Catholic officials from the Archdiocese of New York remain silent about the removal of Fr. Thomas Devery; SNAP calls for transparency
It has been more than a week since Fr. Thomas Devery, Pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Staten Island, penned a letter to his parishioners announcing that he was "stepping aside" from ministry following a second allegation that he had abused a child. Yet as far as we can tell, there has yet to be a formal announcement from the Archdiocese of New York and Cardinal Timothy Dolan about this additional accusation.
We are concerned that despite Fr. Devery's claim, he appears to still be ministering to the parishioners of Star of the Sea. In yesterday's church bulletin, the priest wrote the 'Letter from the Pastor.' To us it appears that he has not "stepped down" completely. We do not believe that he should have had this opportunity to address those who received the bulletin. It is even more worrisome since it appears to us that some of the topics addressed in his missive subtly suggest that Fr. Devery is the 'real' victim.
However, what is most disturbing are the words of the bishop who presided at yesterday's mass at the parish (Go to 14:55 mark). The prelate does not express any concern for the two people who have accused Fr. Devery of child sexual abuse. Instead, the bishop emphasizes that the allegations are from "40 years ago," as if that somehow negates the accusations and exonerates the priest.
But this is not the first allegation against Fr. Devery. It is the second. We are concerned for the vulnerable children and adults who may have been endangered since the first accusation was made in 2017. As far as we can tell, the cleric was never removed from ministry following the first allegation, nor was the accusation ever publicly announced. Fr. Devery remained not only the Pastor of the parish, but the church also has a Catholic school for Pre-K to Grade 8 children.
In a letter to members of the Archdiocese of New York in September 2018, Cardinal Dolan wrote, "I just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that, as your archbishop, I am with you, and I am committed to transparency, accountability, and action. That's what I've heard you request."
We want to know where the "transparency, accountability, and action" are regarding this second allegation against Fr. Thomas Devery.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected]) Brian Toale, SNAP New York (646-549-0372, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [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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