Media Statements

For immediate release: Thursday, March 31

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])

Boston Catholic officials are announcing that a predator priest has been defrocked. But they refuse to announce when they pay settlements to victims of predator priests.

http://www.reuters.com/article/massachusetts-priest-idUSL2N1731D9    

For immediate release: Thursday, March 31

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

By investigating spending on Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s shamefully luxurious apartment, Pope Francis takes another step toward protecting Vatican finances. Sadly, he’s refused, for three years, to take a single similar step toward protecting children’s safety.

http://www.religionnews.com/2016/03/31/vatican-probes-funding-of-cardinals-lavish-apartment-182755/    

For immediate release: Thursday, March 31, 2016

For more information: David Clohessy (314) 566-9790 cell, [email protected], Pam Palmer (240) 994-1278 cell, [email protected]

Abuse victims want preacher disinvited

He’s accused of concealing child sex crimes

But he is to speak at major Protestant conference

Group says his role “will deter others from reporting abuse”

SNAP: “And it rubs salt into wounds of those hurt on his watch”   

For immediate release: Thursday, March 31

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 Pennsylvania was quietly moved to Kentucky, according to a recently-released grand jury report. We believe he molested kids in the Owensboro area and fear that some of them are still in pain and have yet to come forward and get help.

For immediate release: Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, president and founder of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747)

Once again, Chicago area Catholic officials have paid a settlement to a victim of a child molesting cleric but told no one about it.

The painful, slow “drip, drip, drip” of clergy sex abuse and cover up cases continues, in Chicago and across the US. But we learn about the most recent case not from Catholic officials – who persist in their selfish and seemingly endless secrecy - but from a brave victim and his attorney.   

For immediate release: Tuesday, March 29

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 an extraordinarily vague and short announcement, Detroit Catholic officials admit that a priest is a credibly accused child molester. But they refuse to disclose his whereabouts or aggressively seek out others he has hurt. Shame on them.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/03/29/archdiocese-detroit-child-sex-allegations-credible/82387284/

For immediate release: Tuesday, March 29

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])

Catholic officials are disclosing that a clergy sex abuse and cover up case has settled. We hope that this resolution will prod others with information or suspicions about child sex crimes by Fr. Paul J. Archambault to come forward and get help from independent sources.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/roman_catholic_diocese_of_spri_15.html   

For immediate release: Tuesday, March 29

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, national president member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747)

Colleges are spending “millions to hire lawyers, investigators, case workers, survivor advocates, peer counselors, workshop leaders and other officials to deal with increasing numbers of (sex  abuse and harassment) complaints,” reports the New York Times.   

For immediate release: Tuesday, March 29

Statement by Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

A Mennonite official who was accused of soliciting a prostitute is walking free. We are heartsick by this news. Now more than ever, those who saw, suspected or suffered his sexual wrongdoing must come forward and call police and prosecutors so that others will be protected.

http://www.dnronline.com/article/hartman_case_dismissed   

For immediate release: Tuesday, March 29

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 grateful that President Obama is drawing more attention to an award-winning film about journalism and the Catholic clergy sex abuse and cover up crisis. But it should be noted that neither he nor any other US official has taken a single step to deal with that continuing crisis.