Candlelight vigil TONIGHT bemoaning ruling that protects predators

Illinois' Catholic bishops win huge victory at state Supreme Court

New decision makes it much tougher to expose molesters & safeguard kids

Sex victims also worry about a Joliet pedophile priest who got freed today

A different convicted serial predator priest could be released this weekend

WHAT
Holding candles, signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, concerned Catholics and clergy sex abuse victims will hold a one hour vigil because
-- bishops have won a new IL Supreme Court decision that protects predators,
-- a Joliet predator priest IS walking free now, having just gotten out of custody, and
-- a Chicago serial predator priest MAY soon walk free

The victims will
-- express sadness and worry for the safety of Illinois children,
-- harshly condemn Catholic officials for endangering kids and exploiting technicalities, and
-- prod anyone who saw, suspected or suffered crimes by clergy to call police immediately so the 2 Chicago area predator priests might be prosecuted again.

WHEN:
TONIGHT, Thursday, Sept. 24, 8:30-9:30 pm

WHERE:
Outside the Cardinal’s mansion, 1555 N. State Parkway, (corner of State and North Ave)

WHO:
10 – 15 clergy sex abuse victims who are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

VISUALS
The group will hold posters, childhood photos and pictures of the predator priests, and give copies of their July letter to the Illinois Attorney General urging that McCormack be permanently kept in state custody.

WHY
-Today the Illinois Supreme Court released a ruling making it easier for sexual predators to conceal their crimes and more difficult for victims to expose their predators. Once again Catholic officials have succeeded in protecting pedophiles rather than kids. This decision is a massive victory for dangerous predators and irresponsible employers, especially corrupt church officials.

This ruling will make it very hard for many child sex abuse victims to safeguard others, expose predators, and seek justice. It gives employers and molesters strong incentives to destroy evidence, intimidate victims, threaten whistleblowers, discredit witnesses, conceal crimes and 'run out the clock' on child sex cases. This ruling will also encourage church authorities to keep playing legal hardball with victim’s lives and with children’s safety, using hundreds of thousands of dollars from generous parishioners.

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2009/09/ill-supreme-court-snubs-abuse-lawsuit-against-former-bville-priest/

- Tomorrow morning at 9 am a hearing will be held regarding whether Fr Dan McCormack, Chicago’s most notorious priest predator, will be declared a sexually violent person and continue to be held or be released after serving just a little over two years in custody.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-mccormack-24-sep24,0,6292530.story

- A Roman Catholic priest, Fred Lenczycki, the first priest in the country to be declared a “sexually violent person” was released from custody this morning in DuPage county and will now be living in Cook county. He abused as many as 30 boys, many from Chicago's suburbs, some of whom he forced to dress in “revealing baby Jesus costumes.”

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/09/ex-priest-convicted-of-abuse-leaves-prison.html

Despite this dreadful news, we hope deeply wounded child sex victims will continue to find the strength to come forward, get help, start recovering and do what they can to warn families about dangerous sex offenders.

Contact:
Barbara Blaine, SNAP President, 312 399 4747
David Clohessy, SNAP National Director, 314 566 9790