Clergy sex abuse victims question ‘suspended’ priest

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

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

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

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

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

SNAP Press conference April 15, 2008

SNAP rally April 13, 2008 Washington, D.C.

Hope Chronicles Volume 2 - Jake