Media Statements

For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 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 Central Michigan University investigation has found that a priest “engaged in sexual harassment” of a teenager who he had counseled and hired.

http://www.cm-life.com/article/2016/02/priest-investigation

http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2016/02/report_lawsuit_filed_against_n.html

For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 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])

An assistant Dallas bishop has been picked to head the Lafayette Louisiana diocese (where more than 30 years ago, Fr. Gilbert Gauthe became the first pedophile priest in the US made national headlines.) We think this is another irresponsible move by Vatican officials.

Auxiliary Bishop Douglas Deshotel has been in the “inner circle” in the Dallas diocese for years. He’s also been on the priest personnel board and the ‘review board’ that looks at clergy sex abuse reports. We have seen no evidence, however, that he has done anything noteworthy to protect kids and deter cover ups by exposing those who commit or conceal heinous crimes against children. So we are disappointed in Deshotel’s promotion.

For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 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 new bishop has been picked to head the Lafayette Louisiana diocese (where more than 30 years ago, Fr. Gilbert Gauthe became the first pedophile priest in the US made national headlines.) We think this is another irresponsible move by Vatican officials.

For immediate release: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016

Statement by Joelle Casteix of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests 949 322 7434, [email protected]

We agree with the Vatican on one key fact: the recent disclosure that new bishops are told they need not call police about abuse reports is nothing new.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/16/vatican-riven-by-internal-battle-over-handling-of-child-abuse-claims

(Exact language: “The Vatican has emphasized that Anatrella’s involvement in the teaching of new bishops did not represent a departure on policy,” according to the Guardian.)

For immediate release: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016

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

A Bedford Pennsylvania minister who is accused of molesting at least three boys is now being investigated for perhaps abusing a child in North Carolina.

http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20160206/NEWS/160209461

For immediate release: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016

Statement by Judy Jones, Midwest Associate Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priest 636-433-2511, [email protected]

Kalamazoo Catholic officials kept silent for weeks about the passing of an accused predator priest and made no mention of his alleged crimes in the very short obituary published in the diocesan newspaper.

In 1985, Fr. Carl Anthony Peltz was accused of forcing a 12 year old to drink whiskey and raping him.

In 1991, Fr. Peltz was sent to a treatment center for predator priests in Missouri.

In 1993, diocesan officials reached a $25,000 settlement with the alleged victim.

In 1997, Fr. Peltz was transferred to the Kalamazoo Diocese where he worked as recently as 2009 in at least eight towns (Parchment, Delton, Lacey, Berrien Springs, Decatur, Buchanan, Portage and Niles).
www.BishopAccountability.org 

For immediate release, February 15, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St.  Louis, outreach director for SNAP (314 503 0003, [email protected])

A second member of a papal abuse panel is blasting Vatican officials for “great resistance” to child abuse reforms.

Marie Collins of Ireland said she was “horrified, absolutely horrified” to hear that new bishops were told they need not report known or suspected abuse to secular authorities. “It couldn’t be further from best practice if you tried to,” she told the Irish Times in a new interview.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/roman-curia-not-co-operating-with-child-abuse-commission-1.2534608

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/02/15/abuse-survivor-on-vatican-committee-accuses-roman-curia-of-blocking-reforms/

Another panel member, Peter Saunders of the UK, is also critical of the Vatican.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/208717/%E2%80%98on-child-abuse-there-is-no-sincerity-on-francis%E2%80%99-side%E2%80%99

For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 15, 2016

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

An abusive Catholic cleric – who worked in Seattle and whose whereabouts were deemed “unknown” by Seattle church officials just weeks ago - is in Hawaii, the Los Angeles Times has disclosed. The revelation casts further doubt on Archbishop Peter Sartain’s claim that his staff worked years on putting together a list of predator priests.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-seattle-serial-molester-20160212-story.html

For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 15, 2016

Statement by Judy Jones, Midwest Associate Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priest 636-433-2511, [email protected]

Steubenville Catholic officials kept silent for weeks about the passing of an accused predator priest and made no mention of his alleged crimes in the very short obituary published in the diocesan newspaper.

In 1985, Fr. Carl Anthony Peltz was a priest in the Steubenville diocese and was accused of forcing a 12 year old to drink whiskey and raping him.

In 1991, Fr. Peltz was sent to a treatment center for predator priests called the Vianney Renewal Center in Dittmer Missouri (just outside St. Louis).

In 1993, diocesan officials reached a $25,000 settlement with the alleged victim.

In 1997, Fr. Peltz was transferred to the Kalamazoo Diocese where he worked as recently as 2009 in at least eight towns (Parchment, Delton, Lacey, Berrien Springs, Decatur, Buchanan, Portage and Niles).
www.BishopAccountability.org 

For immediate release: Monday, Feb. 15, 2016

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

An ex-priest who was just charged with raping and murdering a beauty queen spent time in St. Louis, a daily newspaper disclosed yesterday.  We fear he may have hurt a woman in here too.

http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/irene-garza-s-family-feels-weight-has-been-lifted-as/article_08731f56-d2b9-11e5-928d-879164c36842.html