FL- Megachurch founder resigns, SNAP responds
For immediate release: Monday, April 07, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])
A Florida megachurch leader has resigned due to “moral failings.” We are glad that he will not be in ministry anymore, but believe he should be investigated.
Bob Coy, who founded the Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale 30 years ago, admitted to having a problem with pornography and to multiple "affairs."
In many states, it is illegal for ministers to have any kind of sexual contact with or to sexually exploit their congregants in any way. (We believe it should be illegal in every state.)
We hope that church leaders and parishioners will be diligent and reach out to anyone who may have been hurt by Coy.
With his resignation, we hope anyone who saw, suspected, or suffered abuse will find the courage to speak up and report to law enforcement.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. 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, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected]), Peter Isely (414-429-7259, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003, [email protected])
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