they know.

Please don’t repeat the mistake you made with another accused Marianist child molester: Brother William Mueller. After pressure from our group, you sent out short, vague letters to your former students. Sadly, you made no mention of law enforcement. Instead, you simple told people they could call your office with any information.

Brother Glodek, these are alleged crimes. They must be handled by independent professionals in law enforcement, not by biased amateurs in the church hierarchy. We urge you to make this clear to all your present and former students and staff.

Finally, we ask that you correct at least some of the misinformation that has been given out to the Vianney community. Your PR woman has suggested, for example, that the victim's dad gave officials no chance to investigate or suspend Osborne before filing suit. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In fact, both the father and the boy's therapist had several conversations – in person and on the phone - with Vianney and Marianist staff before they took legal action. Like so many others who reluctantly file child sex abuse lawsuits against church officials, this family sued only when it was clear that neither Vianney nor the Marianists would take prompt action to protect kids from Osborne.

Please take corrective action soon. We look forward to hearing from you.

David Clohessy

National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
7234 Arsenal Street
St. Louis MO 63143
SNAPclohessy@aol.com

Barbara Dorris
Outreach Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
6245 Westminster
St. Louis MO 63108
862 7688, 503 0003
gymsoul@hotmail.com

    In reference to Marianist priest Robert Osborne's case, is possible for a person to do lots of good deeds AND to do some that are destructive. SNAP is NOT unfairly targeting Osborne. Osborne's supporters have inaccurately concluded that Fr. Osborne has been cleared of any wrongdoing in three separate investigations. I have seen in various media sources and letters that he was cleared by the Kirkwood Police Department, the Prosecuting Attorney's Office, and either "The Church" or "The Marianists" (depending on the source).

    It makes no sense to include the Kirkwood Police Department as an agency that "cleared" Osborne. If the police conclude that allegations are baseless, they do not typically forward information about their investigation to the Prosecuting Attorney.

     The decision about whether or not to prosecute includes judgments about whether a case can be won that are based partly on available evidence and partly on other factors, such as whether a jury in a particular community would be able to set aside their preconceived notions of the defendent. Osborne's supporters continuously recycle a reported quote by St. Louis Co. Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch that there was "no evidence at all of criminal conduct". Since there were at least two alleged victims available to testify to criminal conduct (which constitutes "evidence"), my best guess is that Mr. McCulloch must have meant that there was "insufficient corroborating evidence" or a lack of "physical" evidence. Most child sexual abusers are never prosecuted, according to FBI statistics. In my own observation during 20+ years of treating abused children, the cases that have been prosecuted have typically involved either a confession by the abuser or physical evidence such as photographs or video of the abuse. Other types of physical evidence of abuse--such as abuser DNA--is typcially not available, because children do not usually disclose the abuse immediately following an assault episode, and most sexual abuse does not leave lasting evidence of physical harm to the child's body. Therefore, prosecutors are usually forced to rely on victim testimony as their primary evidence. Often the decision is made not to prosecute, even when the child or teen victim is credible, because the hurdles of prosecution seem insurmountable.

   Finally, the supposed investigations by the "Church" and/or the Marianists are questionable, at best. To my knowledge, the Archdiocese did not conduct their own thorough investigation. Certainly I (the victim's long-time therapist and the first person to whom the abuse was disclosed) was never approached or questioned by anyone from the Archdiocese. If the Marianists, whose attorneys have access to all of the same information that I have (and more), are confident that Osborne's actions have all been aboveboard, then it is truly scary what they believe to be appropriate behavior with teens.

    I understand Osborne's supporters' frustration that the civil trial was not held. I, too, believe it would have been enlightening to the community, but with results far different than those that Osborne's supporters assume. Osborne's many good deeds and positive relationships do not change the facts that he caused signficant pain and suffering to at least a couple of kids and their families and that he continues to pose a risk to kids.

Peg Schwartz, MA, MSW, LCSW, ATR-BC
7245 Delmar, Suite 202
University City, MO 63130
(314) 863-0282

Marianists with credible allegations of abuse

Brother John Woulfe

Fr. William Christiansen

Brother Daniel Truliz

Brother William Mueller

Father Robert Osborne

Brother Tony Pistone

Articles

http://cw11tv.trb.com/news/kplr-news-080107-11,0,632960.story

More Controversy for Ex-Vianney President

By Matt Gamewell,

August 1, 2007, 8:25 PM CDT

There's more controversy in the St. Louis Catholic community. The former President of Vianney High School, who lost his job amidst sexual abuse allegations, is now giving mass at a Kirkwood parish. http://kplr.images.worldnow.com/images/static/video/gfx/icon_video.gifWatch

Father Robert Osborne is a visiting priest at St. Peter's Parish in Kirkwood, just a few miles from the school he was forced to leave last year. Now a Catholic watchdog group is speaking out against the St. Louis Archdiocese and questioning why church leaders are letting Osborne say Mass and be near children.

Criminal charges were never brought against Father Osborne after two Vianney students accused him of sexual abuse early last year. Investigations were conducted by Kirkwood Police and St. Louis County prosecutors, as well as the Marianist community. "In all three instances, they were found, the allegations, not to be credible," said Reverend Monsignor Richard Stika, Episcopal Vicar of the Office of Child and Youth Protection. "It's a presumption that he's innocent, especially when the investigations were done by non-church entities."

A statement from the Marianist Province echoes the same sentiment, "These allegations were not found credible, and Father Osborne's faculties have been reinstated, and he may function as a Catholic priest."

But that's not good enough for SNAP, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. "We believe that this violates the most fundamental pledge bishops across America have made time and time again over the past five years, which is that any priest that is credibly accused of molesting a child, will be removed from ministry," said David Clohessy of SNAP.

SNAP believes that since Osborne lost his job at Vianney, he should also lose the right to be a priest. "We just think this is an incredibly hurtful and callous move to the two boys who reported being molested by Father Osborne, and we think it's an incredibly reckless move on the part of the Archbishop.

In June, the family of a Vianney student reached an out-of-court settlement on the lawsuit they brought against Father Osborne for sexual abuse. Terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but the Archdiocese says Osborne did not admit guilt. Osborne and church officials were not available for comment.

Copyright © 2007, KPLR

Suit Filed Against Vianney President

Rev. Robert Osborne expresses shock, denies and wrongdoing
by Don Corrigan

Rev. Robert Osborne, President of St. John Vianney

Rev. Robert Osborne, the president of St. John Vianney High School in Kirkwood, temporarily stepped aside as the school's head administrator on Tuesday after a lawsuit accused him of inappropriate physical touching and sexual behavior with a student.

Osborne expressed shock and disbelief at the allegations. The 73-year-old Marianist priest denied any wrongdoing and vowed to fight the lawsuit.

"The majority of predators profess their innocence in these situations," said David Clohessy, a spokesperson for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). "If Father Osborne was shocked, it would only be because his superiors did not fully inform him of the allegations made against him earlier as this has unfolded.

"I do know that a lot of people at Vianney and in the community are in shock," added Clohessy. "It's so hard for people to accept that a good teacher and a good administrator can also be a predator."

At a sidewalk news conference outside of the headquarters of the Marianists, 4425 West Pine in St. Louis, members of SNAP outlined details of the civil lawsuit.

The suit brought by a teenager, who has been under the care of a therapist, alleges that the president of St. John Vianney High School recently and repeatedly "sexually, physically and emotionally abused him."

Osborne told students about the allegations and his departure at a school assembly on Tuesday afternoon. Letters were sent out to notify the parents of the 700 boys at the school about the charges.

"The Vianney principal, Larry Keller, has taken over for Rev. Osborne as chief administrator at the high school until this is resolved," said Diane Guerra, a spokesperson for the Marianist Order. "Bob Osborne had an assembly with the students in which he explained what has happened.

"Principal Keller says there have been no negative e-mails or negativity carried into the school," added Guerra. "Vianney officials made counselors available to the students to talk about what has happened, but no students have taken advantage of that. Things are pretty much back to normal."

According to the lawsuit, Osborne used "his positions to gain the trust" of the now teenaged victim, "coercing him to drink alcoholic beverages, making sexual comments to him, observing and attempting to observe and photograph him when he was undressed, hugging and kissing him, and making other overt and covert sexual contact with him."

The victim and his father use pseudonyms in the lawsuit. According to SNAP, two adults - the boy's relative and his therapist - reported Osborne's abuse to the Marianists and requested that he be suspended or kept away from youngsters. Clohessy of SNAP said that the Marianists apparently took no action.

"Some concerns were brought to our attention on Feb. 3," said Guerra. "They were then brought to the attention of Brother Stephen Glodek, head of the Marianist Province of the U.S. He advised Bob Osborne to stay away from the boy and a meeting was set up with the father.

"We set up the meeting and the father canceled," said Guerra. "The therapist called up angry that Osborne had not been removed. In all of this, there was never mention of inappropriate touching or anything sexual. Then we were hit with the lawsuit.

"I think it's pretty hard to say that we were dragging our feet on this," added Guerra. "All this took place in a matter of two weeks. We have procedures that we follow. We don't just listen to someone make charges and then send the principal of a high school away."

Osborne took his vows in 1955 and was ordained in 1966. He first served as acting president of Vianney, located near the northwest corner of I-44 and Kirkwood Road, in 2002. Prior to that, Osborne worked at Chaminade High School and served as a parish pastor.

Marianist spokesperson Guerra said some of the charges made are outrageous and clearly lacking in credibility.

"There have been television reports and charges by the attorney that the Marianists kept Rev. Osborne in his position because he was a good fundraiser in Vianney's current capital campaign," said Guerra. "That is astonishing. It's very upsetting. It is insulting to suggest that the Marianist Order, with its long and respected tradition in education, would not put the safety of children first."

SNAP's Clohessy said if there were any apologies due, they were not in order for the Marianists.

"The attorney in this case is very cautious and conscientious, and not prone to exaggeration," said Clohessy. "The attorney had a sound basis for making the statements that he did."

Clohessy added that this is at least the sixth time in the last few years that a local Marianist has been named as an accused pedophile. The others include Fr. William Christiansen, Brother John Woulfe, Brother William Mueller, Fr. Daniel A. Triulzi, and Brother Tony Pistone.

The latter two - Triulzi and Pistone - were exposed, sued and suspended last year. Christiansen and Woulfe are facing a lawsuit that was heard by the Missouri Supreme Court last fall. No decision has been made at this point.

Inquiry Finds No Criminal Conduct by Ex-Vianney High President

By William C. Lhotka and Heather Ratcliffe
Post-Dispatch [St. Louis MO]
October 11, 2006

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/B641E098E45C11AD862572050014AF6D?OpenDocument

A criminal investigation of allegations that the Rev. Robert Osborne, the former president of Vianney High School, molested two students has ended with no criminal charges.

"We reached the conclusion there was no evidence at all of criminal conduct," St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch said Wednesday.

Osborne, 73, has always denied the accusations. He remains a defendant in a civil suit filed in February by one of the alleged victims. That case is set for trial in April.

Brother Stephen Glodek, head of the Marianist Province of the United States, the Roman Catholic order that operates the boys' school in Kirkwood, said: "We are just very happy that was the resolution of the investigation. We still face the civil suit from the same parties, and we are awaiting that resolution."

Besides Osborne, Vianney High School and the Marianist Province are defendants.

Speaking for Osborne, his attorney, J. Martin Hadican said Wednesday, "Father Osborne is elated with the outcome and grateful for the thorough investigation."

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon outside the Marianist Province offices on West Pine Boulevard, members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests were first to reveal the end to the criminal probe.

"We are disappointed that no criminal charges are being filed against Osborne now, but hope that others who he manipulated and exploited will come forward soon," said Barbara Dorris, a SNAP member.

McCulloch said that if additional complaints against Osborne were made, they also would be investigated.

The prosecutor praised the efforts of the Kirkwood police, particularly Detective Geoff Morrison, who, he said, conducted an extensive investigation. An attorney in McCulloch's sex crimes unit reviewed the information and re-interviewed the youth who had filed the civil suit and a second Vianney student who had made allegations.

In the Vianney newsletter in September, Osborne said he had been removed from the school because of "unresolved legal matters." He said then that he would vigorously defend himself and was confident he would be vindicated.

Diane Guerra, a spokeswoman for the order, said at the time that Osborne's removal by a six-member Marianists' provincial council was based on the fact that preparing for the pending civil suit would be a distraction from his job of running the school.

SNAP National Director David Clohessy said prosecutors must meet a high bar to file criminal charges, and added, "It's really tempting but naive and reckless to assume this is an exoneration."

10 Most Dangerous Pedophile Priests! Today in Baltimore!

2008-11-11T08:02:00.000-05:00

SNAP names “Most Dangerous US Pedophile Priests”

New list shows that abuse & cover up crisis continues

Group wants bishops to educate parishioners on how to respond when accusations surface

While many Catholics support victims, SNAP says others still ‘rally around’ alleged predators

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will
-- release a first-ever list of the “Ten Most Dangerous US Pedophile Priests,” &
-- give copies of a 21 point brochure showing Catholics how they can support accused child molesting clergy WITHOUT intimidating or hurting victims, and
-- urge the US bishops conference to publish the brochure and teach parishioners how to respond appropriately and helpfully when their priest is accused of child sex crimes.

WHEN: TODAY, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE
Outside the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, where hundreds of America’s Catholic bishops are meeting this week (700 Aliceanna Street, 410-385-3000)

WHO
Several clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters, including a Chicago woman who founded a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
The list includes priests from AZ, NY, MD, MO, DE, TX and FL, and who worked or live in NJ, OH, IL, and RI. One surreptitiously fathered triplets seven years ago and recently molested two of them. Another drugged dozens of boys into unconsciousness and sodomized them. Another admits fathering eight kids with teenagers.

Each of the accused priests walks free in the US. Some have multiple victims yet also enjoy apparently substantial followings even now. One pastors a parish today, though he was convicted in a civil trial of molesting a boy. SNAP considers several of them flight risks. None have been criminally convicted (so they may be more dangerous than those who are on sex offender registries). Two are former high ranking monsignors. (The list is available at SNAPnetwork.org)

All belong in jail or secure treatment centers, SNAP feels, but apparently are getting little/no supervision.

SNAP is particularly highlighting predators who’ve abused in the last few years - in part because they may still face legal action, and it’s harder to excuse inaction or deceit by bishops with recent crimes.

The group is also concerned because often when pedophile priests are accused of molesting kids, parishioners immediately disbelieve the allegations, rush to support the priest, and do so in highly public and controversial ways that frighten witnesses and discourage victims from coming forward. Today, for instance, Harlem parishioners have essentially erected a shrine outside their church for a recently suspended powerful monsignor who faces at least eight accusers.

The group wants bishops to launch a new effort to teach parishioners how to respond to such allegations.

Yesterday, SNAP released a list of pedophile priests who, while suspended and unsupervised, committed more crimes recently. SNAP predicts this will be a growing trend, as predators get inadequate or no therapy or monitoring, and live on their own. Instead, SNAP believes those who cannot be jailed should be forced to live at independently, remote, professionally-run treatment centers with full disclosure to nearby residents and law enforcement.

In the past, SNAP has also released a list of ‘America’s Worst Cardinals’ and ‘Ten Dioceses That Treat Victims Most Harshly.’

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, David Clohessy 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915, Frank Dingle 410 744 2398 home, 443 996 8994 cell, Becky Ianni 703 801 6044 cell, Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688 home

“Whistleblower” & Victims’ Group Challenge School & Church Officials

2008-11-11T06:11:00.005-05:00

Whistleblower" & Victims' Group Challenge School & Church Officials

Former School Staff Member, Life-long Catholic, Speaks Out For First Time

Ex-Vianney PR Head Launches Ad Campaign To Show "Policy & Practice" Gap

Third Young Man Has Come Forward to SNAP Reporting Abuse by Same Cleric

Clergy Sex Abuse Victims Want Priest Taken Out of Parish & Kept Out of Schools

"Put Cleric in Treatment Center or Disclose Where He's Living," All of Them Urge

Civil Lawsuit Against Former-School President For Recent Abuse Was Settled in 2007

Yet He Often Showed Up Unsupervised on Campus & May Still, Kirkwood Woman Says

Alleged Predator Priest Now Works At Church A Mile From School Where He Resigned

What:
At a sidewalk news conference, an ex-Vianney school official will
-- announce that she's starting an advertising effort to alert people about an accused predator priest, and
-- disclose that even after he resigned facing abuse allegations, the priest still roamed a Catholic high school unsupervised.

Clergy sex abuse victims read a letter from a third victim of the priest who's come forward recently.
They will also prod current archdiocesan, church and school officials to
-- prevent the priest from working in parishes or schools,
-- put him in a treatment center with other pedophile priests, or, at the very least
-- disclose where the priest is living now and warn his neighbors about him.

When/Where:
TODAY, Tuesday, Nov. 11

At noon - outside St. Peter's Parish, 243 West Argonne Drive, in Kirkwood (966-8600)

At 1:15 p.m. – outside the Marianist national headquarters, 4425 W. Pine, in the CWE

Who:
A life-long Catholic and ex-Vianney employee along with several clergy abuse survivors who are members of a support group called SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) including the organization's long time national director

Why:

Until 2006, a Marianist priest, Father Robert Osborne, was the president of Vianney (Kirkwood Road at I-44). That month he was sued and stepped down.

Now, for the first time, a former Vianney staffer is publicly discussing her experiences at the school in the aftermath of the scandal. A devout, life-long Catholic, she's upset about disparities between how church officials talk about and handle abuse cases. She's launching a print ad campaign to prod Catholics to be more open-minded about such allegations, particularly those involving Osborne.

And a third Osborne victim has come forward to SNAP, though he hasn't yet taken legal action.

According to the 2006 lawsuit, Osborne used "his position to gain the trust" of a teenaged student, "coercing him to drink alcoholic beverages, making sexual comments to him, (trying) to observe and photograph him when he was undressed, hugging and kissing him, and making other overt and covert sexual contact with him." At least one other accuser came forward to police.. Osborne was suspended and months later, school officials announce that he would not be returning to Vianney.

In June 2007, that civil lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2006/03_04/2006_03_01_Courtaway_AllegationsIn.htm

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2007/05_06/2007_06_28_AP_CatholicOrder.htm

Five years ago, America's bishops adopted a nationwide 'charter' that prohibits 'credibly accused' abusive priests from working in parishes. SNAP believes Osborne's presence at St. Peter's parish in Kirkwood (where he has said Mass repeatedly and appears on their website) violates that policy. SNAP is especially troubled because the parish also has a parochial school and a youth group that meets on Sunday nights.

Two adults – the boy's relative and his therapist – repeatedly reported Osborne's abuse (in person and in phone calls) to the church and Vianney officials. They asked that Osborne be kept away from kids. But neither the Marianists nor the school took any action. Concerned for others, the boy and his family filed a civil lawsuit. They were represented by the attorney that has handled almost all clergy sex abuse cases in St. Louis: Ken Chackes of University City (872 8420, 369 3902 cell).

For a photo of Osborne: http://www.stpeterkirkwood.org/saintpeter_staff_pictures.htm

This is at least the sixth time in the last few years that a local Marianist has been named as an accused pedophile. The others include Fr. William Christiansen, Brother John Woulfe, Brother William Mueller, Fr. Daniel A. Triulzi, and Brother Tony Pistone. Each faces one or more civil lawsuits. Litigation against Triulzi and Mueller has been settled.

Contact:
David Clohessy of SNAP (314) 566 9790 cell, 645 5915
Linda Briggs-Harty

Accused Predatory Bishops – a SNAP fact sheet - Nov. 2008

2008-11-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

Accused Predatory Bishops – a SNAP fact sheet - Nov. 2008

-- We're particularly concerned about Gelineau (Providence RI), Hart (Cheyenne WY), O'Connell (Palm Beach FL), Rueger (Worcester MA), Ryan (Springfield IL), Skylstad (Spokane WA), Symons (Palm Beach FL), Williams (Lexington KY), and Zieman (Santa Rosa CA). The reasons are several but include at least one or more of the following:

- their whereabouts are unknown (Dupre, Williams)

- they've not addressed the allegations (Williams, Gelineau, Hart)

- they resigned just before allegations against them surfaced (Ryan, Dupre, Symons)

- they face several accusers (Hart has at least 6, Williams has at least 3)

- they've resurfaced in ministerial roles in recent years (Sanchez of Santa Fe NM)

-- We're also troubled by allegations against Hubbard of Albany. No civil or criminal charges have been filed against him. But rather than submitting himself to a lay review panel, he hired an attorney to investigate the allegations and she 'cleared' him.)

-- Some of the accused bishops have attracted considerable attention (Anthony O'Connell in Florida & Thomas Dupre in Massachusetts).

-- Others, however, have not (Louis Gelineau in Rhode Island, Joseph Hart in Wyoming, & Kendrick Williams in Kentucky.

-- Several accused bishops are now deceased (Arzube of Los Angeles CA, Dudley of Sioux Falls SD, Ferrario of Honolulu HI, Harrington of Worcester MA, Rausch of Phoenix AZ and Weldon of Springfield MA).

-- Three of them still head dioceses today (Hubbard, Skylstad, and Brown of Orange CA).

-- Still others (from Wisconsin, New York, Georgia and elsewhere) have been accused of sexually exploiting, manipulating and/or abusing adults and/or teens above the legal age of consent.

-- Two have admitted, to some degree, abusing kids (O'Connell and Symons).

-- Only one bishop (Dupre) has ever faced criminal charges, and that was short lived. A prosecutor indicted him for molesting two boys in 2004 but immediately dropped those charges because the statute of limitations expired.

-- Several accused bishops (Soens in Iowa, Hart in Wyoming and O'Connell in Florida) are still publicly honored on church buildings in their former dioceses. This of course, rubs salt into the already deep and sometimes still fresh wounds of their victims, other victims, and Catholics. Worse, it intimidates and depresses other victims into staying silence.

-- Only three (O'Connell, Symons & Rembert Weakland of Wisconsin) have admitted abuse. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/bishops/accused/

-- Massachusetts has the most accused bishops, two of whom are still alive (George Rueger of Worchester and Dupre of Springfield) and two who are deceased (Christopher Weldon of Springfield and Timothy Harrington of Worchester).

