Media Statements
We are SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. We are the largest, oldest and most active support group for women and men wounded by religious authority figures (priests, ministers, bishops, deacons, nuns and others).
WA--Yakima bishop refuses to list predators; Victims respond
For immediate release - Tuesday, April 26, 2016, 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])
Yakima Catholic officials are now refusing to follow the lead of 30 other US bishop by posting names of predator priests on a church website this month. Shame on them for putting their comfort above the healing of victims and the safety of kids.
CA--Bishop claims “abuse is over” while he lets predator work elsewhere
For immediate release: Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Statement by 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])
San Diego’s top Catholic official is making the self-serving and deceptive claim that the church’s child sex abuse and cover up crisis is over while he passively sits back and lets a convicted predator priest work in another parish.
Shame on Bishop Robert McElroy.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2016/apr/21/sdqt-bishop-mcelroy-appeal/#
PA--Victims blast Catholic official over abuse remarks
For immediate release: Tuesday, April 26, 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])
Ill-considered comments by a Pittsburgh professor who once headed a national Catholic abuse panel help show why the church’s child sex crimes and cover up scandal continues.
http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/10250687-74/maurizio-diocese-abuse
Nicholas Cafardi is at the Duquesne University law school. For years, he was on – and once headed – the National Review Board, a “toothless tiger” of a committee hand-picked by bishops to purportedly oversee whether Catholic officials kept their promises about safeguarding kids.
Because of his experience, Cafardi should know better than to make comments like “I think 95 percent of the dioceses are following (the rule on removing predator priests).”
NV--Convicted perp priest later was in Nevada
For immediate release: Tuesday, April 26, 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])
Just a couple of years ago, a California priest who pled guilty to “sexual battery” against and “unlawful sexual touching” of a teenager was quietly sent later to Las Vegas, Utah and Oklahoma. Worse, he’s just been put in charge of three Oklahoma churches apparently with no warning to parishioners.
http://www.cbs8.com/story/31798050/priest-convicted-of-sex-crime-in-san-diego-resurfaces-in-oklahoma
NV--More charges for predator preacher; Victims respond
For immediate release: Monday, April 25, 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 convicted predatory preacher who has worked in Nevada faces more child sex charges after five more victims of his have stepped forward.
Rev. Otis Holland is behind bars for assaulting kids. Earlier, he claimed that some of his alleged victims were “in love with him” and “jealous.”
Now others are speaking up about their suffering at the hands of this clergyman. We applaud them for their courage.
http://news3lv.com/news/local/convicted-former-pastor-holland-to-appear-in-henderson-courtroom
OK--Victims blast OK City archbishop over convicted priest
For immediate release: Monday, April 25, 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])
Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley is both endangering and misleading his flock and the public. Over the weekend, Coakley released and factually wrong, incredibly deceptive and hurtful statement about the convicted cleric who assaulted a teenager but is being promoted to head three Oklahoma churches.
http://kfor.com/2016/04/23/priest-convicted-of-sex-crime-finds-home-in-lawton-parish/
Here’s where Coakley is factually wrong.
--He claims the crimes happened at the priest’s office when they did not.
http://www.10news.com/news/priest-accused-of-sexual-assault-pleads-not-guilty
UT--Convicted perp priest later worked in Utah
For immediate release: Monday, April 25, 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])
Just a couple of years ago, a California priest who pled guilty to “sexual battery” against and “unlawful sexual touching” of a teenager was quietly sent to work in Utah, Catholic officials now admit. Worse, he’s just been put in charge of three Oklahoma churches apparently with no warning to parishioners.
http://www.cbs8.com/story/31798050/priest-convicted-of-sex-crime-in-san-diego-resurfaces-in-oklahoma
PA--AG: “Credible abuse accusations now come from every PA diocese”
For immediate release: Monday, April 25, 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 prosecutor in the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office now says that in recent weeks, credible allegations of clergy child sex crimes have surfaced involving “virtually every diocese in the state.”
http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/10250687-74/maurizio-diocese-abuse
Meanwhile, it’s been two months since the AG’s office released results of a grand jury investigation showing that more than 50 Altoona Catholic priests molesting hundreds of kids while their church colleagues and supervisors ignored or hid the crimes.
CA--Convicted San Deigo sex offender priest resurfaces in parishes
For immediate release: Friday, April 22, 2016
Statement by Joelle Casteix of Orange County, SNAP volunteer western regional director, 949 322 7434, [email protected])
A San Diego priest who vanished after pleading guilty to committing “sexual battery” against and “unlawful sexual touching” of a teenager has just been put in charge of three Oklahoma churches apparently with no warning to parishioners.
This is a stunningly irresponsible and hurtful move by both Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley and by San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy.
In 2012, Fr. Jose Alexis Davila was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to stay away from a 19-year-old he victimized in the San Diego Diocese. Catholic officials there were harshly criticized for putting him back in a parish after he admitted his guilt.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2012/05_06/2012_06_05_Guevara_ChurchReinstates.htm
OK--Convicted sex offender in OK Catholic church’ Victims respond
For immediate release: Friday, April 22, 2016
Statement by Joelle Casteix of Orange County, SNAP volunteer western regional director, 949 322 7434, [email protected])
A priest who vanished after pleading guilty to committing “sexual battery” against and “unlawful sexual touching” of a teenager has just been put in charge of three Oklahoma churches apparently with no warning to parishioners.
This is a stunningly irresponsible and hurtful move by Archbishop Paul Coakley.
In 2012, Fr. Jose Alexis Davila was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to stay away from a 19-year-old he victimized in the San Diego Diocese. Catholic officials there were harshly criticized for putting him back in a parish after he admitted his guilt.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2012/05_06/2012_06_05_Guevara_ChurchReinstates.htm