Media Statements

For immediate release: Thursday, June 23, 2016

For more information: David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbra Graber (540-214-8874, [email protected]), Stephanie Krehbiel (734-678-2185, [email protected])

Five names added to list of sex-offending Mennonite church workers

Each admitted to sexual misconduct but none have been charged

Four live in Kansas; One, a Canadian, is a painter on cruise ships

Group demands that Mennonite Church USA end its practice of keeping secret files on clergy with sexual misconduct charges

A support group for survivors of sexual abuse is announcing the addition of five new names to their Mennonite Abuse Prevention (MAP) list. To be placed on the MAP list, offenders must have been named elsewhere through established media sources, internal institutional documents, court records, or any combination of the above.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mennonite_map

For immediate release: Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790,314 645 5915 home, [email protected] 

We’re very sad that Rhode Island’s highest court has sided with corrupt Catholic officials and against child sex abuse victims of a notorious predator priest. Many judges across the US acknowledge that bishops have committed fraud by hiding the crimes of child molesting clerics and that, as a result, victims should get their day in court. We are distraught that wounded Rhode Island victims apparently won’t have this opportunity to expose and deter wrongdoing.

http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20160622/ri-supreme-court-denies-damages-for-2-who-claimed-they-were-abused-by-pedophile-priest

For immediate release: Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, [email protected])

Now that Fr. Brian Lederer has escaped responsibility for his other child sex crimes, we urge prosecutors to renew their child pornography case against him. That’s the best way to keep this predators away from his prey.

The Duluth News Tribune reported yesterday that “Authorities also charged Lederer with possession of child pornography after recovering images of suspected child pornography from his computer. . “ and “Lederer could ‘potentially’ still be prosecuted on that pornography charge,” according to prosecutors.

For immediate release: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790,314 645 5915 home, [email protected])

Once again, Long Island’s Catholic bishop is mishandling the case of a predator priest.

http://liherald.com/malverne/stories/Malverne-pastor-steps-down,80833

Church policies require Bishop Murphy to suspend Fr. Frank Parisi from Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Malverne, not just let him voluntarily step down for an unspecified time.

Those same policies require Murphy to be “open and transparent” about these serious and credible child sex abuse charges, not minimize and mis-characterize them by calling them “inappropriate” and “misconduct.”

For immediate release: Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790,314 645 5915 home, [email protected])

A Boston University musician who faces a recent, pending civil lawsuit charging that he sexually harassed two college students apparently was or is teaching high school kids for two week at Tanglewood in western Massachusetts. This is an extraordinarily careless and reckless move.  We urge BU President Robert A. Brown (the highest paid college president in the state) to reverse this move, keep Eric Ruske off campus and away from teenagers and young people at any BU site or program and apologize for his irresponsible behavior.

In April, in a civil lawsuit, Ruske was accused of repeatedly sexually harassing two college students.

For immediate release: Monday, May 16, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790,314 645 5915 home, [email protected])

We are thrilled that a judge has set a $15 million bail for the head of a religious sect who’s accused of child sex crimes.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/20/bail-set-at-15-million-for-sect-leader-charged-with-abuse.html#.V2hqyNfTRKE.email

Victor Barnard was extradited from Brazil. We share the judge’s concern that a lesser bond might have enabled him to abscond again.

For immediate release: Monday, May 16, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, [email protected])

Our hearts ache for the four girls and their families who have helped police and prosecutors pursue an accused child molesting cleric, Fr. Brian Lederer. They must be terribly distraught that he’s been deemed “not guilty.”

We hope more who were victimized by Fr. Lederer come forward so that he might face more charges and eventually be kept away from kids.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/crime-and-courts/4058366-minnesota-priest-found-not-guilty-sexual-abuse-case

For immediate release: Thursday, June 16, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790,314 645 5915 home, [email protected])

In a new court filing, a Kansas City church is trying to force two girls who were abused by a now-imprisoned child molester to publicly reveal their names. We are appalled.

http://www.jococourts.org/civroa.aspx?which=16CV03415

This mean-spirited move will deter others who see, suspect or suffer child sex crimes into staying silent, enabling more predators to hurt more kids. It will also rub more salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of this suffering family. It is a shameful move by officials who profess to be “Christians.”

For immediate release: Thursday, June 16, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, [email protected])

A Detroit Catholic school official charged in 2014 with child sex crimes continues to win delay after delay after delay. For the safety of kids, the healing of victims and the health of the church and its schools, we urge judges and prosecutors to speed up this case.

http://www.candgnews.com/news/child-sex-abuse-case-heading-back-court-88677