-- Two others worked in the Palm Beach Florida diocese (Joseph Symons and O'Connell).

-- A few bishops have apparently been wrongly accused (Mahony in California, Egan in New York).

-- Now retired Wyoming Bishop Joseph Hart faces the most allegations of any bishop. Civil lawsuits by six men he molested in Kansas City have been settled, some as recently as August 2008. A children's home in Torrington, Wyoming dedicated a residence hall to Hart and has rebuffed efforts to change the name.

-- At least 31 men report having been sexually abused as kids during the 1950s and 1960s by Bishop Lawrence Soens when Soens taught at an Iowa City school. He went on to head the Sioux City diocese and is now retired. On Monday, the Davenport diocese said that Soens did abuse some of the boys.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 19 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, David Clohessy 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915, Frank Dingle 410 744 2398 home, 443 996 8994 cell, Becky Ianni 703 801 6044 cell, Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688 home

About abusive bishops . . . statement by Becky Ianni, Virginia SNAP leader

2008-11-10T15:41:00.000-05:00

For immediate release: Monday, Nov. 10, 2008

Statement by Becky Ianni of northern Virginia, Virginia director of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

However sporadically and imperfectly, at least some abusive priests have been defrocked or prosecuted, are being "monitored” or live in church run housing centers for pedophiles. Not enough, but at least some. . .

To the best of our knowledge, little or none of this is happening with abusive bishops.

No abusive bishops are being defrocked. Few disclose their whereabouts. Fewer still, we fear, are being monitored. Allegations against them are unresolved. No current church officials even claim to be taking responsibility for protecting kids from or warning adults about potentially dangerous predatory prelates

And there are between 10 and 20 bishops who are proven, admitted or credibly accused abusive. Nine are deceased. The others walk free, however, mostly, we fear, in unsuspecting communities.

Why are we addressing this now? Primarily for two reasons.

1) For the first time ever, a week ago, a diocesan review panel announced that an alleged predator bishop is guilty of molesting kids. Roughly ten other bishops have been similarly accused, but as we said, essentially remain in ‘limbo,’ their whereabouts unknown and little or no monitoring or resolution of the charges against them. We now want other diocesan panels to investigate child sex allegations against these ten.

If one review panel can do this, it stands to reason that others can do likewise.

2) History, psychology and common sense tell us that molesters rarely strike once. Hard evidence tells us the same. Today, we’re releasing a list of 15 pedophile priests who’ve again broken the law in recent years, almost all of whom were on suspension for child sex crimes but getting little or no supervision or therapy.

If predatory priests who walk free hurt others again, it stands to reason that predatory bishops who walk free may well do likewise.

May God have mercy on the souls of today's church officials if one or more of these bishops already has molested again or does molest again, after they have already been accused because of sexual abuse.

Catholics remain troubled because of the on-going clergy sex abuse crisis. This is one reason why.

Children remain at risk because of the on-going clergy sex abuse crisis. This is one reason why.

The broader, nagging, crucial yet unanswered question centers on prevention and on what must be done with the hundreds and hundreds of complicit church officials who suspected or knew of child sex crimes and did nothing or concealed them. But for now, we ask: Can't church officials, including these 200+ bishops meeting inside today, at least take some steps to safeguard innocent kids today from these bishops?

Today, specifically, we call on the US bishops conference to create a new panel to probe sex charges against bishops. And we call on ten diocesan review panels to investigate child sex abuse allegations against their current or former bishops.

With the existing structure - local diocesan review panels – can probe accused bishops, if only panel members overcome their cowardice.

With a new structure – a national review panel designed solely to deal with these cases - can take action when local review boards do not.

Which approach is better? Both. The existing local boards, flawed though they are, can move most quickly and resolve some or all of these pending allegations. But a national board may lead to resolution of some allegations that local boards are unwilling to address.

The bottom line is that something must be done. It’s irresponsible, risky, unhealthy, unfair and cowardly for church officials to let ten or more accused predatory prelates walk free, unsupervised, with no one taking responsibility for them or investigation their alleged crimes.

Finally, as we did yesterday for the first time ever, we call on Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George to resign his post as head of the US bishops conference. In just the last year, his already troubled and troubling deceptiveness, recklessness around children’s safety has gone from bad to worse.

We urge George to step down, for the good of the church, both locally and nationally, because of new child sex crimes and cover ups that have recently come to light.

The latest and most glaring example involves a priest who was criminally convicted of molesting a boy for three years right here in Baltimore. Even now, six years after George and his brother bishops pledged to be ‘open’ about clergy sex crimes and to put kids’ safety first, the Cardinal secretly and deceptively keeps a convicted pedophile priest, a personal friend, working in Chicago sometimes next door to a Catholic school.

But our concern goes beyond this one case. There are cases involving five priests that have surfaced over the past year. Some are proven, admitted or credibly accused child molesters (Fr. Kenneth Martin, Fr. Joseph Bennett, Fr. Norbert Maday). Others ignored or concealed abuse, according to SNAP and church records, “complicit” (Fr. Leonard Dubi and Fr. Edward Grace).

This morning, George spoke of the “hubris that he feels has “isolated our country politically.” For the protection of kids and the healing of victims, we hope he will come to see his own hubris, manifested in his continuing reckless and deceptive actions, and step aside so that he can better safeguard the vulnerable and help the wounded in his own archdiocese.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 19 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, David Clohessy 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915, Frank Dingle 410 744 2398 home, 443 996 8994 cell, Becky Ianni 703 801 6044 cell, Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688 home

Clergy sex abuse victims want action on ten predatory bishops

2008-11-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

Clergy sex abuse victims want action on ten predatory bishops

For first time ever, a church panel just announced that one of them is guilty

Group wants a new national abuse committee created to help resolved such cases

It also releases a list of suspended predators who committed more crimes recently

Since so few pedophile priests are jailed or supervised, this trend will grow, SNAP says

WHAT

At a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will call on
-- ten dioceses to investigate child sex abuse allegations against current and former bishops, &
-- the US bishops conference to create a new panel to probe sex charges against bishops

They will also
-- release a list of suspended pedophile priests who’ve recently gone on to commit more crimes, largely because church officials refuse to provide them with supervision and/or treatment &;

-- repeat their public call, issued yesterday, to the head of the US bishops conference to resign because of recent abuse and cover up cases and disclosures in his archdiocese (including his secret decision to keep a convicted predator priest on his payroll even now).

WHEN

TODAY, Monday, Nov. 10, 2:30 p.m.

WHERE

Outside the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, where hundreds of America’s Catholic bishops are meeting this week (700 Aliceanna Street, 410-385-3000)

WHO

Several clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters, including a Chicago woman who founded a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY

For the first time ever, a week ago, a diocesan panel announced that an alleged predator bishop is guilty of molesting kids. At least ten other bishops have been similarly accused, but essentially remain in ‘limbo,’ their whereabouts unknown and little or no monitoring or resolution of the charges against them. SNAP now wants other diocesan panels to investigate child sex allegations against them.

While some of the accused bishops have attracted considerable attention (Anthony O'Connell in Florida & Thomas Dupre in Massachusetts), several others have not (Louis Gelineau in Rhode Island, Joseph Hart in Wyoming, & Kendrick Williams in Kentucky. Only two (O’Connell; Rembert Weakland in Wisconsin) have admitted abuse. (NOTE: Rembert Weakland in Wisconsin admitted abusing an adult). http://www.bishop-accountability.org/bishops/accused/

SNAP believes it’s irresponsible and reckless to let accused pedophile prelates walk free with little or no supervision and no adjudication of the charges against them. Hundreds of predatory priests won’t be criminally prosecuted and aren’t being defrocked. But virtually none of the predatory bishops face either penalty/discipline or even the slightest supervision, SNAP says

The group also believes it’s very tough for a local diocesan review board, appointed by a bishop, to objectively look into child sex allegations against that bishop. So SNAP is urging that a new national panel be created for this purpose (despite their strong belief that all clergy allegations be handled by police).

Massachusetts has the most accused bishops, two of whom are still alive (George Rueger of Worchester and Dupre of Springfield) and two who are deceased (Christopher Weldon of Springfield and Timothy Harrington of Worchester). Two others worked in the Palm Beach Florida diocese (Joseph Symons and O’Connell). A few (Mahony in California, Egan in New York) have apparently been wrongly accused.

Now retired Wyoming Bishop Joseph Hart faces the most allegations of any bishop. Civil lawsuits by six men he molested in Kansas City have been settled, some as recently as August 2008. A children’s home in Torrington, Wyoming dedicated a residence hall to Hart and has rebuffed efforts to change the name.

At least 31 men report having been sexually abused as kids during the 1950s and 1960s by Bishop Lawrence Soens when Soens taught at an Iowa City school. He went on to head the Sioux City diocese and is now retired. On Monday, the Davenport diocese said that Soens did abuse some of the boys.

SNAP is also releasing a list of pedophile priests who, while suspended and unsupervised, committed more crimes recently. SNAP predicts this will be a growing trend, as predators get inadequate or no therapy or monitoring, and live on their own. Instead, SNAP believes those who cannot be jailed should be forced to live at independently, remote, professionally run treatment centers with full disclosure to nearby residents and law enforcement.

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, David Clohessy 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915, Frank Dingle 410 744 2398 home, 443 996 8994 cell, Becky Ianni 703 801 6044 cell, Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688 home

Statement about tonight's vigil in Baltimore on the eve of the US Catholic Bishops conference.

2008-11-09T20:44:00.000-05:00

Sunday, Nov 9, 2008

Statement by Frank Dingle 410 744 2398 home, 443 996 8994 cell

We’re here tonight for three reasons.

The first is because of a recently complicit Cardinal, a Cardinal who heads the US bishops conference.

The second is because of a recently criminal priest, a priest who fathered kids and then molested them.

The third is because of our mission: to heal the wounded and protect the vulnerable.

1. We’re asking Cardinal Francis George of Chicago to step aside as president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. His track record on clergy sex crimes and cover ups has been markedly worse than that of his colleagues. But it is his very recent misdeeds that lead us to make this request.

In particular, we are concerned about his continuing duplicity and recklessness regarding Fr. Kenneth J. Martin, who taught and molested at a Catholic school in Baltimore’s suburbs. These aren’t allegations. They are facts. Martin pled guilty to criminal charges of sexually assaulting a boy for three years. Even now, six years after promising to be open and transparent about clergy sex crimes, George secretly keeps.

A priest who was convicted for molesting a Baltimore child now works for Cardinal Francis George, head of the Chicago archdiocese and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, according to, news accounts in Illinois last month. Despite this, and other recent egregious mishandling of child sex cases and cover ups in Chicago, George will chair tomorrow’s annual national meeting of 200+ American Catholic bishops. SNAP wants him to resign.

From 1977-1980, Fr. Kenneth J. Martin repeatedly molested a teenaged boy. Martin was teaching at the school the boy attended - Loyola Blakefield Catholic High School in suburban Baltimore. In December 2001, Martin pled guilty to the crimes.

Despite this, in 2003, George secretly let Martin live part-time at George’s mansion in Chicago. When Martin’s employment in Chicago was disclosed publicly, George promised he would no longer work in the archdiocese. Last month, however, media sources disclosed that Martin is still on the payroll.

This is stunning recklessness and deceit by Cardinal George. He’s essentially thumbing his nose at parents, victims, children, and the ‘zero tolerance’ policy adopted by America’s bishops five years ago.

Hiding and tolerating pedophile priests in your own diocese is bad enough. But importing pedophile priests from elsewhere, especially secretly, is even worse.

It’s absurd and insulting that George’s public relations staff tries to minimize Martin’s time in Chicago. Whether Martin comes to Chicago seven times or 70 times is irrelevant. George is gambling with kids’ lives. (It takes only seconds for a child molester to shove his hand in a child’s pants.)

He’s also rubbing salt into already deep and still fresh wounds of Chicago Catholics who are still reeling from his dangerous deception and callousness with Fr. McCormack, Fr. Bennett, Fr. McGuire, and so many other predators.

For many other reasons, but most especially this one, George owes it to American Catholics and victims to step aside and If the head of the bishops conference makes such disingenuous and dangerous moves, and gets by with them, why would any other bishop take seriously his pledges to safeguard kids and be honest?

2. We’re also concerned a newly accused pedophile priest in Baltimore. He’s Fr. Fernando Cristancho. Last month, a court determined that, in the last few years, Cristancho molested two of the three kids he surreptitiously fathered. Yet he walks free, and we worry that he may molest again.

We want church officials in Maryland and Virginia, where Cristancho also worked, to make more aggressive efforts to find any victims and witnesses of Cristancho’s crime and urge them to call police.

We also want Baltimore’s archbishop to yank Cristancho’s passport so he can’t flee the country.

We beg anyone with information about Cristancho to come forward immediately, get help, and call law enforcement.

3. Finally, we’re here because our mission is to heal the wounded and protect the vulnerable.

The wounded are healed best when victims and witnesses find the courage and strength to break their silence and come forward. That, in turn, happens best when victims and witnesses are gently but lovingly prodded to come forward. This is what SNAP does every single day, and what we are doing again tonight.

The vulnerable are protected best when church officials honor their pledges and act responsibly. That, sadly, only seems to happen when concerned Catholics, determined journalists, aggressive prosecutors and caring victims pressure church officials. That’s what SNAP dose every single day, and what we are doing again tonight.

Why are we here so late? Many bishops, we’re told, arrive here Sunday night. If nothing else, we hope that a few may walk by or see us out their windows. In the church structure, they’re powerful monarchs, and we’re powerless peons. So we have no illusions that our presence here will make any real difference in their callous, deceptive and reckless behavior. Still, we feel duty bound to at least try to expose callousness, deception and recklessness when we can, especially when those behaving in this way hold themselves out to be holy and compassionate shepherds. We simply cannot, in good conscience, sit home and stay silent while prelates like George act so irresponsibly and priests like Cristancho act so criminally.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 19 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

CONTACT
Frank Dingle 410 744 2398 home, 443 996 8994 cell, Becky Ianni 703 801 6044
Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, David Clohessy 314 566 9790

Send the Bishops a Message news conferences in Chicago and L.A., Monday, Nov. 10th

2008-11-09T18:32:00.000-05:00

Send the Bishops a Message news conferences in Chicago and L.A., Monday, Nov. 10th

* * *

Notice of Chicago Sidewalk News Conference on November 10th

For immediate release: November 7, 2008

New Catholic group urges parishioners “Stop Donating”

It decries continuing protection of pedophile priests by bishops

Lay people must use “power of the purse” to “force real reform”

Ongoing secrecy in Church finances is basically “taxation without representation”

Nov. 16th is first international “Withholding Sunday”

WHAT
Holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, Catholics will prod fellow parishioners to withhold financial donations on November 16th which will be the first nationwide, indeed worldwide Withholding Sunday, to send the bishops a message that irresponsibility and secrecy will no longer be tolerated

WHEN
Monday, Nov 10, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE
Outside Chicago archdiocesan headquarters, 155 East Superior, in downtown Chicago

WHO
Three-four members of a new organization called “Send the Bishops a Message” (http://www.sendthebishopsamessage.com) and supporters from SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) ; the Catholic reform group Voice of the Faithful (VOTF.org); We Are Catholics (wearecatholics.com); and the Coalition of Concerned Catholics.

WHY
Reasons we are taking this action:

---The ongoing failure of Catholic Church officials to protect our children from dangerous clerical predators

---The bishops’ failure to provide acceptable levels of stewardship for our hard-earned donations

---The refusal of Church officials to accept responsibility for their grave moral failures in the clergy sex abuse crisis. They repeatedly “apologize,” but neither admit to covering up sex crimes against children nor accept their part in the grave scandal brought down upon Catholics everywhere.

---After almost 6 years since the Dallas Charter of 2002, we are still witnessing high-level Church officials protecting both clerical sexual predators and those who shield these predators.

---Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George, the current head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), refused to follow his own sex abuse review board’s recommendation that he, George, suspend a priest, Fr, Dan Mc Cormack, who had been arrested for sexual abuse of a minor. Three months after Cardinal George’s refusal to act against Fr. McCormack, this priest molested at least three more boys in Chicago’s inner city. One of the children, prosecutors say, had been assaulted “on an almost daily” basis.

---Catholics have no elections, recall procedures, or impeachment processes that allow them to replace those who have cost parishioners so much. Withholding donations is the best way for a disenfranchised laity to send, with one voice, a message to church officials in the only language they understand–MONEY!

CONTACT – Frank Douglas, national director of Send the Bishops a Message, 520 404 2489 (cell) or 520 579 9575 (home); Rick Springer 773 485 2447; Matt McCormick 847 361 3633; Therese Albrecht 708 263 3050

* * *
Notice of Los Angeles Sidewalk News Conference on November 10th
For immediate release - November 7, 2008

New Catholic group urges parishioners “Stop Donating”

It decries continuing protection of pedophile priests by bishops

Lay people must use “power of the purse” to “force real reform”

Ongoing secrecy in Church finances is basically “taxation without representation”

Nov. 16th is first international “Withholding Sunday”

WHAT
Holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, Catholics will prod fellow parishioners to withhold financial donations on November 16th . This first nationwide, indeed worldwide Withholding Sunday, will send the bishops a message that irresponsibility and secrecy will no longer be tolerated

WHEN
Monday, Nov 10, 11:30 a.m.

WHERE
Outside the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W Temple St, in downtown Los Angeles

WHO
Three-four members of a new organization called “Send the Bishops a Message” (http://www.sendthebishopsamessage.com) and supporters from SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) and a Catholic reform group called Voice of the Faithful (VOTF.org)

WHY (see above press release for Chicago for this section)

CONTACT – Frank Douglas, national director of Send the Bishops a Message, 520 404 2489 (cell) or 520 579 9575 (home); Debby Bodkin 949 290 5516; Mary Jane McGraw 818 917 3555; Sam Cordova 818 667 1005

Clergy sex abuse victims & Catholics to hold vigil on eve of annual US bishops meeting

2008-11-09T17:22:00.000-05:00

Clergy sex abuse victims & Catholics to hold vigil

Candlelight event happens on eve of annual US bishops meeting

Hundreds of church’s highest prelates are gathering in Baltimore now

Victims want head of America’s bishops, Chicago’s Cardinal, to resign his post

He keeps a convicted pedophile priest who hurt Maryland boy working in his archdiocese

WHAT
Holding candles & childhood photos, clergy sex abuse victims will hold an evening sidewalk vigil outside the hotel where hundreds of Catholic bishops are meeting. They will

-- call on the US bishops’ conference head to resign his post over a little-publicized Baltimore abuse case,

-- urge parishioners to educate themselves about the church’s abuse and cover up scandal, &

-- beg anyone with information about a newly accused pedophile priest by a different Baltimore priest to come forward immediately, get help, and call law enforcement.

WHEN
TODAY, Sunday, 9:45 p.m. - 11:15 p. m.

WHERE
Outside the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel, where hundreds of America’s Catholic bishops are meeting this week (700 Aliceanna Street, 410-385-3000)

WHO
Several clergy sex abuse victims who are leaders of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
A priest who was convicted for molesting a Baltimore child now works for Cardinal Francis George, head of the Chicago archdiocese and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, according to, news accounts in Illinois last month. Despite this, and other recent egregious mishandling of child sex cases and cover ups in Chicago, George will chair tomorrow’s annual national meeting of 200+ American Catholic bishops. SNAP wants him to resign.

From 1977-1980, Fr. Kenneth J. Martin repeatedly molested a teenaged boy. Martin was teaching at the school the boy attended - Loyola Blakefield Catholic High School in suburban Baltimore. In December 2001, Martin pled guilty to the crimes.

Despite this, in 2003, George secretly let Martin live part-time at George’s mansion in Chicago. When Martin’s employment in Chicago was disclosed publicly, George promised he would no longer work in the archdiocese. Last month, however, media sources disclosed that Martin is still on the payroll.

SNAP is also concerned about a new, different Baltimore pedophile case involving Fr. Fernando Cristancho. Last month, a court determined that Cristancho molested two of the three kids he surreptitiously fathered. Yet he walks free, and SNAP worries that he may molest again.

The group wants church officials in Maryland and Virginia (where Christanco also worked) to make more aggressive efforts to find any victims and witnesses of Christancho’s crime and urge them to call police. SNAP also wants Baltimore’s archbishop to yank Christancho’s passport so he can’t flee the country.

CONTACT
Frank Dingle 410 744 2398 home, 443 996 8994 cell, Becky Ianni 703 801 6044, Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, David Clohessy 314 566 9790

Sex abuse victims seek resignation of Cardinal Francis George as head of US Bishops

2008-11-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

For immediate release: Sunday, November 9

For more information: David Clohessy 314 566 9790

They want him to step down as head of America’s bishops

Their chief concern: He’s got a convicted friend on his payroll

Just last month, pedophile’s presence in Chicago was revealed

Criminal keeps getting paid even though George promised “he won’t be working here”

Group is also outraged that Cardinal recently tried to get another convicted predator out of jail.

Because of recent disclosures about “several pedophile priests and corrupt supervisors” in his archdiocese, clergy sex abuse victims are asking Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George to resign as head of the US bishops’ conference. The request comes on the eve of the annual meeting of America’s 200+ bishops in Baltimore.

Leaders of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) are urging George to step down “for the good of the church, both locally and nationally” because of “several new child sex crime and cover ups,” including one involving Fr. Kenneth J. Martin, a personal friend of the Cardinal’s.

####“George is deceptively and recklessly letting a convicted predator priest pal work for and in the archdiocese, violating his specific, public promise to the contrary and the church’s national sex abuse policy,” said Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP’s founder and president. “Short of making this predator a pastor, it’s hard to imagine a more dangerous and deceitful move George could make.”

Last month, Chicago news media disclosed that Martin was still working for an archdiocesan agency with offices next to a Catholic school. In 2003, news accounts revealed that Martin was living in the Cardinal’s mansion and working for the archdiocese on a part time basis. Just two years before, Martin was convicted of molesting a boy in Baltimore for three years.

