MEDIA ADVISORY FOR WED., JULY 27

Sex Abuse Victims Want Answers On Three "Missing" Accused Clerics

Facing Molestation Allegations, They "Disappeared" From SF Church Web Sites

Another Priest Being Sued Now For Abuse Still Works At Local Church

SNAP Urges Levada To "Come Clean" Before Moving to Vatican

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will prod Catholic church officials to "come clean" about three accused abusive clerics whose names were suddenly, recently and inexplicably removed from church web sites. Their whereabouts are unknown.

WHEN
TODAY, Wednesday, July 27, 2:30 p.m.

WHERE
Outside Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 666 Filbert (in North Beach), in San Francisco

WHO
Four to six clergy molestation victims who belong to SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a support group (including the group's national director from St. Louis)

WHY
Three Catholic clerics who face child molestation lawsuits have recently been taken off the website of a San Francisco parish. (A fourth accused pedophile priest who faces a similar lawsuit remains an associate pastor there.) SNAP believes SF Archbishop William Levada should inform his flock about whether the accused molesters still live or work at or near the parish and what steps, if any, are being taken to safeguard children around them.

For months, Father Harold Danielson and Brother Ernie Martinez have worked at and have been listed as staff members at Sts. Peter and Paul church, with the knowledge and permission of top San Francisco archdiocese officials. Two months ago, after SNAP protest their presence at the parish, their names disappeared from the church's web site.

Several other Catholic clerics who live near the parish are also named as molesters in pending civil molestation lawsuits. Two of them (Father Bernard Dabbene and Brother Sal Billante) are convicted sex offenders. All belong to a religious order called the Salesians of Don Bosco (except Billante, who has left the order).

Recent investigative reports in the Dallas Morning News disclosd that the Salesians are among several Catholic orders which have moved accused predatory priests across national borders to escape prosecution.

Levada has come under fire from for allowing the men to work and live in his archdiocese without warning parishioners.

The other accused clerics include Father Richard Presenti, Father Larry Lorenzoni, and Father Steve Whelan. Until May, Danielson was listed as an associate pastor on the parish's web site. Whelan still is listed that way.

Several of them live at the Salesian Provincial House at 1100 Franklin Street.

SNAP is an independent, confidential self-help group of men and women who have been sexually victimized by clergy.

Several of the lawsuits are being handled by Los Angeles attorneys Raymond Boucher and Cheryl Buchanan. The cases against Whelan and Presente are being handled by attorneys Rick Simons of Hayward and Larry Drivon of Stockton.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/iteam/032305_iteam_snap.html

CONTACT
David Clohessy of St. Louis MO, SNAP National Director 314 566 9790 cell
Terrie Light of Hayward,SNAP Northwestern Regional Coordinator 510 517 3338
Joe Piscatelli of Martinez 925 262 3699 (abused by one of the Salesians)
Dan McNevin SNAP Bay Area Media Spokesperson 415 341 6417