OK-- Witness is validated by ex-priest’s arrest for murder
For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003, [email protected])
An Oklahoma man is a key witness in the case of an ex-priest who has just been arrested for murdering a Texas girl 56 years ago. We are deeply grateful that John Feit has finally been charged. But we’re especially grateful for the role Dale Tacheny of Oklahoma City has played in this case.
Tacheny has told prosecutors that Feit admitted to him that he killed Irene Garza. That move – disclosing this information to law enforcement – took considerable courage because, at the time, both men were priests. It’s exceedingly rare
We applaud Tacheny’s courage and compassion, then and now.
( Tragically, however, a Catholic politician attacked Tacheny’s credibility and refused to pursue Feit.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/tx_prosecutor_blasts_ex_priest_s_for_alleged_dishonesty_snap_responds )
Feit worked lives in Arizona, lives in New Mexico and was convicted of assaulting another young woman in Texas. Now, Catholic officials in all three states have a moral and civic duty to prod other witnesses to step forward.
In the 1960s, Feit worked at the New Mexico-based Servants of the Paraclete, a Catholic facility where predator priests were housed and purportedly “treated.” That was “after his criminal problems in South Texas prompted his bosses to remove him from parish work” and he “had been convicted in a young woman's sexual assault,” according to the Dallas Morning News.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2002_07_13_Dunklin_ConvictedPriest_John_Feit_2.htm
We fear he may have hurt young women in New Mexico and Arizona too.
We hope that this arrest brings some hope to Irene Garza's brave and devoted family. We applaud them for their persistence and patience. And we hope that anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered clergy crimes or misdeeds by Feit – or cover ups by his church supervisors will call police, expose wrongdoers, protect others and start healing, like Tacheny has done.
We also hope that Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester, Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olmsted and Brownsville Bishop Daniel Flores will use personal appeals, parish bulletins, church websites and pulpit announcements to beg others with information or suspicions about Feit to call law enforcement immediately. Now is no time for Catholic officials to act powerless or for citizens to be complacent. Every shred of evidence – no matter how small, old or seemingly insignificant – should be withheld from police and prosecutors.
And we hope Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley will publicly praise Tacheny and urge anyone in Oklahoma with information or suspicions about crimes by clerics to call police and prosecutors, no matter how long ago the wrongdoing may have happened.
Three months ago, we wrote to Hildalgo County prosecutor Ricardo Rodriguez about this case. We are certain, however, that the diligence of the Garza family that made the difference here. Again, we are grateful to them for the courage and compassion they have shown throughout this ordeal.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/tx_victims_prod_da_to_charge_priest_in_unsolved_murder
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])
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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Fr. Chevedden had reported to Fr. Thomas Smolich that he was a victim of sexual assault by a Jesuit friend of Fr. Lindner (a friend who eventually registered as a California sex offender). Fr. Smolich tried to sweep Chevedden’s assault report under the rug. Smolich later became the top USA Jesuit.
Lindner, who later lost a court case due to his lack of credibility, was never questioned by the police.