After Martin’s presence in Chicago was first disclosed in 2003, George publicly said “he won’t be working here anymore.” He has apparently remained on the archdiocesan payroll ever since, SNAP says.

But SNAP’s concern goes beyond the Martin case. The group cites cases involving 5 priests that have surfaced over the past year. Some are proven, admitted or credibly accused child molesters (Fr. Kenneth Martin, Fr. Joseph Bennett, Fr. Norbert Maday). Others ignored or concealed abuse, according to SNAP and church records, “complicit” (Fr. Leonard Dubi and Fr. Edward Grace).

The disclosures about Bennett, Dubi, Maday and Grace came through civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuits that were settled in August 2008.

“Time and time again, even now, George is dishonest about child sex crimes,” said David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP’s national director. “He keeps knowingly favoring friends and predators over kids and Catholics, to the point of taking extraordinarily obvious and inexcusable risks even with proven pedophiles.”

In 2006, SNAP and several other group's urged George to resign as head of the Chicago Archdiocese over his mishandling of the Fr. Daniel McCormack case. George promoted McCormack in 2005 even after he was arrested and kept McCormack in a parish even after the archdiocesan abuse review panel urged George to suspend him. In 2006, McCormack was arrested again for child molestation. Prosecutors said he’d abused one boy on “an almost daily basis” during those months George kept him in active parish ministry.

A copy of SNAP’s letter, sent today by fax and e mail, is below:

Nov. 9, 2008

Dear Cardinal George:

In 2006, our organization asked you to resign as head of the Chicago archdiocese, because of your reckless and deceptive mishandling of the Fr. McCormack’s child sex crimes.
Now, our organization is asking you to resign as head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, because of several new similar cases of your recklessness and deception over just the last year. Among these are disclosures about
-- your letting a convicted pedophile priest still work in your archdiocese (Fr. Kenneth J. Martin)
-- your refusal for years to suspend a credibly accused predator facing more than 12 abuse allegations (Fr. Joseph Bennett)
-- your trying to get a convicted pedophile priest released early from prison (Fr. Norbert Maday)
-- the two instances in which you ignored requests of your own lay abuse panel (the Bennett case)
-- your tolerating the complicit high-ranking chancery office priest who advised an accused predator on how to deceive a church review panel (Fr. Edward Grace)
-- your naming an accused predator’s friend (Fr. Edward Dubi) to allegedly ‘monitor’ him, despite clear pleas by your own abuse review panel to name anyone else for that role
-- your tolerating the egregious misconduct by a predator’s friend who shoved a person for simply asking questions about the predator (Fr. Edward Dubi).
Let’s look at these situations a little more closely.
----- The Fr. Kenneth J. Martin case
In 2003, you let a convicted child molesting priest, Fr. Kenneth J. Martin, work in your archdiocese. You also let him live in your mansion for a week each month. You told no one, even though six months earlier, you pledged to be “open and transparent’ about abuse.
Then, news accounts disclosed Martin’s presence and role in your archdiocese. In response, your staff split hairs, emphasizing that Martin abused as a seminarian, not a priest, so might not be ‘covered’ by the church’s sex abuse policies.

Still, under considerable public pressure, you told a reporter Martin "won't be coming back to Chicago."

Last month, however, news accounts disclosed that this convicted predator is on your payroll even now.
He apparently has been working continuously for you, despite your public promise to the contrary.
His office is next door to a parochial elementary school.
Initially, your public relations professional claimed Martin had “visited” that Chicago office only twice in 2008."
Later, your public relations professional then changed the story, admitting that Martin came to the office at least seven times in 2007-2008.
Regardless, no matter how you try to ‘spin’ this, you are continuing to take extraordinary risks by keeping your friend, a proven pedophile, in your archdiocese, next to school kids, and on your payroll.

-------- The Fr. Joseph R. Bennett case

-- In August 2008, newly release secret church records and Cardinal your own sworn deposition show that you suspended an accused serial predator priest, Fr. Bennett, from his suburban parish in 2006 only after at least a dozen of his victims had reported him to your staff.

-- Those same documents show that you overruled the recommendations of your own hand-picked abuse panel and had him alleged and secretly (but ineffectively) ‘monitored’ by a fellow priest, Fr. Leonard Dubi, who is a close friend of Bennett’s. The two of them own property together in Indiana. They then took a trip to Mexico together.

-- Your hand-picked abuse panel specifically, in two memos, urged you to NOT assign Dubi to this role. You rejected their recommendation.

-- In the same documents, Fr. Edward Grace, the archdiocese’s Vicar for Priests. Grace, urged Bennett to essentially lie about birthmarks on his genitals to ‘beat’ multiple child sex abuse allegations before a lay church panel. We’ve asked you to discipline these ‘enablers’ – Dubi and Grace - whose deceit put kids in harm’s way. You have ignored us.

-- We fear other accused child-molesting clergy are in still Chicago parishes right now, unbeknownst to parishioners, allegedly being ‘monitored’ by peers. We’ve asked you to disclose who and where they are and/or abide by the church’s national abuse policy and publicly suspend them. You have ignored us.

--------- The Fr. Norbert Maday case

-- The same deposition and documents also reveal that you and your top staffers spent considerable time and effort secretly trying to win the early release of a convicted serial child predator, Fr. Norbert Maday, who is in a Wisconsin prison.

-- We suspect and fear there are or have been other jailed sex offender clerics who have gotten or are getting your ‘behind the scenes’ help. We have asked you to stop it immediately, and to disclose if you’ve taken similar reckless action with other pedophiles. You have ignored us.

--Last month, we publicly called on you to promise you’d never again try to get a convicted pedophile priest out of jail early. You have not responded.

Again, this has all come out in the public arena in just the last year. We can’t help but wonder, of course, what other shocking and irresponsible actions you have taken recently that remain hidden.

Sadly, however, these recent cases are just more in a long line of irresponsible, deceptive and insensitive steps you’ve taken regarding clergy sex crimes and cover ups. They are part of a much larger, on-going, and disturbing pattern in the Chicago archdiocese, a pattern that goes back farther than just the last year, and that has changed little (if at all) since you promised to ‘reform’ in 2002. Here are just four examples.

----- The Fr. John Calicott case

In March 2004, twice-suspended abusive priest Fr. John Calicott was caught working, living and teaching sex education to kids at his old parish, with the full knowledge of the pastor. You slapped Calicott on the wrist, but refused to discipline or censure the pastor, Fr. George Miller, who knowingly put children in harm's way and violated the US bishops' national abuse policy.

----- The Fr. Michael Yakaitis case

In February 2005, Fr. Michael T. Yakaitis worked at the University of Chicago's Catholic Center, despite admitting sexual misconduct with a teenager years ago. A victim reported Yakaitis' exploitation and manipulation to at least seven church officials. But you let the abuser stay in ministry until this was publicly exposed.

----- The Fr. Elijah Martin case

In October 2005, you refused to discipline Father Elijah Martin or warn others about him. He seduced a young woman, fathered her child, ignored her, and refused to pay child support. Martin’s direct superiors also refused to give the mom any information about the priest’s whereabouts. You washed your hands of this controversy, despite repeated requests by our group to help the family and warn others about Martin.

----- The Fr. Daniel McCormack case

-- In the fall of 2005, McCormack was arrested for child molestation. Weeks later, you promoted him to head a deanery, or region, of the archdiocese.

-- In January 2006, McCormack was arrested again. He assaulted one 11 year old boy "on an almost daily basis" from Sept. 2005 until Jan. 2006. You kept him in ministry years after several reports of child sexual abuse, including repeated written and verbal ones from a Catholic nun more than seven years earlier to archdiocesan staff. You kept him in ministry months after your own hand-picked abuse panel urged you to suspend him.

-- We repeatedly urged you to “aggressively and immediately” reach out to parishes where McCormack worked, and prodded you to personally start visit those churches, emphatically reminding Catholics that they have a moral and civic duty to disclose anything they know about these allegations to law enforcement. You ignored us.

-- For months awaiting trial, you let McCormack live with relatives, refusing to order him to stay in a treatment center for pedophiles. We were highly critical of that move, calling it ‘reckless;’ and ‘irresponsible.’ We repeatedly urged you to reconsider. You ignored us.

-- Five top church staff who were involved in the McCormack debacle have all essentially been promoted since then. Only one has been disciplined – the female school principal who actually called the police and reported McCormack’s crimes.

----- Conclusion

It bears repeating that almost all of these reckless, inexcusable actions (and inactions) have happened AFTER you and your colleagues pledged, in 2002, to reform your dealings with clergy sex crimes and cover ups.

The bottom line: you continue to put your own reputation and comfort above the safety and well-being of your flock.

Why does this matter? Because when the head of America’s bishops acts so irresponsibly, it encourages other bishops to follow suit. It also discourages victims and witnesses from coming forward, reporting crimes and exposing predators. Finally, it rubs more salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of Catholics and victims who are still struggling with the pain and betrayal caused by the church’s on-going sex abuse and cover up crisis.

Less than a year ago, Pope Benedict, speaking to a group of bishops about the abuse scandal, said “… it is important to establish the truth of what happened in the past, to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it from occurring again, to ensure the principles of justice are fully respected, and above all, to bring healing to the victims and to all those affected by these egregious crimes.” You have clearly, during the last year, and for several years, done largely the opposite.

In light of all this, we respectfully but firmly as that you step down as head of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, so that victims and Catholics will be assured, at least sometimes, that reckless, secrecy and deceit involving clergy child sex crimes will no longer be tolerated by the church hierarchy.

Barbara Blaine
President, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
PO Box 6416
Chicago IL 60680
312 399 4747

David Clohessy
National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
7234 Arsenal Street
St. Louis MO 63143
314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915

Barbara Dorris
Outreach Coordinator, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
6245 Westminster
St. Louis MO 63130
314 862 7688

Mother of clergy abuse victim urging Morlino to stop predator priest book tour

2008-11-08T18:43:00.000-05:00

Mother of clergy abuse victim urging Morlino to stop predator priest book tour

Victims to flyer Janesville congregation Sunday where priest offender is having a book signing

Priest attacks in book 3 victims, 7 witnesses who reported abuse

Civil jury, canon law tribunal and lay review board has ruled priest sexually molested youngsters

WHAT
Nancy Arnold, a mother of a boy sexually assaulted by Fr. Gerald Vosen at St. John Vianney parish in Janesville, will join victims of childhood sexual abuse by clergy to flyer parishioners Sunday. They will be urging congregants to contact Bishop Robert Morlino to stop Vosen’s book and publicity tour. Vosen was removed from ministry by the Vatican for child abuse. He will be holding a book signing after masses on Sunday a block from the church.

WHERE
St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 1250 Racine Street, Janesville

WHEN
Sunday, Nov. 9. Flyering will begin at approximately 10:30-10:45 a.m., after the 9:45 service

WHO
Nancy Arnold, a mother of a childhood victim of sexual abuse by Fr. Gerald Vosen of the Madison diocese and Wisconsin members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), the nation’s largest and oldest self-help organization of clergy sexual abuse survivors.

WHY
Nancy Arnold, whose son was sexually assaulted by Fr. Gerald Vosen in Janesville and who is a member of St. John Vianney parish is speaking out for the first time about the recently published book and publicity tour being conducted in the diocese of Madison by Vosen. Vosen attacks the Arnold family, along with two other victims and at least seven witnesses who have come forward to the diocese reporting that he sexually molested minors.

Two weeks ago, in a letter to Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison, the nation’s largest self-help organization of clergy sexual abuse survivors urged a swift response by the diocese against Vosen’s book and tour. By publically presenting himself as a priest, Vosen is in direct violation of a Vatican suspension.

Three times Vosen has been found guilty of the sex crimes against minors. First, by a Madison diocesan lay review board, then by a civil jury in Janesville, and most recently a canon law trial of priest peers.

Arnold and survivors want parishioners of St. Joseph to urge Morlino to release Vosen’s file, defend and support victims and their families, and publically sanction Vosen.

Morlino, says Arnold, should preach at parishes where Vosen was assigned to make clear that he cannot function as a priest and will not be permitted to either intimidate or profit from his sex crimes against her child or any other youngster.

CONTACT
Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director, 414.429.7259
John Pilmaier, SNAP Wisconsin, 414.336.8575

Letter to Fairfax, VA, Commonwealth Attorney Morrogh about Father Fernando Cristancho

2008-11-07T11:27:00.000-05:00

1) Mr. Raymond F. Morrogh
Commonwealth Attorney, Fairfax County
4110 Chain Bridge Road, Room 123
Fairfax, VA 22030

Dear Mr. Morrogh:
We are deeply concerned about Fr. Fernando Cristancho and the credible
child sex abuse allegations against him.

As you can see from the enclosed articles, a social service agency and a
judge have determined that he recently molested two of his three
children. We are concerned that he may have abused other children
during his tvime as a priest at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Fairfax
County (1995-1998). He was fired from that parish following accusations
of sexual misconduct with a young woman (though reportedly not a
minor). Subsequently, he worked in a Maryland parish where he fathered
three children through a surrogate mother. Fr. Cristancho is a native
of Colombia, South America. You can read the findings of the Maryland
Court of Special Appeals which recently denied him custody of his
children.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/opinions/2008_10_27_Cristancho_v_Redacted_R.pdf.

We are concerned because
- Fr. Cristancho walks free today,
- Catholic officials have a dismal record of supervising abusive clergy,
- Statutes often allow predators to escape criminal charges,
- Predator priests tend to be well-educated, shrewd and manipulative,
- Dozens of predator priests have escaped justice by fleeing overseas, and
- As you know, rarely does a child molester strike only once.

We are not police or prosecutors. But we are citizens concerned about
the continuing risk to innocent children as well as to other possible
victims that Fr. Cristancho sexually abused while he lived and worked in
No. Virginia.

We believe that authorities can deal with child sex crimes in two ways:
passively or aggressively. One can passively sit back and wait until a
victim walks in the door. Or one can aggressively use one's bully pulpit
and investigative tools to search out victims and witnesses and pursue
predators vigorously. We want the office of the Commonwealth Attorney,
along with the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, to take steps to preclude
Fr. Cristancho's access to children and to seek out other possible
victims of sexual abuse by him in No. Virginia. As a start, last
weekend the diocese arranged an announcement about Fr. Cristancho at
Good Shepherd Catholic Church, and this weekend a notice will be in the
parish bulletin. As a Catholic priest in a local parish, however, Fr.
Cristancho had access to many people and families in No. Virginia,
particulary among the Hispanic population to whom he specifically
ministered.

Specifically, we ask that you
- do everything in your power to probe Cristancho's past,
- try to get his passport revoked or suspended, so he can't move
elsewhere and molest again, and
- make a strong public appeal to anyone with information about his
crimes or misdeeds to come forward, get help, and contact law
enforcement right away.

When the time comes for discovery and subpoenas and other legal moves,
we will be glad to put you in touch with legal experts who understand
the church structure, terminology, and hierarchy, so that prosecution
can proceed as quickly and effectively as possible.

Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you. Please let us know how
we can help.

Sincerely
David Clohessy
Executive Director
SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)
314.566.9790; snapclohessy@aol.com

Contacts in No. Virginia
Becky Ianni (SNAP) 703.801.6044; BIanni@cox.net
Bill Casey (VOTF, Voice of the Faithful) 703.568.3438; b13909@comcast.net

Statement by Bill Casey on Cristancho

2008-11-07T11:20:00.000-05:00

Nov. 6, 2008 Statement

My name is Bill Casey. Along with my colleagues from SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests—a self-help and advocacy group for survivors) and VOTF (Voice of the Faithful—a Catholic lay reform group formed in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church), I come here today to deliver a letter to the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney to use the powers of his office, along with the resources of the Catholic diocese of Arlington, to protect children from further abuse by predator priest Fernando Cristancho and to seek out and support any other victims of this priest.

Fr. Cristancho served as a parish priest, particularly to the Hispanic community, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Fairfax County between 1995-1998. He was removed from that position following evidence of sexual misconduct with a young woman (purportedly not a minor), but he gravitated to a new parish in Maryland (under the Archdiocese of Baltimore. While there he impregnated a surrogate mother through in vitro fertilization and fathered triplets. Competent authorities found evidence that he sexually abused his two sons.

Although he was later removed from this parish, he remains free and is a flight risk because he hails from Colombia in South America.

Based on his interview with a Baltimore newspaper, Fr.Cristancho wants us to believe an experienced

social worker, an unbiased judge, his children's mom and grandmother and a band of his fellow priests are all concocting or believing 'false' child sex abuse allegations against him.

He also wants us to believe that his archbishop would accept his deceptive, surreptitious fathering of three kids and still let him work in a parish, despite centuries of ironclad church demands that priests be celibate. Keep in mind that Cristancho is a smart, well-educated priest who clearly had and likely still has a lawyer.

Needless to say, all of this strains credulity and defies common sense.

But the focus now must be on church and criminal authorities, and what they can do to protect kids.

This isn't rocket science. If an employee is credibly accused of a child molestation, his employer and the criminal authorities try to quickly determine what actually happened. Often the best, quickest and easiest way to do that is to seek out other alleged victims and witnesses. And often, the best way to do that is by making a strong, clear public appeal - begging those with information, information that would either prove or disprove the the allegations - to come forward. That's what we want.

We also want church and criminal authorities to do everything possible to yank Cristancho's passport or other documents so he can't escape justice by fleeing the country. In particular, we want whichever bishop is paying him - whether Baltimore's or Arlington's - to insist that Cristancho turn over his passport to that bishop.

Remember, priests take a vow to obey their bishops. Priests have no union. They are virtually at the mercy of their bishop, and depend on him for a paycheck, health insurance, dental insurance, car allowance, housing allowance, retirement, and his approval to ever work in the church anywhere any time in the future.

Now is not the time to be complacent or slow or split bureaucratic hairs. Now is the time to protect the children and uncover the truth. That's all we're looking for.

Bill Casey
5529 Gary Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22311
703.568.3438
b13909@comcast.net

Fr. Fernando Cristancho and the credible child sex abuse allegations against him.

2008-11-07T11:09:00.000-05:00

For immediate release: Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell)

In thousands and thousands of clergy child molestation cases, church and law enforcement staff can't turn back the clock and get a "do over". Thousands and thousands of times, at a bare minimum, church and law enforcement staff were naive and passive and mishandled clergy sex abuse reports.

More accurately, thousands and thousands of times, church staff actively shunned victims, deceived parishioners, stonewalled police, destroyed evidence, transferred predators, and recklessly, callously put kids in harm's way. Often, criminal authorities turned a blind eye or even cooperated in these injustices.

Here, however, is a chance to do it right. Here's a chance to help ensure that no other child is hurt by Fr. Cristancho, a priest who obviously broke his vows, deceived his flock, hurt his children and devastated their mother.

All it takes is a little courage and a little outreach. If there are others who witnessed or experienced Cristancho's misdeeds, there's a chance they'll step forward, do their civic duty, and help get him locked up so that other kids are safe. They just need a nudge, an invitation, a plea.

We in SNAP have made this plea. Now it's time for the prosecutor and bishop to do likewise. They've got far more resources and clout than we do. And if they do this simple, inexpensive outreach, they can help stop future child sex crimes and help those who've already suffered child sex crimes.

Please, we beg them, take this easy step, to both protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

New lawsuit is filed against high profile Jesuit author and professor

2008-11-06T05:43:00.000-05:00

New pedophile priest lawsuit is filed

Predator is nationally-known author & professor

He belongs to high profile Catholic order, the Jesuits

His supervisors knew of his crimes but ignored them, lawsuit says

Accused of molesting at least 8 girls, he wasn’t removed until 2003

SNAP urges others who “saw, suspected, or suffered” his misdeeds to come forward

WHAT
At a news conference, clergy molestation victims and attorneys will announce and discuss a new child sex abuse lawsuit against a nationally-known Jesuit priest and professor who now faces allegations of assaulting at least eight girls.

WHEN
TODAY, Thursday, Nov. 6, at 1:15 PM

WHERE
At the law office of Kerns, Frost & Pearlman, Three First National Plaza, 70 W. Madison Suite 5350 (corner of Clark) in downtown Chicago

WHO
A Michigan woman who was abused by this priest, two attorneys who represent victims of this priest, and the founder of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

VISUAL
A photo of Powell is available at http://www.bishop-accountability.org/il_chicago/#powell

WHY
Fr. John J. Powell is accused of abusing of at least 7 girls in 1960s and 1970s, including the “Jane Doe” who is filing this new lawsuit. She met Powell as a teenager around 1967, when she attended Rosarian Academy, a Catholic girls’ school in West Palm Beach, Florida. During private “counseling sessions,” Powell made her sit on his lap, kiss him, and forced her to take her school uniform off and fondled her.

Powell was a professor at several universities who also “frequently traveled and gave retreats,” and wrote several books that were widely popular in religious circles. He was first sued in 2003 and again in 2006. Six of his victims settled their litigation in 2005.

According to the new suit, Powell engaged in “a pattern of sexually abusing Loyola University students and other minor and adult students.” His supervisors were repeatedly informed, it says, “of Powell’s pedophilic behavior and his propensity to abuse but failed to act on that knowledge. The Jesuits “did not inform law enforcement officials, students members of the Catholic community or the public at large of Powell’s wrongful and criminal conduct.” Instead, they claimed that “Powell was a priest in good standing and allowed Powell to continue in ministry and conduct numerous retreats where he could have access to and abuse children.”

He worked at West Baden University (1961-1965), Bellermine School of Theology of Loyola University (1965-1968), Loyola University of Chicago (1968-1979), and Loyola University (1979-2001). Powell is now retired in Michigan.

Doe is in her 50s and now lives in Florida. Her suit is being filed today in Cook County Circuit Court.

