Sex abuse victims blast archdiocesan secrecy

They want convicted predator's whereabouts disclosed

Group urges Newark Catholic officials to 'come clean' about pedophile

"Why hasn't he been defrocked and is he still being paid?" SNAP asks

Organization urges victims and witnesses to step forward, call police & get help

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conferences, clergy sex abuse victims will discuss a new $600,000 pedophile priest settlement disclosed last week, and
-- blast Newark Catholic officials for their "continued recklessness, callousness and deceit,"
-- urge the church hierarchy to let the public know where the convicted predator now lives,
-- apologize for and explain why they haven't defrocked him and continue to pay him, and
-- beg anyone who saw, suspected or suffered his crimes or misdeeds to get help and call police, so that the child molester might be prosecuted and so that kids might be better protected.

WHEN
Monday, Aug. 17, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the Newark Archdiocesan headquarters, ADDRESS: 171 Clifton Avenue, Newark, NJ 07104

WHO
Three individuals who were molested as kids by clergy and who are members of a support group called SNAP, as well as the state director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
Late last week, at three news conferences in Missouri, SNAP leaders disclosed that a convicted New Jersey predator priest had changed his name, been sent to Missouri, molested a boy there, and as a result, a new $600,000 settlement was paid to one of his victims.

Born in 1945, Carmine C. Sita was ordained a priest of the Newark Archdiocese in 1976. In the 1980s, Sita was convicted of sexually abusing a boy in Jersey City. He was then sent to a church-run center for pedophile priests in New Mexico, legally changed his name to Jerry Howard, and was sent to work in the Jefferson City MO Diocese.

From 1983-88, Howard repeatedly sexually violated a teenage boy who belonged to Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Boonville (though some of the crimes took place on trips to Columbia, New York and elsewhere).

After a mediation in late June in St. Louis, the victim agreed to a $600,000 settlement from three defendants - the Jefferson City diocese (where Howard was sent), the Newark archdiocese (where Howard is from), and a religious order, the St. Louis-based Paracletes, a religious order (where Howard was 'treated' between diocesan assignments).

After being ousted from his Boonville parish, Howard moved to Columbia and lived off Lake of the Woods Road for several years. It is believed that he took counseling courses at the University of Missouri. For six years (1976-1982), Howard worked at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Jersey City NJ. (691 West Side Ave., 201-433-6365). For a while, he attended Rutgers University.

Now in his 60s, Howard remains a priest, though he's allegedly not working in a parish and his whereabouts are not known. As part of the settlement, the victim insisted that church officials begin defrocking Howard.

The settlement is one of the largest ever among clergy sex abuse cases in Missouri.

The victim is in his 30s, married and lives in Roanoke VA now. (He will NOT be at the news conference) He is represented by attorneys Ken Chackes of St. Louis MO (314 872 8420, 314 369 3902 cell) and Bryan Bacon of Columbia MO (573-874-7777). Attorneys representing the defendants include Charles Carella (for the Newark diocese, 973-994-1700), Jeffrey Jones (for the Paracletes, 505-466-3426), Lucie Huger, Bernard Huger, & Ed Goldenhersh (for Jefferson City diocese, 314-241-9090).

http://www.bishop-ccountability.org/news3/1982_09_16_AP_PriestCharged_Carmine_Sita_1.htm

CONTACT
Mark Crawford 732 632 7687, Pat Serrano 201-715-6510, David Clohessy 314 566 9790 cell, Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell