IL- Victims to leaflet outside Cathedral

Victims to leaflet outside Cathedral

SNAP asks for help from lay Catholics on abuse

They urge “tangible safety steps” for new prelate

WHAT

As parishioners leave mass, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hand out leaflets on the sidewalk about Chicago's new archbishop. The fliers urge Catholics to:

–educate themselves about the new archbishop's record on children's safety.

–prod him to be forthcoming about abuse in his prior diocese,

–judge him by his deeds, not his words, and

–remain vigilant and skeptical about him, rather than trusting and complacent,

The leaflets also urge the new archbishop to

–put several suspended &/or credibly accused Chicago priests in treatment centers,

–oust one of them from his parish, and

–break with his predecessor and post ALL names of predator priests on the archdiocesan website, whether they belong to religious orders (like the Jesuits or the Marianists) or to the archdiocese itself.   

WHEN 

Sunday, Sept. 21, 11:45 a.m.

WHERE 

Outside Holy Name Cathedral, corner of State and Superior. (south of
Chicago Ave.) in Chicago

WHO 

Four-six victims of clergy sex crimes who belong to an international support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including the organization’s long time president

WHY

SNAP has concerns about Archbishop Blase Cupich and the church's continuing clergy sex abuse and cover up crisis. Both his words and his deeds are disturbing, the group says.

In Chicago, SNAP wants Cupich to:

–Put three suspended and credibly accused predator priests (Fr. Robert Stepek, Fr. Walter Turlo and Fr. Thomas Swade) in treatment centers, and

–Suspend an accused predator priest, Fr. Micheal O'Connell, from his post at St. Alphonsus Catholic parish (1429 W. Wellington Ave., 773 525 0709) in Lakeview. OConnell was accused of molesting a boy, was suspended him, but later put back on the job this spring, even though a second man came forward saying he witnessed Fr. O'Connell molesting a boy.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2014/03_04/2014_04_22_Goudie_FrMichael.htm

CUPICH'S DEEDS (in just about two recent Spokane cases)

–Cupich apparently did nothing, SNAP says, to oust a credibly accused predator priest, Fr. Brad Reynolds, who was still on the job just a few months ago despite 1) two civil abuse suits against him, 2) being suspended by his church supervisors, and 3) allegedly being monitored 24/7 by church staff.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2009/01_02/2009_01_22_Smetzer_FairbanksJudge.htm

and

http://www.snapnetwork.org/wa_predator_priest_is_now_at_catholic_college

–Cupich also apparently did nothing, SNAP says, to warn parishioners and the public about another priest, Fr. William J. Vogel, who reportedly met a 13 year old girl, “continuously exerted dominance and control” over her, impregnated her a few years later, fathered her child, yet is still in ministry in Washington.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_press_releases/2010_press_releases/122010_priest_who_fathered_a_child_still_in_ministry.htm

CUPICH'S WORDS

--In 2010, Cupich gave a disturbing interview in which he said (among other troubling comments) “Sexual abuse of children is not happening in the church today.”

http://www.inlander.com/spokane/taking-stock/Content?oid=2132851

–Three years ago, Cupich said “Some priests took advantage of their moral authority” by molesting kids. Statements like that, minimizing the crisis and ignoring the cover ups, are deceitful and hurtful to thousands of victims and tens of thousands

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/09/19/chicago-archdiocese-schedules-news-conference-for-saturday-about-cardinal/ (at 1:40 minute mark)

The truth, SNAP says, is that in the US alone, there are 6,400+ publicly accused child molesting Catholic clerics.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/data.htm#accused_priests

The group believes that there are at least that many other predator priests who have never been publicly “outed.”

Here are two statements issued by SNAP about Cupich in the last 48 hours:

http://www.snapnetwork.org/il 

http://www.snapnetwork.org/il_victims_worry_about_new_head_of_chicago_archdiocese

CONTACT 

Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, [email protected], Barbara Dorris 314 503 0003, [email protected], David Clohessy 314 566 9790, [email protected], Kate Bochte 630 768 1860, [email protected]