CONTACT
Attorney Jeff Anderson of St. Paul MN (612) 817 8665
Attorney Marc Pearlman of Chicago (773) 368 014
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP founder and president (312) 399 4747 cell
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566-9790 cell

Abuse victim blasts Catholic officials about pedophile bishop

2008-11-05T23:01:00.000-05:00

Abuse victim blasts Catholic officials about pedophile bishop

She wants Vatican to defrock predator who molested dozens of boys

“Show courage & leadership,” SNAP says, “and reach out to others in pain”

Support group believes accused molester may still be criminally prosecuted

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, a clergy molestation victim will prod Catholic officials in Sioux City and elsewhere to
-- apologize and explain why it took so long to deem a pedophile bishop “credibly accused,”
-- write Rome and urge the Vatican to defrock him, and
-- aggressively reach out to others who may have been hurt by any church employees, but especially the retired bishop.
She’ll also call on anyone with any information about the predators’ crimes to come forward, get help and call the police.

WHEN
Thursday, Nov. 6, 1:15 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the Sioux City Diocese headquarters, 1821 Jackson Street, in Sioux City

WHO
An Iowa child molestation victim who’s a support group leader in SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
Late Tuesday, the Davenport Diocese announced that its abuse panel found retired Sioux City Bishop Lawrence Soens guilty of molesting boys. It is believed to be the first time in church history in the US that a diocesan committee has deemed that a bishop is a child molester.

According to the Des Moines Register, “The review board found Soens guilty of sexually abusing students at Iowa City Regina High School in the 1950s and 1960s, when he was principal. Soens was also found guilty of sexually abusing a male minor when Soens was rector of the St. Ambrose Seminary.”

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20081103/NEWS/81103035

SNAP believes that Sioux City’s current bishop Walker Nickless should have taken action sooner to resolve the allegations against Soens and reach out to his victims. For children’s safety, the group wants Nickless to immediately write the Vatican and urge that Soens be permanently defrocked.

SNAP also wants Nickless to personally visit parishes across the diocese and beg victims and witnesses to call the police. Because police and prosecutors are becoming more aggressive and creative about pursuing child sex crimes (even from decades ago), SNAP believes that criminal charges against Soens may still be possible.

Founded in 1989, SNAP is the nation’s largest self-help group for clergy molestation victims of all faith groups.

CONTACT
Janet Clark of Fort Dodge, 515-573-4536
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790 cell
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP outreach director 314 862 7688

SNAP Mexico presents Federal Initiatives to reform Federal Laws

2008-11-04T19:57:00.000-05:00

For immediate release: November 4, 2008

Mexico City, Mexico

SNAP Mexico presented various Federal Initiatives with Deputy Claudia Cruz on Monday, November 3, 2008 to reform Federal Laws that will: define “Abuse of Minors” under 18 years of age; increase jail time for convicted child molesters; establish mandatory reporting laws in both the public and private sector; establish laws and consequences for those persons and/or public or private institutions that cover-up abuse; increase civil monetary penalties for offenders and those that cover them up; establish rights of legal procedure for victims who report crimes; establish procedures for the Federal Attorney General’s office to handle cases of child sexual abuse; the elimination of the statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse; amongst others.

The reforms call for a change in: the Federal Penal Code; the Federal Penal Procedures Code; The Organic Law of the Federal General Attorney’s Office; Federal Law against Organized Crime; Law for the Protection of the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents; General Law of Health; General Law of Education; Law of Religious Associations and Public Worship; The Federal Consumer Protection Law; and, the Regulatory Law of the 5th Amendment of the Constitution, relating to the Exercise of Professions in the Federal District (Mexico City).

SNAP Mexico worked hand in hand with victims, their families, child advocate organizations, civic organizations, volunteer attorney’s and representatives of Federal Deputy Claudia Cruz to establish these initiatives and present them to the Mexican Congress.

We urge all victims, families, international organizations and the media to take note of these initiatives and make every effort to contact Mexican Legislators in order to have these initiatives approved before the current congress adjourns.

We have attached the outline (in Spanish) of the current law as it stands with the proposed changes. We have also included a Spanish Decree that was introduced with the bill that outlines the background of these initiatives based on international data, victim experiences, current legal challenges and social consequences of the lack of these laws in Mexican Society.

SNAP Mexico has launched an outreach campaign to Federal Legislators & Congressional Commissions in order to have them hear directly from victims and families regarding the importance of these initiatives.

To help, or for further information, please contact Eric Barragan at (805)207-7424(US) or Joaquin Aguilar Mendez at (55) 1993-3681(Mexico City) or email us at snapmexico@aol.com.

Bishop guilty of child molestation; Sex abuse victims respond

2008-11-03T18:56:00.000-05:00

For immediate release: Monday, Nov. 3, 2008

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell)

This is a very belated and begrudging admission of horrific wrong-doing that for decades was shrewdly concealed by corrupt Catholic officials. We hope now that finally the Iowa church hierarchy will use its considerable resources to seek out and help Soens' dozens of victims.

We resent that Davenport's bishop deliberately makes this announcement at a time when he knows it will receive inadequate public attention. At the same time, however, we hope this admission will prod others who saw, suspected or suffered these priests' crimes to come forward, get help and call police.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20081103/NEWS/81103035/-1/ENT06
Review finds retired Catholic bishop guilty of sex abuse

ERIN JORDAN • ejordan@dmreg.com • November 3, 2008

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport announced four priests, including retired Bishop Lawrence Soens, have been found guilty of sexual abuse by a diocesan review board.

Soens, Joseph Hines, Eugene Smith, and Gerald Stouvenel will be added to a list of clergy credibly accused of sexually abusing children, the diocese announced this afternoon.

Monsignor Drake Shafer has been found not guilty and will be restored to active ministry, the diocese announced. Shafer was second-in-command in the diocese until he was suspended in 2003 after a West Burlington man sued him for alleged sexual molestation. The case was settled out of court.

The review board found Soens guilty of sexually abusing students at Iowa City Regina High School in the 1950s and 1960s, when he was principal. Soens was also found guilty of sexually abusing a male minor when Soens was rector of the St. Ambrose Seminary.

"That is monumental for the diocese to admit that one of their bishops is a credibly accused abuser," said Mike Uhde, an abuse victim who lives in Davenport.

The report on Soens will be sent to the Vatican, where Pope Benedict XVI will decide whether the former bishop of the Sioux City Diocese will be defrocked, said Deacon David Montgomery.

The review board found that Stouvenel sexually abused three boys in the 1970s. Pope Benedict Benedict XVI has ordered Stouvenel to "lead a life of prayer and penance," but did not defrock him, the diocese announced. Stouvenel will continue to live at the diocese headquarters in Davenport, where a monitoring program has been implemented, the diocese announced.

The review board found allegations against the Rev. Martin Diamond were not credible. The board reviewed testimony and medical records from two men who alleged they were molested by Diamond more than 30 years ago, but did not find "clear and convincing evidence," which is the standard that must be met when a priest is dead. Diamond died in 1989.

Hines is dead. Smith was defrocked in 1981, Montgomery said.

23 clergy sex cases are settled

2008-10-30T11:52:00.000-04:00

23 clergy sex cases are settled

They involve notorious predator

He molested in at least three states: MO, TX, & CO

Cleric often drugged boys and sodomized them in Catholic schools

SNAP says church, school, symphony and company should all do more to find his victims

Self help organization also warns parents who live near serial child molester to avoid his house

WHAT
At a news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will
-- announce a group settlement of 23 clergy sex civil sex abuse and cover up lawsuits involving a San Antonio man who taught at a local Catholic school,
-- urge church and school officials to more aggressively reach out to others he may have hurt, and
-- prod staff at two other organizations where he worked to do likewise

WHEN
TODAY, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2:00 p.m.

WHERE
Outside Central Catholic High School , 1403 N. St. Marys in San Antonion (210-344-9265)

WHO
Two members of a support groupo called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAPnetwork.org

WHY
An attorney is announcing the settlement of 23 clergy sex civil sex abuse and cover up lawsuits. They involve Brother William Mueller, a former Marianist cleric and teacher who worked and molested at Central Catholic School in San Antonio.

These cases all center on crimes Mueller committed at a Catholic school in Pueblo, Colorado. Mueller has also been sued for molesting teenagers in St. Louis and has been accused of molesting kids in Texas too.

In San Antonio, Mueller was band director at Central Catholic (from 1971 to 1981), then worked at the San Antonio Symphony, and then the Psychological Corporation, now known as Harcourt Assessment Inc. (from 1987 to 2002).

Mueller now lives at 8622 Zarzamora in San Antonio. SNAP members are urging families to avoid his house tomorrow on Halloween.

Attorneys Jeffrey M. Herman and Adam D. Horowitz. of Miami, Florida represented the 23 Colorado victims.

The Colorado lawsuits allege that Mueller abused boys between 1966 and 1971 in the band room of Roncalli High School. According to the lawsuits, Mueller told each of the students that he was performing a confidential experiment. Under the guise of this “experiment”, Mueller blindfolded the students and placed ether over their mouths to render them helpless and commit sexual abuse.

The evidence in these cases revealed that Mueller also abused numerous other students in the same manner while working for the Marianists for over 20 years at high schools in St. Louis and San Antonio.

SNAP believes that if more victims and witnesses come forward, Mueller might still be prosecuted and jailed. The group believes each of his former employers has a moral and civic duty to more aggressively seek out and help anyone he may have hurt.

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/10/30/news/local/doc4909914dce2ac481570152.txt

Contact:
Barbara Garcia Boehland, San Antonio SNAP director 210 725 8329
Attorneys Adam Horowitz 305-298-7713 & Jeffrey Herman 305-931-2200
David Clohessy of SNAP, 314 566 9790 cell

Sex abuse suits settled vs. priest accused of molesting in Chicago

2008-10-30T11:47:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell)

We are grateful for these brave Texas boys who have helped expose a dangerous predator who also worked in Chicago. Unfortunately, Katinas still walks free, so we beg law enforcement officials to work harder to find anyone he has hurt so he can be prosecuted, convicted and jailed.

We hope others who've been hurt by Katinas will find the strength and courage to come forward, get help, and take legal action so that others are protected.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688),

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/102908dnmetsettle.15ddac6aa.html?ocp=2#slcgm_comments_anchor

Greek Orthodox church settles Dallas lawsuit alleging sex abuse by longtime priest

12:24 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 29, 2008

By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News - samhodges@dallasnews.com

A lawsuit alleging child sex abuse by Nicholas Katinas, former pastor of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in North Dallas, is headed for an out-of-court settlement.

"An agreement in principle has been reached," said Tahira Khan Merritt, lawyer for five plaintiffs, including former altar boys, who claimed they were abused by Mr. Katinas in the early years of his long tenure at Holy Trinity. "It's subject to court approval."

Ms. Merritt said she and lawyers for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America agreed to keep confidential the amount of the settlement. The settlement must be approved by State District Judge Karen Johnson.

Mr. Katinas was pastor of Holy Trinity, a key institution of the Dallas Greek community, for 28 years. Soon after his retirement in 2006, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America officials suspended him from working as a priest, even on a fill-in basis.

Later, a GOAA official came to Holy Trinity and acknowledged serious misconduct by Mr. Katinas.

He has since been defrocked and is reportedly living in Greece.

"The victims feel like they've done as much as they can to bring public exposure to Katinas' abuses," Ms. Merritt said. "Without the lawsuit being filed and public exposure to these issues, in my opinion, Katinas would not have been defrocked."

Mr. Katinas and the GOAA still face a more recently filed lawsuit filed in Chicago, alleging abuse by him while he worked for a church in the suburbs there.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-priest-accused-web-sep10,0,7167880.story

Suburban church faces abuse suit
Ex-Greek Orthodox priest accused of molesting boy in '70s

By Azam Ahmed |Chicago Tribune reporter

9:40 PM CDT, September 9, 2008

A 46-year-old Streamwood man has accused his former priest of sexually abusing him more than 30 years ago and Greek Orthodox church officials of attempting to cover it up, according to a lawsuit that marks the fifth allegation against the defrocked priest.

Nicholas Katinas, who is married, was pastor at Assumption Church in Olympia Fields from 1969 to 1978. The plaintiff, a former altar boy known as John Doe 124, said Katinas sexually abused him as a 15-year-old at the Olympia Fields church during 1977 and 1978. The suit also said three other boys in Katinas' congregation were abused by the priest.

Lawyers said church officials had reason to suspect Katinas, 73, of improper behavior with boys years before the plaintiff was abused, an important element of the lawsuit. By accusing the church of concealing the abuse, the plaintiff's lawyers are hoping to avoid the statute of limitations on the abuse allegations.

"They have done what we have so long complained about in the Catholic Church," said Jeff Anderson, an attorney representing the plaintiff. "They hide, shuffle and cover for [the abusers]. They kept that knowledge secret among themselves and they concealed it from police and parishioners."

Specifically, the lawsuit said the church knew of Katinas' behavior before he began to abuse the plaintiff, a piece of information that might have saved him from abuse. The lawsuit also said Katinas abused another altar boy younger than 18 on 10 to 12 occasions in the early 1970s. Another allegation is that Katinas attempted to assault a boy as young as 13 in spring 1974.

The lawsuit names Katinas, Assumption Church, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which presides over the Greek Orthodox Church in the U.S. and consists of 540 parishes, 800 priests and 1.5 million members.

"It was well known to the defendants . . . that a number of Greek Orthodox priests in and outside of the Chicago metropolis region [have] sexually abused minors before and during the time that Katinas abused the plaintiff," the lawsuit said. "Despite this knowledge, defendants . . . failed to adopt and implement pertinent preventative policies and procedures."

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America did not return calls seeking comment.

Katinas—who has not faced criminal charges—could not be reached for comment.

Many details gathered in the lawsuit are the result of interviews conducted for lawsuits against Katinas in Texas, where he was transferred in 1978.

Katinas spent almost three decades as a priest at Holy Trinity Church in Dallas before he was defrocked in 2006.

Lawyers said that during his tenure at Holy Trinity, Katinas abused at least four other boys. All have filed suit in Texas against the priest, lawyers said.

Katinas is believed to be living in Greece, where he went just before the lawsuits in Texas were announced, Anderson said.

The suit seeks more than $50,000 for the physical and psychological damages suffered by the plaintiff.

Halloween, say clergy victims, somber reminder of unregistered sex offenders

2008-10-30T06:31:00.000-04:00

Halloween, say clergy victims, somber reminder of unregistered sex offenders

Asking Dolan to post this week addresses of Wisconsin clergy who sexually assaulted children

New legislation, however, would require by law that religious officials turn over abuse information

CONTACT
Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director, 414.429.7259

--Email to Archbishop Timothy Dolan posted below, Bill AB-949 attached--

In an email sent Friday to Archbishop Timothy Dolan of Milwaukee, Wisconsin victims of childhood sexual abuse are urging him to follow state authorities and publish this week the names and locations of all unregistered clergy determined by church officials to have molested children and take steps to ensure a safe Halloween for children.

Victims are also urging Dolan to support Wisconsin AB949, the Clergy Sex Abuse Registry Law, introduced at the end of the spring legislative term.

For Immediate Release
October 24, 2008

To:       Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of Milwaukee
From:   Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director
Re:       Halloween release of locations of unregistered clergy child sex offenders and AB949

Archbishop Dolan:

This Sunday, and throughout the week, Wisconsin correction officials around the nation will be keeping careful watch on registered sex offenders in our community. During this child friendly week of trick-or-treating, law enforcement representatives here and around the nation will be making random visits to offender’s homes, establishing a 5:00 p.m. curfew, requiring a “no candy” sign to be placed on doors, and holding mandatory Halloween treatment sessions.

While such measures are welcome, statistics shows that only 1 out of every 10 sex offenders are known to the public, with nearly 90 percent unreported to law enforcement. This group would include, of course, the over 5,000 sex offenders admitted by the Roman Catholic bishops to have molested children over the past several decades. In the Milwaukee archdiocese alone, some 60 diocesan and religious order clergy have assaulted children or minors.

This coming week would be an excellent time to show your commitment to the protection of God’s children and finally publish, along with your fellow bishops from Wisconsin, the names, locations, and case histories of every clergy person, church official, teacher, or employee who has sexually abused children and minors.

These child safety actions by you could then be immeasurably strengthened by your unqualified support for AB949, The Clergy Sex Abuse Registry Law, introduced last term in the Wisconsin legislature, whose chief author is long time child protection champion and Roman Catholic, Rep. Peggy Krusick of Milwaukee.

AB949 would require all religious organizations, not just Catholic ones, to submit case summaries of every employee they determined--after an investigation--had sexually assaulted children who were never reported to authorities. If passed, this necessary and basic measure would put religious organizations and clergy in line with ever other organization and profession working with children in the State of Wisconsin.

Bishops and all religious leaders should be the best of citizens. We urge you to join childhood victims of sexual abuse by clergy this child centered week, along with all victim/survivors around the state, in swiftly enacting these simple and bold acts of good citizenship.

Peter Isely

SNAP Midwest Director
peterisely@yahoo.com
414.429.7259

John Pilmaier
SNAP Milwaukee Co-Director
pilmaier@milwpc.com
414.366.8575

SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest self-help organization of clergy sexual abuse survivors, founded in 1989 with over 7,000 members in 63 chapters.   Visit SNAP on the web at SNAPnetwork.org.

Predator priest loses custody dispute to woman who bore triplets with donor eggs

2008-10-30T06:18:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell)

Yet again, we see a recent case of horrific child sexual abuse by a Catholic priest who obviously was inadequately supervised and who sadly still walks free today.

We beg anyone with information about possible crimes by Fr. Christancho to do what's right and contact law enforcement immediately.

Each person who saw, suspected or suffered Fr. Cristancho's misdeeds has a moral and civic duty to come forward, call police, get help and warn others about him.

We hope others who've been hurt by this predator will find the strength and courage to come forward, get help, and take legal action so that others are protected.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688)

http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?id=8916&type=UTTM

Priest loses custody dispute to woman who bore triplets with donor eggs

CARYN TAMBER - Daily Record Legal Affairs Writer - October 27, 2008 6:54 PM

The state’s second-highest court has upheld a judge’s decision to give custody of 6-year-old triplets to the woman who gave birth to them using another woman’s eggs and the sperm of a Catholic priest.

Dalia Fernandez deserves custody because the priest, Fernando Cristancho, was found to have sexually abused two of the triplets, the Court of Special Appeals held.

Margaret Attanasio, the Harford County lawyer who argued the case for Fernandez on appeal, said she expected the court to decide the case in favor of her client.

“It’s not a surprise,” she said. “They had to affirm it.”

The county trial judge had found that Fernandez, a platonic friend of the priest who had lived with his mother, was the triplets’ de facto parent — that is, a non-parent who acts in a parental role.

However, while Cristancho’s appeal was pending, the state’s highest court struck down the de facto parent doctrine in another case. It held that third parties must show exceptional circumstances to overcome a parent’s right to determine custody or visitation.

But that did not mean the decision should be reversed, the intermediate appellate court said.

“[E]ven though it relied upon a subsequently overruled case, the trial court applied the correct test in making its decision,” Judge Deborah S. Eyler wrote for the three-judge panel. “Therefore, any error in finding that Dalia was a de facto parent of the triplets was harmless, as Fernando [Cristancho] himself concedes in his brief.”

Cristancho’s lawyer, Laura Bearsch, did not immediately return a call for comment Monday afternoon.

Two boys and a girl

According to Monday’s unreported opinion, Cristancho and Fernandez met through Cristancho’s sister, who worked with Fernandez.

Cristancho, as a priest, had taken a vow of celibacy, but he wanted children. He convinced Fernandez to bear his children, who would be conceived through in vitro fertilization of an anonymous donor’s eggs with Cristancho’s sperm.

Fernandez was 50 years old at the time; Cristancho was in his 40s. They were close friends but did not have a romantic or sexual relationship, according to the opinion.

They traveled to Colombia, Cristancho’s native country, in 2001 to undergo the in vitro process. Afterward, Fernandez moved in with Cristancho’s mother and, when he was not staying at the church, Cristancho himself. Various other relatives of Cristancho and Fernandez lived there too, at times.

Fernandez gave birth to the triplets, two boys and a girl, that November. Cristancho, at the time an assistant priest at St. Ignatius Church in Forest Hill, did not tell anyone at his church about the children. When church officials found out, they fired him, according to the appellate opinion.

Fernandez and Cristancho’s relationship started to deteriorate, with allegations of domestic violence and a fight over custody. In 2005, Fernandez found out from one of the boys that Cristancho was sexually abusing him, the opinion says.

She testified that she contacted the children’s doctor to find out what to do, but he told her “nothing could be done until the children were six years old,” according to the opinion.

In 2006, a friend of Fernandez who was babysitting the children heard a similar story from the boy. The friend told her pastor, who contacted the police and notified an official with the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

The Department of Social Services was notified and investigated. The agency determined that child sexual abuse of the two boys was “indicated,” its highest-level finding, but ruled out abuse of their sister.

In 2007, after a custody trial, Harford County Circuit Judge Emory A. Plitt Jr. found that Cristancho had abused the boys, and did not find that Cristancho was unlikely to abuse them again. In addition to finding that Fernandez was a de facto parent, he found that she had proven Cristancho unfit and, therefore, that she only had to show that giving her custody would be in the children’s best interest.

On appeal, Cristancho argued that Plitt had erred in finding that he had abused the boys, but the Court of Special Appeals rejected his argument as “an attempt to reargue the facts of the case.”

J. Richard Moore III, who is now a domestic master in Harford County but represented Fernandez at trial, said he was not concerned about the fate of the case when he heard the Court of Appeals struck down de facto parenthood.

“I wasn’t, only because of the way that Judge Plitt fashioned his decision,” Moore said. “It hedges against that whole issue, the de facto parent.”

The unreported opinion is available as RecordFax 8-1027-06 (18 pages).

http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/crime/Priest_loses_custody_of_triplets.html

Priest loses custody of triplets fathered by donating sperm - accused of abusing those children

By Carolyn Peirce - Examiner Staff Writer 10/30/08
A Catholic priest found to have sexually abused two of his 6-year-old triplets lost custody this week to the woman who gave birth to the children using his donated sperm and another woman’s eggs.

The state’s second-highest court held Monday that Fernando Cristancho, 52, of Bel Air, is unfit to parent the triplets, two boys and a girl, and granted custody to Dalia Fernandez, 57, the woman who gave birth to them using in vitro fertilization.

The decision affirmed the ruling of Harford Circuit Judge Emory Plitt Jr., who said Fernandez deserved the children because she was a de facto parent acting as their mother even though she was unrelated.

