NY--Buffalo bishop should do “outreach” in bus abuse case, group says
For immediate release: Wednesday, April 27, 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])
We’re very sad but not surprised that Catholic school officials dismissed an abuse report that now seems clear was accurate. Countless times, Catholic church and school staff claim their so-called “internal investigations” – which are usually biased and inadequate – “cleared” an alleged sex offender who is often caught later by others or who offends again.
(Earlier this week, for instance, a man became the second person to sue Fr. Gregory Yacyshyn for child sex crimes. But Bishop William Murphy is letting Fr. Yacyshyn stay at work in a parish, claiming a church “investigation” can’t substantiate the charges.)
http://www.snapnetwork.org/ny_new_lawsuit_says_accused_predator_priest_is_in_long_island_parish_now
http://www.snapnetwork.org/ny_second_abuse_case_filed_vs_priest_still_on_the_job
Now, Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone must take action. He should personally go to the school and beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered child sex crimes there - or one the bus, playground or anywhere – call police immediately. He should insist that letters and calls go out to current and former school staff and students’ parents, prodding them to step forward if they have been hurt or know someone who has been hurt.
He should stand in the pulpit this Sunday and say “I’m sorry our school staff was wrong. We can’t un-do the harm that’s happened. But we must make sure that those who commit or ignore or conceal child sex crimes are brought to justice. So if you have any knowledge or suspicions that might help resolve these allegations, your civic and moral duty is to contact law enforcement now.”
In short, he should act like a caring, involved shepherd, not a cold-hearted, uninvolved CEO.
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 to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling law enforcement, get justice 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]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747,[email protected])
New video evidence supports boy’s claims of sexual assault on Buffalo school bus
Diocese, district denied boy’s story after first review
By Jay Rey | News Staff Reporter on April 26, 2016
The little boy who claimed to be sexually molested by a student nearly twice his age while on a Buffalo school bus with no bus aide late last year was telling the truth all along, new video evidence shows.
While his claims had been dismissed based on initial reviews of footage from the bus camera, investigators have recovered additional video from the bus that captured the 6-year-old being sexually abused by the older student during the ride from their Catholic school on the West Side, the boy’s mother told The Buffalo News.
Three separate sources familiar with the investigation corroborated this new development in the case.
In fact, video showed the . . .
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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