NY--Bishop is 'coldhearted bureaucrat'
For immediate release: Wednesday, Jan. 28
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected], [email protected])
Another credibly accused predator priest has been exposed.
Shame on Bishop Robert Malone for keeping secret about the allegations against Fr. Linus Hennessy. Buffalo parishioners, parents, police and prosecutors should be asking “How many other proven, admitted or credibly accused pedophile priests is Malone covering up for now?”
(There are now 17 publicly accused child molesting Buffalo Catholic clerics. See BishopAccountability.org)
And because of his response to two brave child sex abuse victims, Malone should change his title to “the Buffalo diocese cold-hearted CEO” or “the Buffalo Catholic diocesan top bureaucrat.”
His words and actions reveal Malone to be anything but pastoral. He claims him and his church colleagues complied with church abuse guidelines. Even if that’s true, it’s irrelevant.
The issue here is “What actions would be just and compassionate?” not “What actions does one powerful prelate unilaterally deem ‘in compliance’ with vague, self-serving church policies written by complicit church officials who have concealed - and are still concealing – heinous crimes against children.”
Listen to his what Malone said yesterday: ““These cases were handled in accordance with the policies and procedures enacted by our diocese and consistent with the Charter for The Protection of Children and Young People.”
Can you imagine Jesus, or for that matter Pope Francis, using this kind of bureaucrat-speak? At the very least, Malone should have admitted that the allegations against Fr. Hennessy are credible and begged anyone hurt by any church employee to call police. Instead, he ducked and dodged like a politician who had been well-rehearsed by public relations professionals. Shame on him.
Roughly 30 US bishops have posted on their websites the names of predator priests. It’s the quickest, best and cheapest way to protect kids: by letting the public know who these potentially dangerous pedophiles are.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/lists.htm
But Malone refuses to do this. Six of his brother bishops in New York refuse as well. Only the Rochester diocese has taken this “bare minimum” step towards greater safety.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/Rochester_2012_06_06_Dispositions.html
Our hearts go out to Vanessa DeRosa and Antonio Flores. Their bravery, compassion and persistence stand in stark contrast to Malone’s cowardice, callousness and selfishness.
We hope the courage of Vanessa and Antonio will prod others who were hurt by Buffalo Catholic employees to step up, speak out, expose predators, protect kids, deter cover ups and start healing.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We were founded in 1988 and have 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, [email protected], Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003, [email protected], Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, [email protected]
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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