Plitt’s decision had been called into question when the state’s highest court ruled against the de facto parent doctrine in another case during Cristancho’s appeal, saying only extreme circumstances overrule a parent’s right to custody.

“One of the constitutionally protected rights is for a parent to have say with regard to [the custody of] their children and to overcome that, you have to show some sort of unfitness by the parent,” said J. Richard Moore III, Fernandez’s trial attorney who is now a master in Harford. Masters make recommendations in family and juvenile cases that are sent to judges who make the final decision.

Moore said the intermediate appellate court upheld Plitt’s ruling because the sexual abuse was proof enough that Cristancho was unfit, even if the de facto parent doctrine was tossed.

“Plitt took into account that the court might rule in that fashion,” Moore said. “So, he also found that Cristancho was unfit ... and basically made the opinion bulletproof.”

Cristancho’s’ attorney Laura Bearsch said the appeal was based on discrepancies in what the boys reported and a Department of Social Services investigation that was “really, really full of errors.”

Bearsch said the boys were never interviewed alone, and authorities were “picking and choosing” what to believe. Cristancho never was criminally charged with sex abuse, she said.

According to Monday’s opinion, Cristancho asked his Platonic friend Fernandez to travel with him to Colombia in 2001 and undergo the in vitro process, because he had taken a vow of celibacy.

Church officials learned of the children’s birth in November and fired Cristancho from his position as assistant priest at St. Ignatius Church in Forest Hill. His relationship with Fernandez soon dwindled.

According to the opinion, one of the boys disclosed the sexual abuse in 2005, but the family’s doctor told Fernandez that police wouldn’t believe the boy because of his age.

When the boy told the same story in 2006 to a baby sitter, police were notified along with the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Department of Social Services.

Cristancho also was accused in 1997 of sexual misconduct with a young woman who wasn’t a minor, for which he was fired from the Parish Council at Good Shepherd Church in Alexandria, Va., according to the opinion.

We first want to applaud the courage and strength of Fr. Teczar’s brave victims

2008-10-29T14:00:00.000-04:00

For immediate release:
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell)

We first want to applaud the courage and strength of Fr. Teczar's brave victims, especially Dave Lewcon, who devoted time, energy and effort into getting this dangerous predator off the street. When victims and witnesses speak up, there's at least a chance for healing, justice and prevention. But when they stay silent, predators walk free and kids get hurt. Catholics and citizens, in both Texas and Massachusetts, owe Dave and his caring colleagues a debt of gratitude.

We also want to commend the Texas prosecutors who have agreed to re-try him.

We hope he's found guilty again. Until that happens, we worry about the safety of kids near him, whether in Texas or in Massachusetts, and worry that he'll flee to another country to avoid justice.

At the same time, we condemn Catholic officials who continue to pay him while he exploits legal technicalities to evade responsibility for his horrific crimes, and who pretend to be powerless to protect kids from him even now.

We call on Teczar's boss, Worcester's Catholic bishop, to

-- use his considerable resources (diocesan website, diocesan newspaper, parish bulletins, pulpit announcements) to reach out to anyone with information about Teczar's crimes and urge them to contact Texas authorities, so that he can be even more effectively prosecuted.

-- yank Teczar's passport, if the judge refuses to do it, so that he can be prevented from fleeing overseas and hurting even more kids in even more vulnerable settings (as dozens of pedophile priests have done).

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

How many chances does Cardinal George get?

2008-10-29T13:55:00.000-04:00

For immediate release:
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, national president of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747)

How many chances does Cardinal George get? For years, he shunned victims, deceived parishioners, protected predators, and stonewalled prosecutors. But put that aside for a moment. Just consider his very recent track record on clergy sex crimes and cover ups.

In 2006, despite his being arrested and against the advice of George's own lay review panel, George left Fr. Daniel McCormack in a parish. A sensible person has to ask

“HOW MANY MORE arrested predator priests are still in Chicago parishes right now?”

In 2006, despite at least four allegations of child sex abuse and against two recommendations from his own lay panel, George left Fr. Joseph R. Bennett in a parish. A sensible person has to ask

“HOW MANY MORE serially accused predator priests are in Chicago parishes right now?”

In 2008, George admitted using his political clout to try to free a convicted predator, Fr. Norbert Maday, from prison. A sensible person has to ask

“HOW MANY MORE proven predator priests is George trying to get out of prison right now?”

In 2008, despite his criminal conviction for child molestation, George keeps Fr. Kenneth Martin on the church payroll. A sensible person has to ask

“HOW MANY MORE admitted predator priests work in or for the archdiocese right now?

Each of these four troubling cases surfaced thanks to brave victims, determined lawyers and hard-working journalists. Does anyone really believe that these four disturbingly reckless cases are the only ones in the archdiocese now? That defies common sense.

So today, we call on Cardinal George to ‘come clean’ and answer these crucial questions, questions that address the core issue: how can he continue to put his flock at risk of horrific, preventable childhood trauma.

The excuses that “Fr. X is just in an administrative job” and “Fr. Y is elderly and can’t get around well” just don’t cut it. It takes just seconds for a predator to get his hands on a child.

We also call on George’s weak-kneed, hand-picked abuse panel to speak up or step down. He’s manipulating them, and they’re letting themselves be manipulated, and it’s wrong.

On one hand, we’re grateful that 2 years ago, they expressed their outrage to George for his deceptive maneuvers to essentially try to blame them for the fact that a dangerous predator stayed in a parish and molested boys long after he should have been removed.

But shame on the board for writing a private letter to George, when they should have shouted from the rooftops that Chicago’s highest ranking Catholic official was deceiving the public.

Since then, we’ve seen at least three other fiascoes – the Bennett case, the Maday case, and the Martin case. Yet the abuse panel stays silent.

Two years ago, George tried to make the review board look bad. Now, the board is making itself look bad.

They’re becoming as complicit as George is.

We call on them today to show some spine, honor their mandate, and either publicly protest George’s on-going misdeeds, or resign.

If they’ve believed that they can bring reform to this corrupt institution working “behind the scenes,” they’ve been duped. The evidence clearly shows there has NOT been any meaningful reforms regarding child safety or even basic honesty. The board members continue, by their silence, to provide political and public relations ‘cover’ for a recalcitrant, unrepentant, secretive and reckless church official.

In 2005, the board urged George to remove Bennett. He did not.

In 2005, the board urged George to remove McCormack. He did not.

In 2003, for the second time, the board urged George to defrock Maday. He did not (until 2008).

And again, these are just the George misdeeds that have been publicly exposed.

Today we call on George to ‘come clean’ and disclose how many other proven, admitted, and credibly accused predator priests are still working in or for the archdiocese, are trying to be sprung from prison by the archdiocese and are being imported by the archdiocese.

And we call on George’s abuse panel to speak up or step aside.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688)

Statement by Rick Cerick regarding abuse at Fordham Prep High school

2008-10-29T07:01:00.000-04:00

My name is Rich Cerick. When I was 13 and in 8th grade, I was molested and sexually abused by Fr. Roy A. Drake, SJ, a Fordham Prep High School Jesuit teacher, in his apartment on Fordham University's campus.

For the past three years, since I reported what Fr. Drake did to me, the Jesuits, the New York Archdiocese, Fordham University and Fordham Prep have treated me like criminal thugs. They have been deceitful, manipulative and dishonest at every turn. They have also allowed Fr. Drake, who lived and worked for decades on Fordham's campus after abusing me, to continue working and residing there - among thousands of unknowing Fordham Prep and University students - and refused to disclose his whereabouts after recently hiding him in several different locations.

Although their lawyer has confirmed - after their so-called "investigation," which included interviewing me, my mom and my friend who was with me on the overnight trip with Fr. Drake - that my
allegations are completely credible, they have refused to publicly disclose the allegations against Fr. Drake, moved and hidden him, kept their investigation secret, refused to report him to Church authorities for discipline and in essence, told me to drop dead.

I would compare these institutions to the Mafia in the way that they casually destroy lives without thinking twice, caring only about their own power and wealth, except that the Mafia subscribes to a code of honor and the Jesuits, the New York Archdiocese and Fordham do not. They care only about protecting themselves and their secrets – nothing more. The notion of acting as Christ's disciples and helping me and other victims is, incredibly, completely rejected by them.
I have concluded, through my personal experience, that the Jesuits - the largest religious order in the world - are outlaws in our society. They view themselves as the crème de la crème of the priesthood, but in
reality they are vicious pedophiles, enablers and protectors of the sexual predators within their ranks. No other religious order has so frequently shuffled and hidden abusive priests and so cruelly ignored
its victims over the decades.

They believe and act as though they are answerable to no one, which deeply traumatizes their victims.
Most U.S. Jesuit provinces - including New York - have deliberately refused to comply with the Dallas Charter and Essential Norms, which are supposedly binding on all U.S. Dioceses and ostensibly seek to prevent and protect the victims of clergy sexual abuse and end the secrecy and lies that have perpetuated such abuse throughout the Church.

One need not be a genius to understand why. By refusing to agree to protective measures or undertake any responsibility, including publicly disclosing credible allegations of sexual abuse to protect potential victims, the Jesuits operate completely outside of the law and all moral and ethical constraints. Their conduct in the real world, where doing the right thing matters most, makes a mockery of the public face they display to society, from whom they continuously seek financial and moral support.

The reason these institutions and their leaders have acted with complete contempt and disregard towards me and their other victims is simply because they can – once criminal and civil statutes of limitation expire, they shamelessly exploit the fact that they have no legal obligation to do the right thing, knowing that almost no victims will ever go public. Thus, they re-victimize their victims again and again.

The only way to end this abhorrent conduct is to abolish the criminal and civil statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse. There are no statutes of limitation for murder, and sexual abuse of children constitutes murder of the soul, lasting for life. Without the accountability this change would bring, the bishops, priests, religious
orders and the Vatican will continue their conspiracy to destroy lives with impunity in order to protect themselves and their interests, at the direct expense of their victims.

Who more than our young and innocent deserve protection from the horrors of sexual predators? As a civilized society, can we in good conscience continue to ignore these victims and needlessly place additional children in harm's way?

Thank you. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Child Sex Abuse Victims Concerned About Six Pedophile Priests

2008-10-28T04:55:00.000-04:00

Child Sex Abuse Victims Concerned About Six Pedophile Priests

Most Assaulted Children Elsewhere But Also Lived in Las Vegas

Two of the Child-Molesting Clergymen Accused of Hurting NV Kids

Four of Them Have Never Been “Outed” Locally as Predators Before

Self-Help Group Urges Any Victims & Witnesses To Come Forward

SNAP Also Ask Diocese To Disclose Names of Other Predators Who Have Moved Here

WHAT: Holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, clergy molestation victims will disclose information about six pedophile priests from across the US who have worked or lived in Las Vegas. They will also urge Las Vegas’ Catholic bishop to

-- aggressively reach out to anyone who may have been hurt by two pedophile priests,
-- disclose the names other out-of-state child-molesting clergy who have lived or are living here.

They’ll also urge anyone who witnessed, suspected or experienced clergy sex crimes to come forward, get help, and call police.

WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: In front of Guardian Angel Cathedral 302 Cathedral Way in Las Vegas

WHO: Two clergy abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Chicago woman who is the organization’s long time president

WHY: SNAP is concerned about six pedophile priests from out-of-state who have lived and/or worked in Las Vegas. Four of them have apparently never been publicly “outed” in Nevada before. They include:

-- Fr. Edmund Boyle of Seattle WA, who moved to Nevada in 1984
-- Fr. Theodore Anthony Geerts of Davenport IA, who worked at St. Bridget in Las Vegas in 1991-92
-- Fr. Theodore Meisner, who worked at St. Christopher’s parish in Las Vegas in 1984
-- Fr. Robert A. Bowling, who worked at Our Lady of Las Vegas from 1970 to 1972

Meisner and Bowling were originally from the Louisville Kentucky archdiocese and were sued there for child molestation.

At least two other accused out-of-state predator priests have moved to Las Vegas. They are James Beine (a.k.a. Mar James) from St. Louis MO and James Patrick Feeney from Milwaukee WI. Both were convicted on criminal charges and have faced civil lawsuits in their home states. Nevada media have reported on their presence in the state.

Two of the priests (Boyle and Feeney) are accused of hurting Nevada kids. In January, Feeney was sued in Clark County NV for molesting a boy at St. Francis De Sales Church in Las Vegas in 1984. In 1987, Boyle pled guilty to exposing himself to a mentally retarded 12 year old at a Nevada hospital where he was a chaplain.

Beine, whose Missouri teaching license was revoked last year, was in believed to be in Nevada in recent years but not working at a Catholic church. The other five DID work in Nevada as priests.

The whereabouts of five of the men is not known. Boyle is deceased.

Most of SNAP’s information comes from news accounts in other states and a website called BishopAccountability.org.

Because Las Vegas is a rapidly growing area, SNAP suspects that other pedophile priests from out of state are or have been here. The group wants Bishop Pepe to disclose the identities and whereabouts of any such priests and prod victims and witnesses to call police and independent sources of help.

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP President 312 399 4747 cell
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director 314 566 9790 cell
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Coordinator 314 862 7688, 314 503 0003 cell

Closing arguments today in case against Mother Teresa’s ‘confessor’

2008-10-23T09:29:00.002-04:00

Closing arguments today in case against Mother Teresa's 'confessor'

Convicted pedophile priest molested teen "almost continuously" for a year

Cardinal George continues to 'split hairs' and distance himself from predator

Cleric has been convicted for assaulting two other kids & faces new criminal charges

Nationally known ex-cleric has been defrocked and abused one kid just four years ago

Evidence shows his Catholic supervisors knew of allegations against him as far back as 1969

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, BEFORE/AFTER closing arguments in a criminal trial, clergy sex abuse victims will discuss the criminal case against a high-profile Jesuit pedophile priest who was once Mother Teresa's spiritual advisor. They will urge
--- Chicago's Cardinal George to stop 'splitting hairs' and take responsibility for all pedophile priests who live or work in his archdiocese (including those in religious orders, like Jesuits),
--- Jesuit officials to 'come clean' about their cover up of McGuire's crimes, and
--- anyone who saw, suspected or suffered his crimes to come forward, get help, and call police.

WHEN: TODAY, Thursday, Oct. 23, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Inside the Dirksen Federal Bldg, Jackson & Dearborn in downtown Chicago (press area in lobby)

WHO: Attorneys and several local clergy sex abuse victims and family members who are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY: Fr. Donald McGuire is a widely-known, recently defrocked Jesuit who has been Mother Teresa's spiritual advisor, spoken at hundreds of schools, churches and retreats across the globe. He is also the most high-profile Catholic priest to ever be convicted for sexually abusing kids.

He faces federal charges and the two week trial is being held in Courtroom 2119 in front of Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer.

Evidence shows that McGuire lived with and molested a teenaged boy almost every day for a year in 1998, even though his supervisors knew of repeated sex abuse allegations against him dating back to 1969.

In Feb. 2006, McGuire was found guilty of molesting two other boys on trips to in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Those victims testified that they were also repeatedly abused by McGuire at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, where they were students and where McGuire taught from 1965-70.

McGuire also faces prosecution in Maricopa County (Phoenix AZ) for molesting two brothers there between 1998 and 2002. At least two civil molestation suits against McGuire and the Jesuits have been settled.

According to church records, in 1999, McGuire began living with and molesting and living with a different teenager at Canisius House in Evanston. McGuire repeatedly abused the youngster until a different boy filed a civil molestation lawsuit against the priest and the Jesuits in 2003.

McGuire, an Oak Park native now in his 70s, was finally defrocked in February.

Closing arguments are set for this morning and the case is expected to go to the jury today. He is represented by Chicago attorney Stephen Komie. In civil cases, McGuire's victims are represented by Jeff Anderson of St. Paul MN (612 817 8665) , Kevin McGuire of Orange County CA (949 510 1229) & Marc Pearlman of Chicago (773 368 0142).

SNAP believes that Cardinal George is responsible for the safety and well-being of all Chicago Catholics and should stop claiming no responsibility or control over religious order priests who commit crimes while in the Chicago archdiocese.

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP president 312 399 4747
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home

Clergy sex group appeals to NYC Cardinal

2008-10-21T03:59:00.000-04:00

Clergy sex group appeals to NYC Cardinal

“Parishioners are intimidating victims,” they say

SNAP to Egan: “Make Catholics take town ‘predator’s shrine’”

“Publicly praising pedophile priest is unhealthy,” self help group believes

Victims blast archdiocese for “moving slowly & secretly” in the recent case

In last 5 years, at least two pedophile priests worked at prominent Harlem parish

What:
At a Manhattan sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will blast New York Cardinal Edward Egan for

-- not disclosing the whereabouts of a high-profile, recently-suspended pedophile priest, and

-- letting parishioners erect a ‘shrine’ to the accused predator and make harsh public comments about his victims, creating an atmosphere that intimidates other victims into staying silent.

Later they will hand out fliers door-to-door in Harlem near a parish where the priest worked. (In recent weeks, he’s been accused of molesting at least ten boys). The leaflets urge Catholics to

-- ask everyone they know if they were molested by two pedophile priests who worked there,

-- urge victims and witnesses to call police and get independent help, and

-- defend their accused pastor privately, so other victims aren’t intimidated from speaking up

When:

TODAY, Tuesday, Oct.21

Where:
Noon – In Manhattan, outside archdiocesan chancery office, 1011 First Ave at 55th

2:00 p.m. - In Harlem, outside Church of St. Charles Borromeo, 211 W. 141st St. (near 7th Ave.)

Who:
Three men who were molested by priests (including a Harlem man victimized by this predator and a Missouri man who is the national director of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

Details:

Last month, the Manhattan DA’s office disclosed that ten men have now accused a high-profile, politically-connected priest, Msgr. Wallace A. Harris, of molesting them as kids. In August, the New York archdiocese suspended him from his post at St. Charles Borromeo.

At St. Charles, some parishioners have erected a ‘shrine’ to Harris, with signs on the fence outside the church expressing support for him. SNAP believes this is dangerous because it deters others who are being or have been molested from speaking up. It also rubs salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of those Harris has already hurt. SNAP wants Egan to force parishioners to remove the ‘shrine.’

Harris has allegedly denied the charges but won’t speak publicly. He helped organize the Pope’s spring visit to New York, chairs the archdiocesan priests’ council, gave the invocation at Gov. Paterson's inauguration, and has been called ‘a rising star’ within the church.

SNAP feels the archdiocese moved too slowly and ‘severely mishandled’ the case. For the sake of public safety, the group wants Egan to disclose where Harris is living now.

Another priest assigned to the parish was convicted of molesting a 12-year-old girl in 2003, and sentenced to a prison term of four months, according to the NY Times.

The first Harris victim to speak publicly about his abuse is a former police officer, Eric Crumbley, who now pastors the Harlem Faith Center in NY (646) 552-7660).

Harris was ordained in 1972 and Crumbley’s allegations stem from that time period when Harris worked at the Church of St. Joseph of the Holy Family on 125th Street. Other accusations involve students at Cathedral Prep, where Harris taught. The school has since closed.

Contact:
David Clohessy of St. Louis MO SNAP national director (314) 566-9790
Bob Hoatsen 862 368 2800, Barbara Dorris, SNAP outreach director (314) 862 7688

SNAP 10-20-08 to Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison Concerning Fr. Gerald Vosen

2008-10-20T15:50:00.000-04:00

CONTACT: Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director, 414.429.7259

October 20, 2008

To: Robert Morlino, Bishop of Madison

From: Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director

Re: Father Gerald Vosen

I am writing to you on behalf of victims of childhood sexual abuse by clergy in Wisconsin and from your diocese to release the church file of Fr. Gerald Vosen.

As you know, hundreds of files of priests determined by their bishops to have sexually abused children have been released across the United States. Some of those files have been made public by court order, others have been voluntarily released. Almost universally, the release of these documents have been the single most effective means of protecting children and the vulnerable from clergy and former clergy that have a history of child molestation.

When a teacher, psychologist, medical doctor or any other of the dozens of licensed and certified professions in the state of Wisconsin is found by his professional board to have committed ethical and especially criminal misconduct, the results of that investigation, including the revocation of his or her license, is publicized and the ruling and evidence is readily available, including being posted online by the State Department of Regulation and Licensing.

Given the recent and very public denials of criminal behavior against minors by one of your priests, Fr. Gerald Vosen, isn’t it time for the diocese to follow the example of all other professions working in civil society to publish the evidence and rulings that have been concluded against Fr. Vosen? These would include the results of two church investigations and one civil jury trial. In my long experience working on the issue of clergy sexual abuse I have rarely seen a priest receive so many abundant and ample opportunities for due process. He has argued his case before a lay review board, canon law judges, and jury of his peers.

You have exercised extraordinary deference to Fr. Vosen. If he was a member of any other profession, his license would have been revoked years ago, he would not be receiving benefits, and he could not maintain the public use of his professional title or credentials.

In Vosen’s recently published book, he attacks your integrity, impartiality and most significantly, your apostolic authority—an astonishing claim, especially given how you have permitted him to sue one of his victims in civil court (a case he nevertheless lost before a jury of his peers) and was given a full and complete hearing, with legal representation, before a lay board and clerical court. Vosen, in his book, indicates that he is in some kind of regular and presumably pastoral contact with parishioners from past assignments. One can also presume that this means children and families. These individuals, especially, need to see the content and results of your many investigations. They need to see, properly redacted to protect the confidentiality of victims and witnesses, as is standard in these releases, why you are convinced that Vosen is a child molester and so dangerous that you will not permit him to practice ministry as a priest or publically present himself as a priest. But that appears to be exactly what Vosen is now doing.

Our organization has often been at odds with you and your fellow bishops on how the hierarchy has handled abusive priests. In his book, Vosen claims that you, SNAP, jurors, canon law judges, and lay Catholics on your review board are in some kind of “allegiance” against him. This appears to be the one truthful statement in his book, except that we are not in an allegiance against him—a ridiculously narcissist and self-serving claim—but in an allegiance for children and against child abuse.

