Media Statements

For immediate release: Thursday, April 14, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

Three Catholic officials are trying to exploit Pennsylvania’s archaic, predator-friendly laws to evade responsibility for a child molesting cleric who molested more than 100 kids. Shame on them, their colleagues and their supervisors.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2016/04/14/Former-student-testifies-about-Franciscans-in-Altoona-abuse-case/stories/201604140166

For immediate release: Thursday, April 14, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

A new investigation shows that religiously-affiliated day care centers can be especially dangerous for children and that Alabama is one of the worst states regulating them. We urge Alabama legislators to put kids first and remedy this irresponsible imbalance immediately.

https://www.revealnews.org/article/religious-day-cares-operate-with-little-oversight-and-accountability/?utm_source=Reveal&utm_medium=social_media&utm_campaign=facebook

For immediate release: Thursday, April 14, 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 stunningly mean-spirited move, Catholic officials are blaming a college student for the abuse she suffered at the hands of a charismatic, powerful and manipulative priest.   http://www.cm-life.com/article/2016/04/diocese-response

And they make contradictory claims – that the girl was responsible for sexual contact AND that no sexual contact happened.

In a legal filing, Bishop Joseph Cistone of the Saginaw diocese blames Megan Winans for being sexually exploited as a young, devout college student.

For immediate release: Thursday, April 14, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

We take issue with a number of claims by Denny Hastert and his lawyers. And we applaud Individual D for having the courage to speak in court about Hastert’s wrongdoing. We also applaud attorney Kristi Browne for representing a Hastert victim.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/feds-hastert-victim-sister-of-another-to-testify-at-sentencing/

For immediate release: Thursday, April 14, 2016

Statement by Judy Jones of St. Louis, Associate Midwest Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (636 433 2511, [email protected])

We’re grateful that a sexually troubled Ohio seminarian has pled guilty to child sex crimes and hope, for the safety of children, that he’s given the longest sentence possible.

We also worry there may be other kids he’s hurt and deplore how little his former church supervisors are doing to find other victims, witnesses or whistleblowers.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/04/13/seminarian-pleads-guilty-to-child-sex-charge.htm

http://krqe.com/2016/04/13/former-seminarian-pleads-guilty-to-trying-to-entice-infants/

For immediate release: Thursday, April 14, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

The pastor of a St. Louis mega-church with six locations has been removed amid controversy. Among the allegations against him are “inappropriate relationships” with two women, that church officials claim “were not adultery.”

He’s also reportedly a chaplain to the St. Louis Cardinals. He is Rev. Darrin Patrick of The Journey.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2016/april/darrin-patrick-removed-acts-29-megachurch-journey.html

For immediate release: Wednesday, April 13, 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 grateful and relieved that the Wyoming Symphony won’t let an accused sexual harasser play with them. They moved quickly and appropriately in this case. We applaud their sensitivity. And we applaud the courage of the young Boston women - Erin Shyr and Maria Currie - who are exposing wrongdoing by Eric Ruske and Boston University.

http://trib.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/horn-player-scheduled-to-perform-in-casper-accused-of-sexual/article_9eb79bfd-30ab-55d4-922d-95e70dc245e5.html

It’s rewarding to see that a wrongdoer can’t escape consequences just by going somewhere else.

Those who respond poorly to reports of sexual harassment should be punished. Those who respond promptly and properly should be rewarded. So we encourage Wyoming residents to attend the symphony this weekend and in the future. Non-profits that act responsibly in cases of sexual harassment or abuse deserve our support.

For immediate release: Wednesday, April 13, 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 Wyoming symphony musician is being sued in Massachusetts for reportedly sexually harassing two young women. We hope he’s suspended until this case is resolved.

http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2016/04/read_the_complaint_filed_by_mu.html

Eric Ruske was named in a civil lawsuit filed yesterday by a veteran attorney who has represented hundreds of victims of sexual violence.

He is set to perform this weekend. http://www.wyomingsymphony.org/

For immediate release: Tuesday, April 12, 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 applaud the brave Oregon man who is suing the First Assembly of God officials for committing and concealing child sex crimes. Civil lawsuits often seem to be the only way to expose “enablers,” the employees who ignored or hid knowledge of or suspicions about horrific abuse of kids. And these suits perform a valuable public service by deterring other supervisors and colleagues who may be tempted to turn a blind eye to abuse or worse, help keep it under wraps.

The case is W.J. v. First Assembly of God of Albany, et al., filed today in Multnomah County (Circuit Ct. Case No. 16CV11965). It’s being handled by Portland attorneys Gilion Dumas (503-952-6789, [email protected]) and Ashley Vaughn (931-206-0090, [email protected]).

For immediate release: Tuesday, April 12, 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 predator priest from the Altoona Pennsylvania area identified last month in a grand jury report now lives in Orlando. We urge Orlando Bishop John Noonan to aggressively seek out anyone in Florida who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes.