NJ--Third new troubling Newark priest case

For immediate release: Saturday, Oct. 3

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

A priest points a gun at an eight year old. Another priest is being investigated for taking $250,000 in money and expensive gifts from elderly parishioners. A third priest admits abusing a child. Two other church officials, he says, told him to flee the US when the boy reported the crimes.

All of this happens or comes to light in just over a month. Decades of corruption is catching up to the Newark Archdiocese.

And this is an archdiocese with TWO archbishops, Bernard Hebda and John Myers, where presumably there should more and better supervision of priests.

It’s not just priests breaking laws and acting unethically. It’s Hebda and Myers behaving irresponsibly too.

In the latest incident – Fr. Kevin Carter aiming a gun at a boy and threatening to shoot him – Hebda and Myers waited three days to call the police.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nj-priest-arrested-pointing-musket-8-year-old-boy-article-1.2383953

In the money scandal – Fr. Alex Orozco manipulating and lying to elderly women to enrich himself – Hebda and Myers refuse to even suspend him.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/nj_priest_investigated_for_possible_theft_snap_responds

In the admitted predator case – Fr. Manuel Gallo Espinoza – Hebda and Myers refuse to even investigate, much less discipline, the two clerics who reportedly told the child molester to run from law enforcement.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/nj_victims_urge_blast_newark_catholic_officials_over_predator

We hope Newark Catholics vote with their wallets and stop donating to an institution that endangers the vulnerable and start donating to agencies that protect the vulnerable.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected], [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Mark Crawford (732-632-7687, [email protected])