Perhaps, unwittingly, Fr. Vosen has brought us together for a dialogue, and to that end I ask you again, as we have several times in the past, to sit down with our organization and survivors from the Madison diocese.

Sincerely,

Peter Isely
SNAP Midwest Director
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
414.429.7259
peterisely@yahoo.com

Mary Geuntner
SNAP Wisconsin Director
414.418.3191
megmeg@execpc.com

SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is the nation’s oldest and largest self-help organization of clergy sex abuse survivors with over 8,000 members in 62 chapters (SNAPnetwork.org).

Statement by SNAP regarding priest who molested teen returning

2008-10-20T11:17:00.000-04:00

For immediate release:
Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, national president member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747)

This is stunning recklessness and deceit by Cardinal George. He's essentially thumbing his nose at parents, victims, children, and the 'zero tolerance' policy adopted by America's bishops five years ago.

Hiding and tolerating pedophile priests in Chicago is bad enough. But importing pedophile priests from elsewhere, especially secretly, is even worse.

It's absurd and insulting that George can't find a qualified lay person or non-pedophile priest anywhere in the country to fill this role.

Whether Martin comes to Chicago seven times or 70 times is irrelevant. George is gambling with kids' lives. He's also rubbing salt into already deep and still fresh wounds of Chicago Catholics who are still reeling from his dangerous deception and callousness with Fr. McCormack, Fr. Bennett, Fr. McGuire, and so many other predators.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

In unusual move, clergy abuse victims group defends Madison bishop

2008-10-19T22:28:00.000-04:00

In unusual move, clergy abuse victims group defends Madison bishop

Molester priest charges Morlino, SNAP in "twisted alliance

Publicaly attacks Morlino in new book

SNAP says public needs to see Fr. Gerald Vosen’s file

WHO
After a brief sidewalk remarks, Wisconsin leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including its long time Midwest Director, will attempt to hand deliver a letter to Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison urging a more forceful response to published attacks against him, the diocese, and sex abuse victims published over the weekend in a new book by priest sex offender, Fr. Gerald Vosen.

WHERE
Headquarters of the Madison Catholic diocese, 702 South High Point Road, Madison

WHEN
Monday, October 20th, 1:30 p.m. 702

WHY
I an unusual move, a national organization of clergy abuse victims is defending a Catholic bishop from public attacks by an abusive priest.

Over the weekend, in published accounts which are in direct violation of Catholic canon law and Vatican directives, Fr. Gerald Vosen is openly assailing his bishop, the diocese of Madison and clergy abuse victims and families in a new book (http://www.wiscnews.com/bnr/news/310146).

Vosen, in the book, writes that he “believes” he has “never abused anyone.”

Vosen insists that all of his accusers are lying, a civil jury which ruled against him misguided, and a church lay review board that found him guilty collusive. But Vosen saves his harshest criticism for Morlino, which he describes as “gleeful” to remove him from the priesthood and in a “twisted” alliance with SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, the nation’s oldest and largest clergy sexual abuse self-help group.

In fact, SNAP has been mostly critical of Morlino’s treatment of sex abuse victims, his secrecy concerning abusive priests, and his lobbying efforts with Wisconsin lawmakers to oppose sex abuse legislation and reform.

In 2003, Vosen was removed from ministry by Morlino, including any public presentation of himself as a priest. Since that time, according to Morlino’s spokesman, two other victims and seven witnesses alleging abuse by Vosen have come forward to the diocese.

In 2005, in an unprecedented move, Vosen filed a civil defamation suit against—not his bishop—but one of his victims. SNAP blasted Morleno at the time for refusing to defend Vosen’s victim and renounce the defamation suit. After four days of testimony, a Janesville jury found against Vosen.

In 2007 a lay review board for the Madison diocese determined the allegations against Vosen to be credible. Vosen has appealed his case to the Vatican.

Victims, along with defending Morlino, will be urging him in a letter Monday to release Vosen’s file to the public, assure victims and witnesses that they need not be intimidated by priests such as Vosen and to come forward to civil authorities concerning any suspected child abuse, and to reconsider his opposition to the Wisconsin Child Victims Act, legislation introduced last term which would reform the state’s child sex abuse statutes.

CONTACT
Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director, 414.429.78259
John Pilmaier, SNAP Wisconsin, 414.336.8575
Mary Guentner, SNAP Wisconsin Co-Director, 414.418.3191

SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is the nation’s oldest and largest self-help organization of clergy sex abuse survivors with over 8,000 members in 62 chapters (SNAPnetwork.org).

Sex abuse victims to leaflet at cathedral in Chicago

2008-10-19T07:15:00.000-04:00

Sex abuse victims to leaflet at cathedral

George ‘importing’ convicted predator is 'new low', SNAP says

The Pope defrocks pedophile, but Chicago’s cardinal quietly hires him

Top Catholic official secretly reverses his 2003 pledge to never bring criminal back here

For first time ever, SNAP urges parishioners to write the Pope complaining about George

WHAT
As mass ends, clergy sex abuse victims will hand out fliers to parishioners about a newly-defrocked convicted, pedophile priest who is now working in Chicago again.

The leaflets urge Catholics to

-- call the archdiocese and complain about the predator’s return,

-- write the Pope about the Cardinal’s continuing recklessness, and

-- work harder than ever, in their own parishes, to seek out others who saw, suspected, or suffered clergy sex crimes and get them to call therapists and police

WHEN
Sunday, Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m.

WHERE
Outside Holy Name Cathedral (corner of State & Superior) in Chicago

WHO
Several clergy sex abuse victims and family members who are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
Today, the Sun Times disclosed that a controversial, convicted child-molesting clergyman is back in Chicago, working again for Cardinal Francis George, even though George was forced to oust him after media attention and public outrage in 2003.

That year, news accounts revealed that Fr. Kenneth J. Martin, originally from the Diocese of Wilmington, Del., was living in George’s mansion one week each month and working as a “liturgy expert” in the Chicago archdiocese. George was severely criticized because just six months earlier, America’s bishops adopted an allegedly ‘zero tolerance’ policy toward clergy sex crimes.

Since then, SNAP contends, George has repeatedly defied that policy, yet seen his stature rise in the church hierarchy. George, now president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, reluctantly voted for zero tolerance six years ago, only after repeatedly and publicly arguing for a more lenient policy, which appears to be what he has practiced in Chicago.

In 2003, George publicly pledged that Martin "won't be coming back to Chicago."

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/1229064,CST-NWS-martin19.article

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP president 312 399 4747
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis SNAP Outreach Director 314 503 0003 cell
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home)

Unprecedented lawsuits target Pope’s US representative & USCCB; Sex abuse victims respond

2008-10-15T19:07:00.000-04:00

For immediate release:
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008

Unprecedented lawsuits target Pope's US representative & USCCB; Sex abuse victims respond

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, national president member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747)

Today is the six month anniversary of the Pope's visit to America. When the Pope was here last spring, he repeatedly brought up the church's on-going clergy sex abuse and cover up crisis. He made some compassionate remarks. But he also issued some clear directives. One of them still rings in our ears. The full church, but especially bishops, he said, should "do everything possible" to help victims heal.

That's a direct quote: "do everything possible" to help victims heal.

American bishops either weren't listening or don't care what the Pope says. Because over the past six months, we've seen virtually no change in bishops' behavior and no additional efforts to help victims heal.

In fact, in the legal arena, we've seen more aggressive efforts to dodge blame, avoid accountability, and attack victims, rather than help victims.

We're troubled, for example, by what we saw last week in Davenport Iowa. A bankruptcy trustee took unprecedented legal action that may force top Catholic officials to return more than $200,000 to this country.

Lawsuits filed late last week charge that money was perhaps improperly sent to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Vatican's US representative. The Davenport diocese made the payments in the fall of 2006 leading up to its bankruptcy filing stemming from more than 100 clergy sex abuse and cover up lawsuits.

Church officials have two choices. They can do what bishops have historically and consistently done – further delay healing, hire more lawyers, spend more money and fight this move. Or they can obey the Pope, chart a new course, and voluntarily return the disputed funds now, instead of waiting to do so when ordered by a judge.

The first course guarantees more resentment and suspicion and wasted money, (money donated by generous parishioners). The second course guarantees more healing and confidence and faith in the church hierarchy.

Besides, who needs and deserves those funds more? Distraught and wounded Iowa Catholics? Distraught and wounded Iowa victims? Or high level church bureaucrats? We submit the first two groups are hurting because of the misdeeds of the last group. Catholics and victims need consideration and relief, while high level church bureaucrats need to honor the Pope's wishes.

We're not bankruptcy lawyers or financial experts. We don't know whether these payments were fraudulent or deceptive or illegal. That's for the court to determine.

Here's what we DO know:

- We know that Davenport church authorities have long been deceptive regarding child sex abuse cases and cover ups.

- We know that other US bishops have been accused of steps to hide and protect financial assets, instead of vulnerable children (most notably San Diego and Spokane).

- We know that appearances matter, and that when top church officials hire expensive lawyers to help them exploit every available legal loophole to escape accountability and transparency and responsibility for horrific crimes, it's disillusioning to Catholics and hurtful to victims.

"Doing everything possible" to help victims doesn't mean launching or prolonging hard ball legal struggles. It doesn't mean ducking and dodging responsibility. It doesn't mean scheming to out-fox judges and court officials. It doesn't mean feigning poverty when victims seek justice.

We implore US bishops, especially Davenport's bishop, to search their consciences, reflect on the Pope's words, voluntarily move forward toward justice, healing and prevention, instead of being forced – by persistent victims, frustrated prosecutors, irritated judges and outraged Catholics – to do what's right.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 19 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

First-ever lawsuits seek money back from Pope's US rep & all US bishops

2008-10-15T06:15:00.000-04:00

First-ever lawsuits seek money back from Pope's US rep & all US bishops

They charge that prelate may have deceptively ‘dumped cash’ to pay victims less

SNAP wants church officials to voluntarily return disputed funds as “sign of good faith”

Abuse group makes plea on the six month anniversary of Pope’s springtime visit to DC & NY

American church authorities ignore papal plea to “help victims heal,” self-help organization says

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will

-- announce and discuss an unprecedented legal action that may force top Catholic officials to return more than $200,000, and

-- urge those officials to voluntarily return the disputed funds, instead of fighting the request.

On the six month anniversary of the Pope’s visit to America, they will also blast

-- US church leaders for ignoring the Pope’s plea to “do everything possible” to heal victims, and

-- an Iowa bishop for “legal maneuvering” designed to reduce payments to dozens of sex abuse victims.

WHEN
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1:45 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the Papal Nuncio, (Vatican Embassy) 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, in Washington DC

WHO
Several sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) including an Illinois woman who is the group’s founder and president.

WHY
For first time ever, legal action is being taken to get more than $200,000 back from two DC-based Catholic institutions. Lawsuits filed late last week charge that money was allegedly sent, fraudulently and deceptively, to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Vatican’s US representative. The Davenport diocese made the payments in the fall of 2006 on the eve of its bankruptcy filing stemming from more than 100 clergy sex abuse and cover up lawsuits.

Davenport sent at least $135,800 to the USCCB and nearly $73,000 to the Vatican’s papal nuncio.

The suits were filed by bankruptcy trustee Robert Berger with the cooperation of attorneys Pat Noaker (651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell) and Craig Levien (563 326 4491, 563 349 2180 cell), who represent dozens of victims in Iowa.

Rather than delaying justice, challenging the move, spending thousands in lawyers’ fees, and waiting for a judge’s order to comply, SNAP wants the USCCB and papal nuncio to voluntarily, as a ‘sign of good faith,’ return the funds.

Exactly six months ago, the Pope set foot in the US. He repeatedly expressed compassion for abuse victims and directed US bishops to “do everything possible” to help victims heal. But SNAP reports that American bishops have done nothing to honor the Holy Father’s wishes and changed nothing about their continued mishandling of clergy sex abuse cases and cover up.

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/10/10/news/local/doc48f0123f012dd800983555.txt?sPos=3

CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President (312) 399 4747
Becky Ianni of Burke VA, SNAP Northern Virginia Director (703) 801 6044
David Clohessy of St. Louis SNAP National Director (314) 566 9790 (SNAPclohessy@aol.com)
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Coordinator (314) 862 7688 home, (314) 503 0003 cell

A second victim of alleged predator priest comes forward

2008-10-14T12:30:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Tuesday, Oct. 14

A second victim of alleged predator priest comes forward

First victim of pedophile priest speaks publicly for first time

Self help group posts her ten minute video presentation on line

For now, grand jury declines to prosecute the alleged predator

Both women beg others who’ve been hurt to “overcome paralysis” & come forward

“When we break our silence, healing, justice, closure & prevention happen,” they say

A second women is reporting that she was molested as a child by a Steubenville Catholic priest, while a former Guernsey county woman has posted on line a ten minute video describing her childhood victimization by the cleric.

And even though a grand jury recently declined to prosecute the priest, the two women are hopeful that other victims and witnesses of his crimes will surface soon.

Earlier this month, the Guernsey County jurors opted to not charge Fr. Gary Zalenski with child molestation based on the testimony of Beth Rocker. In January 2008, Rocker filed a police report saying Zalenski molested her several places, including at Seneca Lake on his pontoon boat in 1991.

“I feel so much better having broken my silence, and I want to do whatever I can to help others do the same,” said Rocker. “I also want to safeguard others from Zalenski so they won’t be hurt like I’ve been hurt.”

Judy Jones, SNAP director southeastern Ohio, says she has met with a second victim of Zalenski.

"Like Beth, this woman is very brave,” Jones said, "She filed a report in 1991 which was the reason that Zalenski was removed from active ministry at that time, so there must have been good cause to believe these allegations or the diocese would not have taken action."

The second victim isn’t speaking publicly now, Jones says, but she and the victims are very disappointed the grand jury did not indict Fr. Zalenski.

"We believe he is a dangerous man," Jones said.

Jones is urging Steubenville area Catholics to watch Rocker’s video.

“It doesn’t hurt to hear all sides,” she said. “I think even the handful who believe Zalenski will have second thoughts.”

Rocker’s video is posted at SteubenvilleTruth.org

CONTACT:
Judy Jones of St. Louis SNAP, SNAP Steubenville co-director, 636 433 2511
Helen Schoeppner, SNAP Steubenville co-director, 740 568 0024
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home

Death of SNAP leaders

2008-10-12T21:24:00.003-04:00

October 12, 2008

Dear Friends,

We have some very sad news to share with you. Last week a long time SNAP leader, Bob Swart of Saint Louis, died peacefully surrounded by old and dear friends after a brave battle with cancer. Bob has been a SNAP member and leader almost from the beginning and will be remembered for his pony tail, his infectious laugh, his Hawaiian shirts and his willingness to help anyone.

We also learned that David Brien of New Orleans had died. David was truly a Southern gentleman, always ready to lend a hand, listen to a survivor, find resources to help fellow survivors, share a story to make you laugh on a bad day and always ready to have a good time. We will miss his smiling face.

Bob and David will be missed but they will always be in our hearts and memories.

Barbara, David and Barbara

New child sex abuse case against Mother Theresa’s ‘confessor’ starts

2008-10-09T07:11:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Thursday, Oct. 9

For more information: Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747

New child sex abuse case against Mother Theresa's 'confessor' starts

Convicted pedophile priest molested teen "almost continuously" for a year

High profile cleric now faces federal charges; Opening arguments are today 9:30 a.m.

Jesuits knew about nationally known predator as far back as 1969 yet kept him in ministry

Opening arguments are expected to start tomorrow in a criminal trial against an already-convicted pedophile priest who is the nation's most high profile child molesting Catholic clergyman.

The is a federal case being held in Courtroom 2119 (at the Dirksen Federal Bldg- corner of Jackson and Dearborn) in front of Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer.

Fr. Donald J. McGuire is a defrocked Jesuit who has been Mother Teresa's spiritual advisor, spoken at hundreds of schools, churches and retreats across the globe. He is also the most high-profile Catholic priest to ever be convicted for sexually abusing kids.

McGuire is facing trial and charged with traveling to Switzerland and Austria to engage in sexual conduct with a minor. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is represented by attorney Stephen Komie.

In Feb. 2006, McGuire was found guilty of molesting two other boys on trips to Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Those victims testified that they were also repeatedly abused by McGuire at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, where they were students and where McGuire taught from 1965-70.

Prosecutors in Maricopa County (Phoenix AZ) have also filed criminal charges against McGuire for molesting two brothers there between 1998 and 2002.

At least two civil molestation suits against McGuire and the Jesuits have been settled. The victims were represented by St. Paul MN attorney Jeff Anderson (651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell).

According to church records, in 1999, McGuire began living with and molesting and living with a different teenager at Canisius House in Evanston. McGuire repeatedly abused the youngster until a different boy filed a civil molestation lawsuit against the priest and the Jesuits in 2003.

McGuire, an Oak Park native now in his 70s, was finally defrocked in February, even though his Jesuit supervisors received repeated reports of his crimes as far back as the 1960s.

"While McGuire is finally facing tough questions in court about his crimes, his Jesuit bosses have apparently succeeded in escaping consequences for covering up McGuire's crimes," said Barbara Blaine, founder and president of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org).

Contact: SNAP National Director, David Clohessy, 314 566 9790

Episcopal bishop defrocked in cover-up

2008-10-03T16:25:00.003-04:00

For immediate release: Friday, October 3, 2008

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, national president member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747)

We believe this is a first in US history: a clergyman defrocked for concealing a pedophile priest's crimes. We believe it should happen far more often.

This long overdue but crucial move sends a strong signal to Episcopalian officials: child sex abuse should be reported and disclosed, not minimized and hidden. More importantly, it sends the message that you will be punished, not promoted, for covering up for criminal colleagues. If this signal had ever been sent in the Catholic hierarchy, perhaps thousands of kids and their families would have been spared devastating pain.

Unacknowledged wounds rarely heal, so we hope this important validation can help those so deeply wounded by the Bennison brothers to recover from the horrific betrayal they've experienced. We commend them for being brave and wise enough to come forward, speak up, cooperate with authorities, and expose both a dangerous child molester and a corrupt church supervisor. Episcopalian families are safer and Episcopalian churches are healthier because of these courageous victims.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)
*****

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6430084#bodyText

Episcopal bishop defrocked in cover-up

Friday, October 03, 2008 | 12:41 PM

Charles E. Bennison Jr. was formally "inhibited" by the diocese and was ordered to "cease all episcopal, ministerial and canonical acts." The church indictment, called a presentment, charges that Bennison reacted "passively and self-protectively" and "failed to take obvious, essential steps to investigate his brother's actions, protect the girl from further abuse, and find out whether other children were in danger."

By JOANN LOVIGLIO

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - October 3, 2008 -- An Episcopal bishop in Pennsylvania has been defrocked after a church panel found him guilty of covering up his brother's assaults of a teenage girl in the 1970s.

Church documents released Friday say 64-year-old Charles Bennison Jr. should no longer serve as a member of the clergy.

The church panel chose the harshest sentence for Bennison, who has been bishop of the nation's fifth-largest Episcopal diocese. He could have been reprimanded or suspended.

About Father Joseph Ross, moving to Arkansas from St. Louis after suspension for sex offenses

2008-10-02T13:26:00.001-04:00

For immediate release: Thursday, October 2, 2008

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

Fr. Joseph D. Ross moved to Arkansas after being suspended in St. Louis in 2002 for multiple sex offenses. Last Friday, he was arrested in Pulaski County for molesting a St. Louis child around 2000.

We cannot praise this brave, strong, compassionate teenager enough for showing such courage. We hope St. Louisans will ask tough questions of archdiocesan officials who knowingly and secretly, in the 1990s, moved Ross to an unsuspecting parish after he had already pled guilty to molesting a boy. And we hope that Little Rock citizens and Catholics will ask their children if they were hurt by Ross.

Ross pleaded guilty in 1988 to sexually assaulting an 11 year old boy in Dec. 1986. He was sentenced to 2 years probation and treatment. Ross acknowledged during an investigation in 1987-1988 that he had earlier been accused of molesting one youth in the 1970s and had been arrested for propositioning a police officer and for public indecency.

The archdiocese placed him on leave March 2002. In August of 2002, church officials announced that Ross had been defrocked. A civil suit against Ross was filed in November 2002 alleging that he abused a 14 year old boy in 1977.

Out of concern for the teen's privacy, SNAP is not disclosing the latest victim's age, gender or city/state of residence.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=156428

KSDK -- A former St. Louis priest was arrested in Arkansas last week, accused of sexually assaulting a child at local church.

Joseph Ross, currently awaiting extradition back to St. Louis, hid a dark secret during his time as a priest in the Catholic Churches.

"At least three times, Father Ross was arrested for sexual offenses," said David Clohessy, the President of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

In the late 1980s, Ross was arrested and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor of sexual abuse. The Archdiocese sent him for treatment, but he remained in the church for more than a decade, until the Archdiocese kicked him out.

Archdiocese officials would not comment on pending legal issues, but in a statement, they said: "Mr. Ross was removed from the ministry in 2002, under the Archdiocese's policy...we apologize to all those who have been abused by clergy."

Now they're issuing one more apology to Ross's latest alleged victim.

The alleged abuse went on for a period of two years while Ross was assigned at St. Cronan's Catholic Church. That was in 2000. It took eight years after the alleged event to bring charges against Ross.

"The overwhelming majority of priests that abuse kids never ever see the inside of a courtroom, let alone a jail cell," Clohessy said.

So SNAP members said the arrest sends a very clear message.

"If you're being molested and you speak up and you call the police, good things will happen," Clohessy said. "The right things will happen. You will be protected and others will be protected."

Even so, they said there were no true victories in those cases.

The case against Ross will be sealed until he actually appears in court in St. Louis.

http://www.cw11tv.com/pages/landing/?Former-Priest-Faces-New-Sex-Charges=1&blockID=77843&feedID=416

Former Priest Faces New Sex Charges

October 1, 2008

Former St. Louis area Priest Joseph Ross was arrested last week in Arkansas on a warrant issued by the St. Louis city attorney.

He is charged with 11 first degree counts of sexual misconduct with a minor...charges that include statutory rape, statutory sodomy, and child molestation.

