Canada--Clergy sex abuse victims again beg synod to defrock archbishop
For immediate release: Thursday, February 12, 2015
For more information: Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175 cell, [email protected]), Cappy Larson (415-637-2006 cell, [email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])
Clergy sex abuse victims again beg synod to defrock archbishop
He was the Orthodox Church in America’s highest ranking cleric in Canada
But, his appeal denied, he is now in jail for sexually assaulting a young boy
SNAP to church officials: “No more excuses, follow your abuse policy”
Members of an abuse survivors' group are again urging Orthodox Church in America (OCA) officials to defrock a high ranking clergyman who was found guilty of molesting a child.
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, say that the denomination has publicly acknowledged that their sex abuse policy requires that clergy who have been convicted of child sexual abuse be laicized by the synod of bishops.
http://oca.org/news/headline-news/court-upholds-conviction-of-archbishop-seraphim
Storheim was convicted in January of 2014 for sexually violating an 11 year old altar boy in Winnipeg. The archbishop was sentenced to 8 months in jail the following July, but appealed both the conviction and the sentence. However, his conviction and his sentence were recently upheld by the appellate court.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/02/05/storheims-appeal-denied-going-to-jail
The survivors’ group wrote to the OCA’s synod of bishops before their meeting last spring, begging them to follow their policy in Storheim’s case.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/ny_clergy_sex_abuse_victims_beg_synod_to_defrock_archbishop
SNAP has again written to the synod, again asking them to act at their spring meeting to enforce their own guidelines. The text of the letter, sent today by fax (where available) and email to 12 hierarchs is pasted below. The names and contact information for the bishops follow the text.
“At the risk of repeating myself, this is a no-brainer and should have happened last year,” said Cappy Larson of SNAP. “Both Archbishop Seraphim's guilt and church policy are crystal clear. Now even the appeal is over and the archbishop is serving his sentence. No more excuses, the synod needs to follow its policy!”
“Please,” added Melanie Jula Sakoda, also of SNAP, “make sure that this convicted child molester can never again use his religious titles or roles to get access to and hurt another child.”
From 1990 until his forced retirement in March of 2014, Storheim headed the OCA’s Archdiocese of Canada and was based in Ottawa, Ontario. Prior to that he worked in Edmonton and other cities in Alberta, Winnipeg in Manitoba, London, also in Ontario, Charlotte, North Carolina in the United States, and in Finland.
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Dear Sirs:
Archbishop Seraphim Storheim was convicted of the sexual abuse of an 11 year old boy on January 24, 2014. That conviction and sentence was recently upheld by the appellate court, and the archbishop is now serving his 8 month sentence. Section 10.05(B) of your Policies, Standards, and Procedures on Sexual Misconduct states clearly that, “Any Clergy who ... is found to have committed child sexual abuse … shall be deposed by the Holy Synod of Bishops, and shall be permanently prohibited from exercising any functions or responsibilities of parish ministry. ..."
Please Gentlemen, Archbishop Seraphim has been found guilty in a court of law of child sexual abuse. Although the judge did not find that there was enough evidence to convict the archbishop of abusing the boy’s twin, his allegation is certainly credible and should also be taken into account.
We know that there is a very active group supporting the archbishop that still refuses to believe in his guilt. No doubt they are pressuring you to abandon your very sensible policy. As members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, the three of us know firsthand the devastating effects of child sexual abuse. We are pleading with you to send a strong message to your flocks. If the sexual abuse of children truly is not tolerated in the OCA, defrock Archbishop Seraphim NOW.
Policies do not protect children. Actions protect children. The archbishop has been convicted. Do the right thing and follow your own guidelines.
Sincerely,
David Clohessy of St. Louis, MO, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])
Cappy Larson of San Francisco, CA, SNAP Orthodox Director (415-637-2006 cell, [email protected])
Melanie Jula Sakoda of Moraga, CA, SNAP Orthodox Director (925-708-6175 cell, [email protected])
Metropolitan Tikhon Mollard, Tel: 516-922-0550
Orthodox Church in America
P.O. Box 675
Syosset, NY 11791
Fax: 516-922-0954
Email: [email protected]
Archbishop Nathaniel Popp, Tel: 517-522-4800
PO Box 309
Grass Lake, MI 49240-0309
Fax: 517-522-5907
Email: [email protected]
Archbishop Nikon Liolin, Tel: 508-764-3222
PO Box 149
Southbridge, MA 01550
Email: [email protected]m
Archbishop Benjamin Peterson, Tel: 415-567- 9378
1520 Green St
San Francisco, CA 94123
Email: [email protected]
Archbishop Alejo Pacheco-Vera, Tel: 5784-5198
Av Rio Consulado E Iruapato #53
Col Penon De Los Banos
Mexico, DF 15520
Fax: 5784-5198
Email: [email protected]
Archbishop Melchisedek Pleska, Tel: 724-776-5555
PO Box 1769
Cranberry Township, PA 16066-1769
Fax: 724-776-5555
Email: [email protected]
Bishop Mark Maymon, Tel: 570-937-9331
144 St Tikhon's Road
Waymart, PA 18472
Email: [email protected]
Bishop Irenee Rochon, Tel: 613-223-7780
15 LeBreton St. N.
Ottawa, ON K1R 7H1
Canada
Fax: 613-223-1931
Email: [email protected]
Bishop Michael Dahulich, Tel: 914-779-6580
33 Hewitt Ave
Bronxville, NY 10708
Fax: 914-779-6581
Email: [email protected]
Bishop Alexander Golitzin, Tel: 419-693-9540
519 Brynhaven Dr.
Oregon, OH 43616
Fax: 419-693-9541
Email: [email protected]
Bishop David Mahaffey, Tel: 907-538-9318
7031 Howard Ave
Anchorage, AK 99504-1899
Fax: 907-677-0646
Email: [email protected]
Bishop Paul Gassios, Tel: 312-202-0420, 202-0424
933 N. La Salle Dr.
Chicago, IL 60610-3204
Email: [email protected]
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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