Former Greenwich priest named in victims' group petition
By Daniel Tepfer
March 19, 2014
Bishop Frank Caggiano has agreed to meet with representatives of national and local victim support groups who Wednesday called for him to hire an outside firm to investigate two priests who have been accused in the past of sex abuse -- including a prominent former Greenwich pastor who has admitted he hid more than 40 years of abuse complaints.
But Barbara Blaine, president of the Chicago-basedSurvivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said although she is willing to meet with Caggiano, she would prefer to do so after he agrees to the investigation.
"History has shown that meetings don't always bear fruit, but actions speak louder than words," Blaine said.
It would be the first time that a bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport agreed to meet with SNAP.
Diocese spokesman Brian Wallace said the bishop was out of the office Wednesday with a bad cold, but told him, "He is more than willing to meet with them as soon as possible and is open to discussing the situation with them."
As of Wednesday afternoon, no meeting date had been set.
The support groups want Caggiano to live up to his promise to be proactive regarding complaints against priests in the diocese and to publicly reveal why two priests, Monsignor William Genuario and Monsignor Martin Ryan, have been allowed to remain in ministry despite abuse complaints against them.
"The bishop needs to hire an outside firm to investigate, someone independent, to determine if these priests should be in the ministry," said Blaine. She has also called on the bishop to post the names and photographs of the priests on the diocese website.
Genuario was pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Churchin Riverside from 1987 until 2004. Currently a member of the diocese's marriage tribunal, he had been accused of abusing three boys in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
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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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