It began with a phone call that activists say was 8 years overdue.

"The victim contacted me because of the fear that other kids were being hurt," said Mary Pat Benninger of SNAP.

Prosecutors say the victim is a teenager now, but was under the age of 14 at the time of the abuse. SNAP, the watchdog support group for victims, says Ross has a long history of abusing children.

"He's been accused of a number of sex crimes. He's been arrested at least two other times besides this one. He admitted to moleting at least one child," said David Clohessy, national SNAP president.

In 2002, two years after the alleged abuse was said to have occurred here at St. Cronans, the Archdiocese of St. Louis removed Ross as pastor because of a guilty plea he had entered in 1988. He was later defrocked by the Pope.

SNAP claims Ross was transferred to St. Cronins even though the church was aware of other incidents.
In a written statement the Archdiocese said it's their policy not to comment on pending legal matters. It apologized to all who have been abused by clergy.

So why did it take the victim eight years to come forward? Well those who've been molested by priests say telling someone is not easy.

"I was terrified of the Priest, I was terrified of the church. I was terrified that I was going to go to hell if I said anything," said Barbara Dorris. She was in her forties before she found the courage to report her abuse at the hands of a different priest.

Ross remains in custody in Arkansas,where prosecutors say he will not fight extradition. Details of the trip back to St. Louis are being worked out.

Help out SNAP! Combined Federal Campaign - donor code 10685

2008-10-01T17:03:00.003-04:00

Know anyone working for the Federal government?

Here's an easy way to help survivors.

The annual fund-raising drive for charities conducted in the workplaces of Federal employees is going on now. SNAP is one of the participating organizations that stands to benefit.

If you are a Federal worker, you can designate that your charity dollars go to SNAP. Just enter SNAP's code number on your Combined Federal Campaign donor form: 10685. (Feel free to share our CFC number with your friends and co-workers, too!)

We appreciate and need your support this year. The economy is hurting donor giving for almost all nonprofit organizations. Your generosity will help SNAP continue its critical work.

Thank you,
Barbara Blaine
David Clohessy
Barb Dorris
P.S. Please forward this email to anyone you know, Federal worker or not. Thanks.

Sex abuse victims respond to Bishop Braxton's hurtful letter and selfish legal maneuver

2008-09-29T16:30:00.003-04:00

For immediate release: Monday, Sept. 29, 2008

Sex abuse victims respond to Bishop Braxton's hurtful letter and selfish legal maneuver

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home)

If Bishop Braxton truly wants to heal the wounded and protect the vulnerable, he should take three immediate steps.

First, he should immediately and publicly apologize to Jim Wisniewski. In a letter sent to southern Illinois parishes this weekend, Braxton called Jim "an alleged victim." This is wrong, hurtful and intimidating.

It's wrong because Jim is NOT an alleged victim. An impartial jury heard the evidence, and found that he WAS molested by Fr. Raymond Kownacki. Furthermore, Catholic officials never even disputed this.

It's hurtful because what many victims want and need most is validation – they need to be assured that people believe them and understand that their suffering is severe. To call a proven victim an alleged victim is to minimize the devastating that Jim has endured and the pain that he is enduring.

Finally, it's intimidating because other victims may well be tempted to keep silent in the face of this harshness and insensitivity. "Why bother speaking up and exposing my predator?" a victim might ask. "Even if a jury finds that my abuse happened, church officials will still doubt me and use words like 'alleged.'"

In the spring, during his US visit, Pope Benedict couldn't have been more clear. Catholics should "do everything possible" to heal the wounds cause by clergy sexual abuse. Braxton, instead, is exacerbating those wounds. He should apologize.

Second, Braxton should 'come clean' about diocesan finances. He can't have his cake and eat it too, claiming the verdict will harm his diocese while offering not a shred of evidence. Maybe years ago, parishioners and the public took a bishop at his word on such matters, but no more. In fact, it's prudent to assume Braxton is not being honest here, because he's been dishonest about so much – his improper spending and Fr. Real Bourque, to cite just two examples. It also important to remember that diocesan staff said under oath that the diocese earns more than 3.5 million each year just on interest alone. That simple fact shows Braxton's being deceptive when he feigns 'poverty.'

Finally, Braxton should sit down with us before he take the final step of formally appealing this verdict.

We in SNAP asked to meet with Braxton 2.5 years ago. We never even got the courtesy of a reply. We are renewing our request to meet with him for several reasons.

First, we aren't sure he's even ever talked with one abuse victim.

Second, his diocese faces a $5 million dollar jury verdict precisely because bishops like him have distanced themselves from victims like us. They've shunned, us, rebuffed us, ignored us, and 'delegated' us to their underlings. (We aren't confident that bishops meeting with victims will make a difference. We are, however, confident that something must change, and that bishops hiding behind their desks, 'busy schedules,' lawyers and public relations staff is NOT working.)

Third, we feel duty bound to do everything we can to spare Jim and his family more pain. They are heroes. They have suffered enough. If, on the slim chance we might be able to get through to Braxton, we might persuade him to do anything to reduce this brave family's agony, or stop adding to it, we feel we have an obligation to try.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact -- David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747),
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Coordinator (314) 862 7688

Talk, Q&A, and Book signing with Angela Bonavoglia

2008-09-29T16:16:00.000-04:00

Native Daughter Angela Bonavoglia
Comes Home to Scranton to talk about her latest book--
"Good Catholic Girls: How Women Are Leading the Fight to Change the Church"

WHAT: Talk, Q&A and Book Signing

WHERE: Anthology: New and Used Books, Casey Laundry Building, 2nd Floor, 515 Center Street, Scranton, PA 18503

WHEN: Saturday evening, October 4, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

CONTACT: Andrea Talarico, 570-341-1443

Angela Bonavoglia is an award-winning journalist and author, nationally recognized for her writing about women and the Catholic Church. A cradle Catholic, former parishioner of St. Ann's Church and student at St. Ann's elementary school, Bonavoglia interviewed nearly 150 Catholic women change-makers for her provocative book, Good Catholic Girls: How Women Are Leading the Fight to Change the Church (HarperCollins). They are young and old, nuns and lay, married and single. Backed by supporters worldwide, they are rethinking Catholic theology, changing the face of ministry, and resurrecting the lost lives of female Church leaders. They are working to open ordination to all, challenging the Church's sexual repression, and calling the Church to openness and accountability.

Bonavoglia's article, "The Church's Tug of War," about women as an invisible force for reform in the Roman Catholic Church, was the lead article in The Nation in the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandals of 2002. It provided a fresh analysis of the role of women in progressive Church reform at an unprecedented moment in American Church history and became the basis for Bonavoglia's latest book.

Bonavoglia has toured the country speaking about women and Catholic Church reform, on college campuses and in lecture halls, from Catholic altars and in a convent, in parish basements and people's homes. She has only been banned once, by Paterson, NJ bishop Arthur Seratelli, who forbade her to speak in any Catholic venue in his diocese.

In addition, Bonavoglia has been a guest on nearly 60 television and radio shows talking about women and Church reform, and her articles and op-eds have appeared in such outlets as The Nation, the Chicago Tribune, Newsday, the Miami Herald, the National Catholic Reporter, Salon.com and Ms., where she was a longtime contributing editor. In Does the Pope Care About Workers' Rights? (The Nation) and Ask Benedict: Is Union Busting Catholic? - Politics on The Huffington Post, Bonavoglia reported earlier this year on the struggles of Catholic teachers' unions, including the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers.

Bonavoglia also authored The Choices We Made: 25 Women and Men Speak Out About Abortion. With a foreword by Gloria Steinem, it includes Bonavoglia's interviews with such celebrities as Whoopi Goldberg, Rita Moreno, Polly Bergen, and Kathy Najimy, and was featured on Oprah.
As conflict rages in Scranton among Church authorities, politicians and ordinary Catholics over what it means to be Catholic, and that conflict garners national attention, it is more important than ever to bring the work of these devoted and courageous Catholic women out into the world, to represent the other Catholic voice.

Email author: angela@GoodCatholicGirls.com.
Website: www.angelabonavoglia.com.

“Nuns Molest Too,” Say Three Victims

2008-09-27T09:28:00.006-04:00

For immediate release: Saturday, September 27, 2008

“Nuns Molest Too,” Say Three Victims

Their Cases Against Catholic Religious Order Are Settled

For Decades, Nun Molested Girls in Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska

Victims Prod Others Who “Are Suffering in Shame and Silence” To Come Forward

It May Be the First Time Several Victims Have Sued for Crimes by One Pedophile Nun

WHAT

Distributing fliers outside a Catholic church, three women will

--speak publicly about the child molestation they suffered at the hands of a Chicago Catholic nun, and;

--strongly plead with others who were assaulted by nuns to come forward, expose predators and protect kids.

The three just settled their civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuits against the religious order of the nun who abused them.

WHEN

Saturday, Sept. 27, 11:00 a.m.

WHERE

Outside Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State Street (at corner of Superior) in Chicago

WHO

Three victims and a the founder of a nationwide support group for clergy sex abuse victims called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) and a few supporters

WHY

Sr. Benen Kent was sued for repeatedly sexually abusing three girls in the mid-1960s at St. Juliana’s Catholic School in Chicago and elsewhere. According to their civil lawsuits, Kent’s supervisors knew Kent suffered from mental illness and had behaved questionably with children. Yet church officials moved the nun and let her continue to work around kids.

The victims, now in their 40s and 50s, include two sisters who are letting their names be used publicly: Christine Bertrand of Sierra Madre CA and Karen Britten of Highland Park IL. The third woman is anonymous.

All of them believe sexual abuse by nuns is far more widespread than Catholics realize and want to encourage others who’ve been hurt by Catholic sisters to break their silence and start to recover.

Their suits were filed 2005 and 2006 in Olmsted County (MN) District Court, in part because Kent belonged to a Rochester MN-based religious order called the Sisters of St. Francis. A judge tossed out Britten’s case because of the statute of limitations, and last year the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld that decision.

Kent, who was a music and piano teacher, died in 2003 at the age of 85.

Two of the women were also abused at the order’s headquarters in Minnesota. All were represented by Minnesota attorney Jeff Anderson (651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell).

http://www.startribune.com/local/29748154.html?page=1&c=y

VISUALS: Victims have childhood photo of them with the nun.

CONTACT Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President 312 399 4747 David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home Jeff Anderson, of St Paul, Attorney for the victims, 612 817 8665

Sex Abuse Cases Against Catholic Nun & Religious Order Are Settled

2008-09-25T12:01:00.001-04:00

For immediate release:
Thursday, September 25, 2008

Sex Abuse Cases Against Catholic Nun & Religious Order Are Settled

For Decades, She Molested Girls in Worked In Minnesota, Nebraska and Illinois

Three Victims Filed Civil Lawsuits in 2005 and 2006; Predator is Now Deceased

It May Be the First Time Several Victims Have Sued for Crimes by One Pedophile Nun

WHAT

At a news conference, three women will speak publicly for the first time. They were sexually abused by a Catholic nun and just settled their civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuits against her Minnesota-based religious order.

WHEN

Thursday, Sept. 25, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE

At the law offices of Jeff Anderson, 366 Jackson Street, Suite 100, in downtown St. Paul

WHO

Three victims and a prominent Minnesota attorney who represents hundreds of other men and women who were abused as kids by teachers, coaches, ministers, and other authority figures.

WHY

Sr. Benen Kent, a nun with Rochester-based religious order called the Sisters of St. Francis, was sued for repeatedly sexually abusing three girls in the mid-1960s at St. Juliana’s Catholic School in Chicago and elsewhere. According to the lawsuits, Kent’s supervisors knew Kent suffered from mental illness and had behaved questionably with children. Yet they moved her and let her continue to work around kids.

The victims, now in their 40s and 50s, include two sisters who are letting their names be used publicly: Christine Bertrand of Sierra Madre CA, Karen Britten of Highland Park IL. The third woman is anonymous.

The lawsuits were filed 2005 and 2006 in Olmsted County District Court. A judge tossed out Britten’s case because of the statute of limitations, and last year the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld that decision.

Kent, who was a music and piano teacher, died in 2003 at the age of 85.

Bertrand and the anonymous woman report that they were also abused at the order’s headquarters in Rochester MN.

CONTACT:

Attorney Jeff Anderson of St. Paul 651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell

Clergy Sex Abuse Group Founder Heads to Europe

2008-09-25T10:38:00.003-04:00

For immediate release: Thursday, September 25, 2008

Clergy Sex Abuse Group Founder Heads to Europe

He'll Meet with Government Officials & Abuse Organizations in 2 Countries

Man Will Also Visit Grave of Suicide Victim Who Was Raped by Jehovah's
Witness

WHAT:
At a sidewalk news conference, the founder and head of a support group for those molested in the Jehovah's Witness faith will

-- describe his upcoming eight day European trip to meet with political and non-governmental agencies and work on preventing clergy sex abuse, and

-- discuss his organization's outreach effort to find and help more me and women who have been sexually assaulted by Jehovah's Witnesses.

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 25, 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:
Outside a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, 6020 O'Brien Ave. (corner of Eastboro Dr.), Nashville, TN (615-356-6580)

WHO:
A Madison man who started SilentLambs.org, a nationwide group that helps men and women who were sexually assaulted as kids by Jehovah's Witnesses

VISUAL:
He'll show a pile of documents and records of abuse cases he'll bring to Europe & share with leaders there.

WHY:
In 2001, William H. Bowen founded SilentLambs.org, which has helped 6,000 victims of sexually abusive Jehovah's Witnesses.

http://www.silentlambs.org/NationalPresspacket.htm

From September 27 - October 3, he'll travel to France and Belgium and meet with a wide range of organizations that deal with child sexual abuse, including a commission (the MIVILUDE) which is attached to the French Prime Minister, a Parisian MP who chairs a parliamentary group studying cults and sectarian groups, two non-profits (the Organization for the Protection of Environment of Deyvillers and the ADFI, a support group for abuse survivors) and the Mayor of Louviers (all in France).

He'll also meet with the European Commission in Brussels and top staffers at the Jehovah's Witnesses headquarters in both countries).
Seven years ago, Bowen reported to fellow Jehovah's Witness church officials that another elder was a confessed child molester. (That
predator remains a Jehovah's Witness in good standing to this day.)

Bowen was then ostracized by fellow church members and went on to start SilentLambs.org.

CONTACT: William H. Bowen of Nashville, founder of SilentLambs.org 270-703-2257 cell, 270-527-5350, David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAPnational director 314-566-9790 cell

Murderous priest case tossed out, Sex abuse victims respond

2008-09-24T22:49:00.003-04:00

For immediate release: Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008

Murderous priest case tossed out, Sex abuse victims respond

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503
0003 cell)

It's heart-breaking that there's apparently no justice for this
suffering family who lost a loved one to a murderous, child-molesting
priest.

Catholic officials had repeated warnings and evidence that Erickson was
a very sick, angry, violent pedophile. Yet they ordained him and hired
him and transferred and deceived parishioners into believing that he was
a holy, celibate priest.

We hope the Ellisons will continue to try to hold the church hierarchy
accountable for Erickson's devastating crimes. And we hope that others
who were hurt by Erickson and other Wisconsin clerics will come forward
and get help.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's
oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been
around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country.
Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were
molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns,
rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter Isely
(414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris
(314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

Judge rejects wrongful death lawsuit

Associated Press - 6:42 AM CDT, September 24, 2008
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - A western Wisconsin judge has dismissed a wrongful
death lawsuit filed by the parents of a man who was killed by a priest.
Carsten and Sally Ellison of Barron filed a lawsuit in St. Croix County
Circuit Court against the Catholic Diocese of Superior over the death of
their 22-year-old son, James Ellison. He was fatally shot along with
39-year-old Dan O'Connell in 2002 at the O'Connell Family Funeral Home
in Hudson.

Eau Claire County Judge Paul Lenz handled the case. He says it's "too
remote" to think the diocese would have had any reason to believe the
Rev. Ryan Erickson would kill someone.

Erickson was removed from St. Patrick Church in Hudson, moved to
Ladysmith and then Hurley, where he hanged himself in 2004. A St. Croix
County judge ruled in 2005 that Erickson murdered both men because he
was afraid O'Connell would report Erickson's obsession with young boys,
alcohol and firearms to church officials.

Information from: Leader-Telegram, http://www.leadertelegram.com/

Updated: 9/23/2008

Lawsuit rejected in case of priest who killed two

By Chuck Rupnow, Leader-Telegram staff

A wrongful death lawsuit filed by Carsten and Sally Ellison of Barron
against the Catholic Diocese of Superior for the murder of their son by
a priest was dismissed Tuesday afternoon in a summary judgment by Eau
Claire County Judge Paul Lenz. Lenz, in an oral ruling, said it was "too
remote" to think the diocese would have any reason to believe the Rev.
Ryan Erickson would kill someone based on the information it had before
the double murder occurred.

Even if the diocese did have information about Erickson's suspected
temper, child pornography and violent tendencies, Lenz said, "it would
appear such negligence would not have brought about such harm."
The Ellisons of Barron said they filed the suit to hold the diocese
accountable and to spur changes regarding who it accepts as priests and
how it handles priests who might be unfit to serve.

Any monetary awards from the lawsuit would have gone to the James
Ellison Foundation for the Protection of Children, an organization to
protect children from sexual abuse and provide aftercare to those assaulted.
James Ellison, 22, and Dan O'Connell, 39, were shot to death Feb. 5,
2002, inside the O'Connell Family Funeral Home in Hudson.

O'Connell was a co-owner in the family business, while Ellison was a
mortuary science student who was interning there and was expected to
join the business full time after graduating from the University of
Minnesota.

The murder remained unsolved for years. Erickson was removed from St.
Patrick Church in Hudson, moving to Ladysmith and then Hurley, where he
hanged himself outside that parish in December 2004, according to court
and police records. He was 31.

St. Croix County Judge Eric Lundell ruled in October 2005 Erickson
murdered both men because he was afraid O'Connell would report
Erickson's obsession with young boys, alcohol and firearms to church
officials.

The Ellisons' lawsuit was filed in St. Croix County Court. Lenz was
assigned the case. The suit requests unspecified damages for loss of
society and companionship, funeral costs and medical expenses.
"We are obviously disappointed," said attorney Richard Jasperson of St.
Paul, who represented the Ellisons in the lawsuit, adding it was
premature to discuss appealing the case. "We will do whatever is in the
best interest of the Ellisons."

Attorney Kyle Torvinen of Superior, who represented the diocese, said
Tuesday that Lenz's decision was appropriate and "justice was done, and
we're glad of that. It has been a long road."

The Ellisons did not participate in a lawsuit filed by O'Connell's
relatives against all 194 U.S. Catholic bishops. That suit demanded
names of predatory priests be made public.

Washburn County Judge Eugene Harrington threw that case out earlier this
year, saying the Superior diocese can't be forced to release information
about how the church deals with sex abuse by its priests.

Harrington called the O'Connells' lawsuit an "ambitious request" and
dismissed the case.

The injunction the family sought "has no foundation under Wisconsin
law," Harrington wrote, and to force the church to change its policies
"infringes upon the First Amendment."

Rupnow can be reached at 830-5831, 800-236-7077 or chuck. rupnow@ecpc.com.

Clergy sex abuse victims to leaflet Harlem church

2008-09-14T12:39:00.000-04:00

Clergy sex abuse victims to leaflet Harlem church

Pastor was recently ousted for molesting children

Group reaches out to "others suffering in silence and shame"

SNAP blasts archdiocese for "moving slowly & secretly" in the case

In last 5 years, at least two pedophile priests worked at prominent
Catholic parish

What:
As parishioners leave & enter mass, clergy sex abuse victims will hand
out fliers about their recently suspended pastor who was accused of
molesting boys. The leaflets urge Catholics to
– ask everyone they know if they were molested by two pedophile priests
who worked here,

– urge victims and witnesses to call police and get independent help, and

– defend their accused pastor privately, so other victims aren't
intimidated from speaking up

The fliers will also be highly critical of New York church officials
who, the group feels, mishandled the case, moved too slowly, and should
be doing aggressive outreach to others who've been hurt.

When:

Sunday, Sept.14, 11:00 a.m. & again at 12:30 p.m.

Where:

In Harlem, outside Church of St. Charles Borromeo, 211 W. 141st St. ( W
114st St. & 7th Ave. )
i

Who:
Three men who were molested by priests and are leaders of a support
group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
(SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who is the organization's
long time national director. (His brother is a predator priest.)

Details:

Last month, the New York archdiocese suspended a high-profile,
politically-connected priest, Msgr. Wallace A. Harris, from his post in
the wake of allegations that he molested at least two boys. Harris, a
popular and veteran pastor, has allegedly denied the charges but won't
speak publicly. He helped organize the Pope's spring visit to New York,
chairs the archdiocesan priests' council, gave the invocation at Gov.
Paterson's inauguration, and has been called 'a rising star' within the
church.

SNAP feels the archdiocese moved too slowly and 'severely mishandled'
the case.

Another priest assigned to the parish was convicted of molesting a
12-year-old girl in 2003, and sentenced to a prison term of four months,
according to the NY Times.

At least one Harris victim has contacted the Manhattan district attorney
office. Another is a former cop, Eric Crumbley, who now pastors the
Harlem Faith Center in NY (646-552-7660).

Harris was ordained in 1972 and Crumbley's allegations stem from that
time period when Harris worked at the Church of St. Joseph of the Holy
Family on 125th Street. Other accusations involve students at Cathedral
Prep, where Harris taught. The school has since closed.

SNAP is the nation's largest and oldest support group for clergy
molestation victims.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/nyregion/15harris.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Contact:
David Clohessy of St. Louis MO SNAP national director (314) 566-9790,
Bob Hoatson 862 368 2800

Archdiocese disparages family member of victim of abuse

2008-09-12T22:47:00.000-04:00

For Immediate Release: Friday, September 12, 2008

Statement by: Barbara Dorris, SNAP Outreach Director, (314 503 0003)

Disclosing anything about relatives of a 3-year-old victim is, at best,
inappropriate and more accurately, morally wrong. The Archdiocese should
never have made disparaging statements about a family member of a victim
of sexual abuse.

