The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
SNAP
Press Release
Giving Voice to Victims
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Child Sex Abuse Victims Concerned About Six Pedophile Priests
Child Sex Abuse Victims Concerned About Six Pedophile PriestsMost Assaulted Children Elsewhere But Also Lived in Las Vegas
Two of the Child-Molesting Clergymen Accused of Hurting NV Kids
Four of Them Have Never Been “Outed” Locally as Predators Before
Self-Help Group Urges Any Victims & Witnesses To Come Forward
SNAP Also Ask Diocese To Disclose Names of Other Predators Who Have Moved Here
WHAT: Holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, clergy molestation victims will disclose information about six pedophile priests from across the US who have worked or lived in Las Vegas. They will also urge Las Vegas’ Catholic bishop to
-- aggressively reach out to anyone who may have been hurt by two pedophile priests,
-- disclose the names other out-of-state child-molesting clergy who have lived or are living here.
They’ll also urge anyone who witnessed, suspected or experienced clergy sex crimes to come forward, get help, and call police.
WHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: In front of Guardian Angel Cathedral 302 Cathedral Way in Las Vegas
WHO: Two clergy abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Chicago woman who is the organization’s long time president
WHY: SNAP is concerned about six pedophile priests from out-of-state who have lived and/or worked in Las Vegas. Four of them have apparently never been publicly “outed” in Nevada before. They include:
-- Fr. Edmund Boyle of Seattle WA, who moved to Nevada in 1984
-- Fr. Theodore Anthony Geerts of Davenport IA, who worked at St. Bridget in Las Vegas in 1991-92
-- Fr. Theodore Meisner, who worked at St. Christopher’s parish in Las Vegas in 1984
-- Fr. Robert A. Bowling, who worked at Our Lady of Las Vegas from 1970 to 1972
Meisner and Bowling were originally from the Louisville Kentucky archdiocese and were sued there for child molestation.
At least two other accused out-of-state predator priests have moved to Las Vegas. They are James Beine (a.k.a. Mar James) from St. Louis MO and James Patrick Feeney from Milwaukee WI. Both were convicted on criminal charges and have faced civil lawsuits in their home states. Nevada media have reported on their presence in the state.
Two of the priests (Boyle and Feeney) are accused of hurting Nevada kids. In January, Feeney was sued in Clark County NV for molesting a boy at St. Francis De Sales Church in Las Vegas in 1984. In 1987, Boyle pled guilty to exposing himself to a mentally retarded 12 year old at a Nevada hospital where he was a chaplain.
Beine, whose Missouri teaching license was revoked last year, was in believed to be in Nevada in recent years but not working at a Catholic church. The other five DID work in Nevada as priests.
The whereabouts of five of the men is not known. Boyle is deceased.
Most of SNAP’s information comes from news accounts in other states and a website called BishopAccountability.org.
Because Las Vegas is a rapidly growing area, SNAP suspects that other pedophile priests from out of state are or have been here. The group wants Bishop Pepe to disclose the identities and whereabouts of any such priests and prod victims and witnesses to call police and independent sources of help.
CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP President 312 399 4747 cell
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director 314 566 9790 cell
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Coordinator 314 862 7688, 314 503 0003 cell
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
www.snapnetwork.org