SNAP urges the Diocese of Oakland to publish the names of all of those accused in recently filed lawsuits

For immediate release June 20, 2023

SNAP urges the Diocese of Oakland to publish the names of all of those accused in recently filed lawsuits

Clergy abuse victims and advocates demand that Bishop Michael Barber withdraw his request to the bankruptcy court to keep this information "confidential," saying that bankruptcy should not be used to hide child sex crimes

The group will also again beg AG Rob Bonta to publish a report about what his office has uncovered about the abuse of boys and girls in Catholic California

WHAT: Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and advocates will:

-- Urge the Diocese of Oakland to publish the names of the accused and information about their assaults for all of those who have been named in lawsuits under the recent child victims act;

-- Demand that Bishop Michael Barber rescind his request to the federal bankruptcy court to hide those names; and

-- Renew their call for Attorney General Rob Bonta to publish a report about what he has found regarding the sexual abuse of boys and girls in the Catholic Church in California.

WHEN: June 20, 2023, at 10 AM

WHERE: On the public sidewalk outside the United States Bankruptcy Court,1300 Clay Street, Oakland

WHO: 3 to 5 clergy abuse victims and advocates, including a survivor from the Oakland Diocese who filed a lawsuit in the recently closed civil window.

WHY: When the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 8th, SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said that they believed that this was a move to deny justice and transparency to the more than 330 survivors who had lawsuits for child sexual abuse pending against the Diocese, not about financial insolvency.

Now, Bishop Michael Barber's attorneys have filed a motion in the bankruptcy proceedings, requesting that the court seal the names and records of those accused abusers named in those civil actions. Arguments on that motion were heard inside a courtroom here earlier today.  Survivors and advocates have a published matrix of cases in Oakland that is only partial, but still names at least 80 priests, nuns, religious brothers, and staffers accused in the recently closed civil window of sexually abusing children. The current matrix represents about half of the 1600 cases that have been filed. SNAP fears that the names of other accused may still be hidden in those cases which have not yet been made public. Of even greater concern is that some of those accused perpetrators may still be alive and working in ministry. If the bankruptcy is truly about money, then there should be no reason to keep this information from parishioners and the public. Bankruptcy should not be a means to hide what is known about child sex crimes in the Diocese of Oakland. We hope that the bankruptcy court will agree, and if not, that the California Attorney General will step up to shine a light on what is hidden.

CONTACT: Joey Piscitelli, SNAP Volunteer Northwest Leader ([email protected], 925-262-3699), Dan McNevin, Treasurer, SNAP Board of Directors ([email protected], 415-341-6417), Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator ([email protected], 925-708-6175),  Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Shaun Dougherty, President, SNAP Board of Directors ([email protected], 814- 341-8386), Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
 

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org.)