This family has suffered enough. It's wrong and hurtful in any way try
to deflect blame from the pedophile priest on to any of them.

We believe this is a deliberate effort by the Archdiocese to try and
silence other victims and witnesses. It's wrong and we hope it will
backfire.

We frankly don't believe church officials were powerless to stop this
predator from fleeing the United States. Church official should have
insisted he give them his passport the minute the police were notified.

The Archdiocese leaders also should have notified the public and
parishioners immediately as soon as they knew the police were involved.
They should have begged any other victims and witnesses to come forward.

Instead, the officials of the Archdiocese did what they always do: they
kept everything secret.

We are here to state the obvious. The Archdiocese should take
responsibility for allowing Fr Montero to flee the United States when he
was facing allegations of sexually abusing a 3-year-old child. They
should reach out to others who might have been hurt. And they should
tell parishioners that it is their civic and Christian duty to report
any information or suspicions to police.

SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the largest
and oldest support group for those abused by clergy. Website:
SNAPnetwork.org.

Contact:
David Clohessy of St Louis, SNAP National Director, 314 566 9790
Bob Schwiderski of Wayzata, SNAP Minnesota Director, 952 471 3422
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP President, 312 399 4747
Email: SNAPdorris@gmail.com

Top church officials claim mom had ‘affair’ with pedophile priest; victims slam archdiocese

2008-09-12T07:13:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Friday September 12, 2008

Clergy sex victims slam Catholic archdiocese

Top church officials claim mom had 'affair' with pedophile priest

Group says remarks are "hurtful, deceptive, & intimidating retaliation"

SNAP to archbishop: "Stop blaming innocent victims, start catching fugitive predator"

If Archdiocese 'outs' adult victims, then it should 'out' priests who sexually exploit adults

Self help group advises Catholic parishioners: "See professionals, not priests, for counseling

WHAT: At a news conference, clergy sex victims will harshly criticize top Minnesota Catholic officials for telling reporters that a mom allegedly had 'an affair' with an accused pedophile priest who recently molested a three year old and has since fled the US.

The group wants the local archbishop to

-- apologize for the 'mean-spirited' disclosure,

-- fire the church employee who is responsible,

-- personally visit parishes where the alleged predator worked, and

-- aggressively beg anyone who saw, suspected or suffered his crimes to contact police immediately.

WHEN: TODAY, Friday, Sept. 12, 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

WHERE and WHAT TIME

10:00 a.m. in Eagan, outside St. John Neuman church where predator worked (will hand out fliers door to door in neighborhood) 4030 Pilot Knob

11:30 a.m. in St. Paul, Outside the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Catholic headquarters, 226 Summit Ave.

WHO: Two-three clergy sex abuse victims, including a Missouri woman who is the National Outreach Director of a support group for those abused by clergy (SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY: On Wednesday, archdiocese staffers told reporters that a Twin Cities mom had had 'an affair' with, Fr. Francisco Montero (a/k/a Fr. "Freddy"). The remarks were printed in the Pioneer Press yesterday.

http://www.twincities.com/ci_10429516?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com&IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com

Catholic employees made the disclosure on the day a lawsuit was filed against Montero and the archdiocese. It accuses the priest of molesting the mom's three year old daughter and church officials of failing to prevent the crimes. SNAP believes the comments are retaliatory, and intended to 'scare other victims of this predator into keeping silent.' They also believe it's inherently impossible for Catholics to consent to sex with priests because of priests' tremendous power. (Minnesota law makes it illegal for any counselor to have any sex with any patient.)

From 2006 to 2007, Montero, a native of Ecuador, repeatedly molested the girl. He was assigned to live with Fr. Kevin McDonough, the #2 archdiocesan leader.

Montero came to Minneapolis in 2001and worked at Incarnation parish (where the family attended). He gave the mom 'counseling' while abusing her daughter. When Montero was arrested for the abuse, McDonough retrieved some of the priest's clothes and personal items from the mom's apartment and helped Montero leave the US, the lawsuit says. Montero is believed to be working in a parish in Ecuador now.

While in Minnesota, Montero, now 31, also said masses at St. John Newman in Eagan, MN and started a newspaper and radio show, both in Spanish.

The suit, filed Wednesday in Ramsey County, also names the Guaranda Diocese in Ecuador. St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson (651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell) represents the girl.

CONTACT:
Barbara Dorris of St Louis, SNAP Outreach Director, 314 503 0003
Bob Schwiderski of Wayzata, SNAP Minnesota Director 952 471 3422
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director 314 566 9790
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP President, 312 399 4747

Clergy sex abuse victims question ‘suspended’ priest

2008-09-11T07:16:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Thursday, September 11, 2008

Clergy sex abuse victims question 'suspended' priest

New internal church document warns bishops about him

But public & parishioners should also be alerted, group says

Newark's archbishop is accused of breaking pledge to be open on sex cases

SNAP also want archdiocese to post names, photos & addresses of predators

Self help group releases list of a dozen pedophile priests who've recently re-offended

WHAT

At a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will publicly urge Newark's high profile and controversial Catholic archbishop to

-- disclose why a new, internal church document warns US bishops about a suspended Newark priest, &

-- also warn parishioners about the priest, and

-- post the names, photos and addresses of admitted, proven and credibly accused pedophile priests on his website.

This is crucial, victims feel, because some of the nation's thousands of suspended but largely unsupervised pedophile priests are starting to break laws in other ways.(They'll release a fact sheet detailing this trend.)

WHEN

Thursday, Sept. 11, 2:15 p.m.

Where

Outside the Newark archdiocese headquarters ('chancery'), 171 Clifton Ave., in downtown Newark, NJ

WHO

Two clergy sex abuse victims including a Missouri man who is the long time national director of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY

A Catholic church 'insider' and employee recently has provided SNAP with a brief, confidential notice sent by the national church headquarters to all American bishops. It warns about a Newark priest, Fr. Daniel Medina, who has been suspended since 2002 and has been instructed to no longer present himself as a priest in public. In church circles, this language is used to describe alleged or confirmed pedophile priests.

There apparently is no criminal or civil legal action against Medina. But New Jersey citizens and Catholics, SNAP feels, deserve to know why he's been suspended, what his status is, and his current whereabouts.

SNAP also wants Archbishop Myers to post on his archdiocesan website the names and photos of all proven, admitted and credibly accused predator priests, like the Philadelphia archdiocese does. Myers should go a step further, SNAP says, and also list the pedophiles' addresses.

While hundreds of the roughly 5,000 US pedophile priests have died or are locked up, most now quietly live unsupervised, on their own, in neighborhoods unaware of their crimes.

Bishops often recruit, educate, ordain, hire, supervise, transfer, shield, and defend predator priests. So when they're suspended, SNAP feels church officials have a moral and civic duty to centrally house and oversee them in remote, secure, widely publicized and professionally-run centers so that the predators get treatment and kids are protected.

SNAP's fact sheet describes re-offending priests from Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, Delaware, Iowa, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Missouri.

From 1999-2000, Medina worked at Blessed Sacrament Church in Elizabeth.(under a sexually abusive pastor, Msgr. Peter Cheplic, who faces at least three accusers) and in 2002 at St. Aloysius in Jersey City. In 2001, his name disappeared from the Official Catholic Directory and from 2004, 2005 and 2005, he's listed in that book as being at the chancery office in Newark.

CONTACT
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566 9790 cell
Mark Crawford of Woodbridge Township, NJ SNAP Director (732) 632 7687 cell
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Coordinator (314) 862 7688 home
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President (312) 399 4747 cell

While supposedly living with top church official, priest molests 3 year old

2008-09-10T07:18:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Wednesday, September 10, 2008

While supposedly living with top church official, priest molests 3 year old

After he’s arrested, archdiocese helps him flee to his native South America

Prosecutors then declined to pursue recent child sex crimes against young girl

New civil child molestation and cover up case against Catholic hierarchy is filed

Predator gave ‘marriage counseling’ to mother while sexually exploiting daughter

WHAT

At a news conference, victims’ attorneys will announce and briefly discuss a new child molestation and cover up lawsuit involving recent child sex crimes. It’s against two dioceses (one here, one in South America) and a priest who

-- lived with a high ranking archdiocesan official and

-- has left the country and is now believed to be living in Ecuador.

WHEN

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE

At the law offices of Jeff Anderson, 336 Jackson (corner of Fifth) in downtown St. Paul MN

WHO

Two attorneys (and a Spanish-speaking legal assistant) who represent the young victim and also represent hundreds of other men and women who were abused as kids by teachers, coaches, ministers, and other authority figures

WHY

In 2001, Fr. Francisco Montero a/k/a Fr. Francisco “Fredy” Montero was assigned to live with Fr. Kevin McDonough, vicar general of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. From 2006 to 2007, Montero, a native of Ecuador, repeatedly molested a three and four year old girl.

He arrived in Minnesota in February or March of 2001and was assigned to Incarnation parish in Minneapolis’ __ neighborhood, where the girl’s family belonged. (It’s also called Comunidad Sagrado Corazon de Jesus). Montero provided the mom ‘counseling’ while abusing her young daughter. After Montero was arrested for the abuse in 200_, McDonough retrieved some of the priest’s clothes and personal items from the mom’s apartment and helped Montero leave the US, the lawsuit says.

A Spanish speaking Twin Cities legal assistant recently called Montero in Ecuador. He admitted he’s now working in a Catholic parish there.

While in Minnesota, Montero, now 31, also said masses at St. John Newman in Eagan, MN and started a newspaper and radio show, both in Spanish.

The suit, filed late yesterday in Ramsey County and served on the archdiocese, seeks unspecified damages. Defendants include the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Guaranda Diocese in Ecuador.

CONTACT

St. Paul attorneys Jeff Anderson (651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell) and Mike Finnegan (651 227 9990, 612 205 5531 cell), and legal assistant Ivonne Manay (Spanish-speaking, 651 227 9990)

Sex abuse victims respond to new allegation vs. priest

2008-09-08T22:55:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: September 8, 2008

Sex abuse victims respond to new allegation vs. priest

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503
0003 cell)

We are grateful this brave victim's family has reported this predator.
We hope that others who saw, suspected or suffered sex crimes or
misconduct by Fr. Zimmerer will come forward and get help from
independent sources.

Even when the perpetrator is dead, it can be very healing when a victim
unburdens himself or herself of these horrible secrets. Such disclosures
can be an important step forward toward recovering from this devastating
childhood trauma.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's
oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been
around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country.
Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were
molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns,
rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Peter
Isely (414-429-7259) Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris
(314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)

http://www.star-telegram.com/state_news/story/892964.html

Posted on Mon, Sep. 08, 2008 Sexual misconduct charge made against late
Decatur priest

BY DARREN BARBEE - dbarbee@star-telegram.com

A deceased Decatur priest has been accused of sexual misconduct with a
boy three decades ago, Fort Worth Roman Catholic Diocese officials said
Monday.

The diocese was notified about the allegations against the priest, the
Rev. Francis A. Zimmerer, on Aug. 25, by the man's spouse, diocese
officials said.

"We've received a credible allegation," said the Rev. James Hart,
chancellor of the diocese. "This would have happened when he was 11
years of age, which would be 1978."

Zimmerer, a Benedictine order priest, died in 1983 at age 74. The
alleged victim, who is now 42, lives out of state but was a member of
the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church as a boy. He
was allegedly abused in the priest's rectory.

After being notified of the allegation, Hart contacted the diocese
conduct review board and then Decatur police. The diocese has offered
the man counseling.

Hart contacted the Star-Telegram about the allegation, continuing the
diocese's policy of openly airing allegations of sexual abuse. Hart said
the diocese has received no other allegations against Zimmerer.

Darren Barbee, 817-390-7126

Legal maneuvers punish innocent survivors of clergy abuse

2008-09-04T22:59:00.000-04:00

For immediate release: Thursday, September 4, 2008

Legal maneuvers punish innocent survivors of clergy abuse

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell)

Once again, shrewd church officials and their expensive defense lawyers are exploiting every possible legal maneuver to keep the truth hidden about horrific child sex crimes and cover ups. Mahony knows these secret records will reveal how much he and his top staff knew about child rape and how little he and his top staff did to stop child rape. It's shameful that even now, he's fighting tooth and nail to keep the church hierarchy's complicity under wraps.

Our hearts ache for these brave and persistent California victims who have again been victimized by cunning Catholic defense schemes.

Documents held in Los Angeles priest abuse cases

By GILLIAN FLACCUS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The departure of a key figure in a record $660 million clergy sexual abuse settlement has endangered part of the deal that some plaintiffs consider more important than the money: the promise by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to allow the release of accused priests' confidential files.

More than a year after the agreement was announced, the sudden recusal of a retired judge unanimously selected to review the priests' files has threatened to undo the fragile deal and could send both sides back to court for months. At the same time, an attorney who has been paid by the church to defend accused clergy is fighting to keep those records sealed — and plaintiffs accuse the archdiocese of using him as their proxy.

The developments have been gut-wrenching for alleged victims, who believe the church papers will contain evidence of criminal wrongdoing by church leaders. The Los Angeles settlement — by far the nation's largest — was supposed to close the book on the nationwide church abuse crisis that erupted in Boston in 2002.

"Many of us survivors went to litigation to produce the documents," said Esther Miller, one of more than 500 plaintiffs included in last year's agreement. "People want to move on and heal and they still have our feet to the fire. The money did nothing. It just pays for expensive therapy sessions."

The priest personnel files in question contain letters, handwritten notes and reports from doctors and psychologists — and the district attorney has said he will inspect them for evidence of crimes once they are public.

When the Diocese of Orange released tens of thousands of pages of similar files in 2005, they showed that two officials who covered up for molester priests years ago remained in top church positions. Another 800 pages that came out in Wisconsin this year showed the church knew of credible molestation reports against a priest but didn't remove him.

Recent settlements in Davenport, Iowa and Chicago also call for the release of the private documents and a similar legal battle is under way in Portland, Ore.

"The files and these documents implicate the hierarchy, right on down the line," said Jeff Anderson, a plaintiffs' attorney. "That's why we've had a long, titanic struggle for five years. There's long-kept secrets."

Under a settlement announced in July 2007, the Los Angeles archdiocese promised to release the priest personnel files to the court, which would then appoint retired state Supreme Court Justice Edward A. Panelli to review each one. Panelli, whose name was written into the settlement agreement as the mediator, would decide which documents could be released and which couldn't — and none of his rulings could be appealed.

But Panelli suddenly recused himself this summer because he received an unspecified honor from the Roman Catholic church, plaintiff attorney Ray Boucher said. Panelli declined an interview request through his assistant and archdiocese attorney Michael Hennigan said he didn't know why Panelli recused himself.

Now an archdiocese attorney says if both sides can't agree on a replacement, the fight over the files could move back to state court, where both sides could appeal any order over the release of the papers.

Hennigan said he will cooperate with a search for a new justice, but isn't sure both sides can agree on anyone but Panelli.

"That is a very special person that can gather that kind of respect from both sides," he said. "Will we be able to find somebody who fits that description, where all ... people have so much confidence in him that they will waive rights of appeal? I don't know."

Plaintiff attorneys expected to file an application to begin that process this week and said they would not let the church go back on its promise. Boucher, the plaintiffs' attorney, said if the church uses Panelli's recusal to dodge document release he might file a lawsuit.

Issues related to the settlement will be discussed at a hearing Friday, he said.

"You really begin to wonder whether or not the archdiocese was acting in good faith," Boucher said. "This could end up in another 10 years of litigation. Luckily the clients have been paid, but in terms of fighting this issue, I'm not going to give up."

Boucher and plaintiffs are also angry that an attorney for nearly three dozen priests is fighting to keep the files sealed — and they believe the church is paying his bills.

Attorney Donald Steier argued in court papers filed in January that his clients never agreed to a process that could expose their private records. He also argued that the court no longer has jurisdiction to order the files' release because the lawsuits have been settled.

"We have very strong feelings about trying to create an exception to the constitutional right of privacy," said Steier, who represents 31 priests. "My clients have never agreed to any release of any private files. We never agreed, and the settlement went through in any event."

Several priests declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press.

But defrocked priest George Rucker, 87, accused of molestation by 38 people but never convicted, said he worries about what will happen if his file becomes public.

"My attorney told me about that, they already have tried to do that twice," Rucker said from his room at the Nazareth House, a Catholic nursing home in Los Angeles. "I just leave it in the hands of God."

Steier declined to say who was paying him for his current work on behalf of priests and a spokesman for the archdiocese, Tod Tamberg, declined to comment.

Hennigan, the archdiocese attorney, said the church was not paying Steier now but paid the legal fees before the settlement of diocesan priests who had not been criminally convicted. He said it was possible the church could continue those payments going forward.

"We made a policy decision that that was required, based on the labor code plus the general relationship between priests and the archdiocese," Hennigan said of the earlier payments. "These are priests and they typically don't have a lot of resources."

The archdiocese spent nearly $32 million on legal fees and expenses associated with the settlement in the 2006 and 2007 fiscal years, according to its most recent financial statement.

For their part, alleged victims say the healing that began last summer has been put on hold because of the delays and legal wrangling. Miller, 49, said she has resumed taking psychological medication and goes to therapy three times a week.

"People want us to move on, they say, 'Oh, you got that money. Why can't you move on?'" she said. "But all we had was our truth."

New WI high court signals it won't fix lawmakers child sex abuse statute

2008-09-02T12:48:00.001-04:00

New WI high court signals it won't fix lawmakers child sex abuse statute

Found only in Wisconsin, current law favors child molesters who are not
"blood relatives" to victim

Bi-partisan "Child Victims Act" would eliminate bizarre legal distinction, permanently reform civil statute

Measure is backed by law enforcement but opposed by state's Catholic bishops

Statement by Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director (Milwaukee) 414.429.7259
(cell)

Today the new Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to hear a civil case brought by a clergy child sex abuse victim from Green Bay, David
Schauer, signaling that they are not going to fix the current mess in Wisconsin's child sex abuse statutes, including a bizarre loophole for
child molesters who are not blood relatives to their victims.

Perhaps tossing the ball to the legislature was the sensible thing to do since that effort is already well underway. Late last term a bipartisan
bill was introduced, the Wisconsin Child Victims Act, which would, if passed, significantly correct the deep flaws in Wisconsin's child abuse statutes.

The bill, modeled on successful legislation passed in California and Delaware, would eliminate the archaic civil statute on child sex abuse
and open a two year window to grandfather in victims like Schuaer, who were raped as children but can't sue their attackers when they reach adulthood. It quickly and impressively garnered 35 Republican and Democratic co-sponsors, along with the strong support of every major law enforcement organization in the state.

The state's Roman Catholic Bishops, however, oppose the bill and want the strange "blood-relative" provision to stand.Why?

The bizarre distinction in the state's child sex abuse laws, which the Child Victims Act would effectively eliminate, was created in the
mid-1990's as an escape hatch from accountability and liability for Wisconsin's powerful Catholic bishops. Since most clergy are not blood
relatives to their victims and since you can't make a law which singles out clergy for preferential treatment, why not create a distinction that would cover abusive clergy by default?

No other state in the country makes such a distinction, one which effectively creates a two-tier and unequal set of laws for child victims
of sexual assault.The Child Victims Act would change that.The court's decision, however, while it may force the legislature to act, will not help Schauer and his family, who will receive no compensation for his injuries as a child or force the church officials and bishops responsible for the abuse to answer questions under oath and hand over secret documents.

This is particularly unjust in Schauer's case because it was Schauer and his parents who reported his attacker, Fr. Donald Buzanowski, to church authorities when Schauer was 12 years old. Those authorities, instead of removing Buzanowski from the priesthood—who later admitted to raping at least 14 other boys—covered up his crimes and spirited him away from Green Bay to Milwaukee where he would work with children as a counselor for at least ten more years until Schauer and his family came forward again, this time to law enforcement, not the bishop.

It was Schauer's incredible and courageous persistence as an adult which led to Buzanowski's arrest and conviction in Brown County in 2005. Because of Schauer's bravery, the doors of prison were finally kicked open and Buzanowksi was tossed in where he belongs.

But the doors to justice were shut today on Schauer himself.That cannot be allowed to happen to another child victim of rape or
sexual abuse ever again in the state of Wisconsin. And passing the Child Victims Act will go a long way to guarantee it won't.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=9/2/2008&id=45582
TUESDAY, Sept. 2, 2008, 3:29 p.m.
By Steven Schultze

Supreme Court declines to hear abuse case

The state Supreme Court today ended a longstanding lawsuit against the Green Bay Catholic Diocese over the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old boy by a priest at a parish school in 1988.

The high court declined to take up the appeal of David Schauer, now 30 and living in Arizona, who said church officials had known about the abuse and warned his parents not to take any action at the time. Schauer initially lost his case in Circuit Court, but won a review by the state Court of Appeals. The diocese appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court.Schauer argued that the time limit that normally applies for filing civil lawsuits should be waived because a church official warned Schauer's mother in 1990 against taking any legal action.

The action by the Supreme Court ends Schauer's lawsuit, which was filed five years ago, said Jeff Anderson, Schauer's lawyer. He called the high court's refusal to take up the case "heartbreaking."He called Wisconsin's law governing clergy abuse lawsuits one of the
most restrictive in the U.S. Schauer once rejected an offer by the diocese to settle the case for $400,000, Anderson said.

Patrick Brennan, a Milwaukee attorney who represented the Green Bay Diocese in the case, could not be reached for comment. Church officials also were unavailable for comment.

Donald Buzanowki, a former priest, is serving a prison sentence on two felony child sexual assault convictions for molesting Schauer at SS.
Peter and Paul Catholic School in Green Bay. A criminal investigation on Schauer's abuse was reopened in 2003 following publication of a Journal Sentinel story that included Buzanowski's written admission of having molested 14 boys.

Video of trubutes from SNAPnetwork.org

2008-08-01T14:59:00.001-04:00

SNAP Press conference April 15, 2008

2008-04-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

SNAP rally April 13, 2008 Washington, D.C.

2008-04-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

Hope Chronicles Volume 2 - Jake

2007-05-01T19:09:00.000-04:00