NJ--Victims urge vigilence with new NJ Catholic official

For immediate release: Monday, Nov. 7, 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])

There are 50 publicly accused Newark predator priests. Warning parishioners and the public about them – and keeping kids away from them – should be the top priority of newly-appointed Cardinal Joseph Tobin.

Retiring Newark Archbishop John Myers has been among the very most reckless, callous and deceptive Catholic officials in the US. As recently as three years ago, he withheld information from prosecutors about a predator. 

http://www.northjersey.com/news/213290161_Former_Wyckoff_priest_s_lawyer_seeks_hearing_on_prosecutor_s_charges_for_priest_seeks_evidence_hearing.html?page=all

But kids won’t necessarily be safer with Myers’ retirement. Tobin has shown no leadership whatsoever in the church’s continuing abuse and cover up scandal.

Just last year, we begged him to do outreach about an Indianapolis predator, Oscar Vasquez-Guzman. We see no sign that he responded or took any helpful action. http://www.snapnetwork.org/in_victims_push_indy_archbishop_to_act_on_abuse

http://fox59.com/2015/07/28/pastoral-associate-at-indianapolis-catholic-church-arrested-on-child-molestation-charges/

He spent time in the Detroit, Milwaukee and New York archdioceses, none of which, to put it mildly, have impressive records on children’s safety.

So we caution New Jersey Catholics against premature complacency. Premature complacency protects on one. Only sustained vigilance protects kids.

No matter what church officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in Catholic churches or institutions – especially in New Jersey – to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.

(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]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Mark Crawford, SNAP New Jersey Director, 732-632-7687, [email protected]