MO - Archbishop wins another delay & won’t turn over names

For immediate release Friday, January 3, 2013

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

Despite multiple orders from a judge and actual sanctions against him by that same judge, St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson will not be turning over any records today about predator priests.

Late yesterday, he sought, and today he won, a “stay” or delay, from an appeals court.

We’re sad that Carlson keeps spending the generous donations of his flock to pay lawyers, protect predators, endanger kids, maintain secrecy and cause more delays for the brave 20 year old woman who was sexually assaulted by a priest and is seeking justice.

Carlson should have publicly released these names years ago. For the safety of kids, the healing of victims and the benefit of his flock, he should publicly release these names right now – like 30 of his colleagues have done – and post them on parish and archdiocesan websites.

But at the very least, he should stop these costly and hurtful legal maneuvers that contradict his repeated pledges to be sensitive to victims and forthcoming about abuse. If clergy sex abuse and cover ups are all in the past and real reforms have been made, why is Carlson fighting this very limited disclosure so hard?

With every backwards step Carlson takes, it becomes more and more crucial that others who value kids over adults and truth over secrecy take action. We again beg every single current and former St. Louis area Catholic Church member and employee to search his or her conscience and memory. If you saw, suspected or suffered any wrongdoing by clergy – child sex crimes, adult sexual misconduct or cover ups of any sort – we beg you to stop being part of the problem and start becoming part of the solution. Show some spine, grab the phone, call someone outside of the church – police, prosecutors, lawyers, therapists, or support groups – and help vulnerable kids, not corrupt adults.

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell,[email protected])