NY-- Predator priest spent time in Staten Island
For immediate release: Friday, Nov. 20, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
An accused predator priest from Long Island spent time in Staten Island. NYC Cardinal Timothy Dolan should aggressively seek out anyone he may have hurt in the archdiocese.
The priest, Fr. Augusto Cortez, is believed to have fled the US and returned to Central America. But he could still be in NYC.
Common sense and decency tell us that Dolan, and Rockville Center Bishop William Murphy, have a moral responsibility to help law enforcement catch and convict Fr. Cortez. But instead of lending a hand, Murphy is making up excuses and Dolan’s staying silent.
We beg them both to stop hair-splitting and ducking and dodging behind the claim that Fr. Cortez belongs to a religious order and isn’t on their diocesan payrolls. It’s a Catholic bishop’s duty to protect and help his flock from any child molesting cleric, no matter who signs the predator’s paycheck.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis said "Everything possible must be done to rid the church of the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors and to open pathways of reconciliation and healing for those who were abused.” Dolan and Murphy should honor Francis’ wishes and take action now.
Instead of using their PR staffs to brag about weak, meaningless church abuse policies, Dolan and Murphy should be using them to aggressively seek out victims, witnesses and whistleblowers who might be able to help police and prosecutors pursue this predator priest.
We call on Dolan and Murphy to personally visit the parishes where Fr. Cortez worked – or near where Fr. Cortez lived - begging victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to come forward. Murphy should also use parish bulletins, church websites and pulpit announcements across the entire diocese to seek out others who may have been assaulted and are still suffering. And he should permanently post on his diocesan website the names, photos and whereabouts of every child molesting Rockville Centre cleric, whether alive or dead, diocesan or religious order, or admitted, proven or credibly accused. (About 30 US bishops have done this. It’s the bare minimum a bishop should do to protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded.)
We hope that every single person who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes or cover ups in Rockville Centre will summon the strength to speak up. Kids are safer only when victims, witnesses and whistleblowers are courageous enough to act. Silence is tempting but it only helps wrongdoers.
It’s important that people with suspicions or knowledge of these crimes and cover ups call the independent professionals in law enforcement, not the biased amateurs in church positions.
(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]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])
Diocese: 'No responsibility' for priest accused of sexually abusing LI girl
Updated November 19, 2015 2:38 PM - By BART JONES [email protected]
The Diocese of Rockville Centre on Thursday said it was not responsible for a priest accused of sexually abusing a girl in Hampton Bays, and its child protection measures are "admirable models" for all those entrusted with youths' care.
The family of the girl, now 8, on Monday sued the diocese along with the priest's order, the Vincentians, alleging that both failed to protect the girl from the Rev. Augusto Cortez.
The whereabouts of the priest, 52, are unknown. Law enforcement officials have said they believe . . .
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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