PA - Recently ‘outed’ priest worked in Pittsburgh

• Recently ‘outed’ priest worked in Pgh
• Victims urge Catholic bishop to do outreach
• “How many other child molesting clerics is he hiding?”
• “Step up now & go beyond the bare minimum,” SNAP says
• Group will release five pages from NH attorney general report on the pedophile priest

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will urge Pittsburgh’s Catholic bishop to

--explain his silence about a recently “outed” predator priest who worked in Pittsburgh,

--disclose the names and whereabouts of any other credibly accused child molesting clerics who have worked in Pittsburgh (regardless of where their alleged crimes took place), and

--use all of his resources (diocesan websites, parish bulletins, and pulpit announcements) to spread info about the just-outed priest and aggressively seek out others who may have been hurt by him.

They will also urge anyone who may have seen, suspected, or suffered clergy crimes in Pittsburgh in any denomination - to come forward, call police, expose wrongdoing, protect kids and start healing.

WHEN

TODAY, Tuesday, January 22, at 2:00- p.m.

WHERE

Outside the Pittsburgh Catholic diocese headquarters (“chancery office”), 111 Boulevard of the Allies (corner of Stanwix) in Pittsburgh, PA

WHO

Two to three members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY

Last week, a credibly accused predator priest resigned his post in Philadelphia when the Inquirer disclosed that he reportedly molested a child. The cleric also worked three places in Pittsburgh.

He is Fr. Michael Ledoux, a Franciscan priest who for the past nine years has been working at Widener University in the Philly suburb of Chester. Ledoux also worked in the Pittsburgh area at a local parish (St. Pamphilus in Pittsburgh, 412-531-8449), a local college (Duquense University, 412-396-6000) and a local high school (Sierra Catholic High School in McKeesport, 412-751-2020).

Prior to working at Widener, Ledoux had worked for a parish in Derry, NH where he had been accused of abusing a young boy in the late 1980’s. The victim was found credible and Fr. Ledoux was supposedly barred from working around young people.

“Bishop Zubik should explain why he’s not telling his flock about these revelations,” said Judy Jones, Midwest Associate Director for SNAP. “And he should ‘come clean’ and disclose the identities and whereabouts of other credibly accused child molesting clerics who are working or have worked in Pittsburgh, no matter what Catholic entity or institutions sign their actual paychecks. Finally, he should aggressively reach out to anyone in his diocese who may have seen, suspected or suffered crime by Fr. Ledoux so that he can be prosecuted and kept away from kids.”

These are “bare minimum” steps, SNAP says.

According to his on-line profile, Fr. Ledoux “spent three years as an adjunct professor and online resource specialist for the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh where he earned a doctorate in educational leadership.”

SNAP will also hand out copies of five pages from a report by the New Hampshire attorney general about Fr. Ledoux. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/NH-Manchester/2009_03_07_Audit_Records/individual/NH_91_A_000084_000089.pdf

Fr. Ledoux’ supervisors were represented by Chicago attorney Jim Geoli 312 840 7080, 312 399 3006. Fr. Ledoux’ victim was represented by Boston attorney Carmen Durso 617 728 9123, [email protected].