Clergy sex victims urge donations to WI diocese

At the same time, they beg Catholics to boycott NJ one

SNAP: “Catholics should use their contributions strategically”

Newark archbishop makes “worst re-assignment” in US in 7 years

Last month, he let a convicted predator priest quietly work in a hospital

Church members should “reward prudence & punish deceit” with their dollars, SNAP says

WHAT
Holding signs and childhood pictures at a sidewalk news conference (outside the annual meeting of America's Catholics bishops), clergy sex abuse victims will urge Catholics across the country to
--- temporarily stop donating to their local dioceses,
--- instead, temporarily donate to a Wisconsin diocese where a bishop just took an unprecedented step to protect his flock from a predatory priest, and
--- permanently stop donating to a New Jersey archdiocese which recently put a convicted predator priest back into active ministry.

WHEN
Monday, Nov. 6, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the Marriott Waterfront Hotel, 700 Aliceanna St. in Baltimore, where hundreds of America’s Catholic bishops are holding their annual meeting

WHO
Three men and women who were sexually abused as kids by Catholic clerics and belong to a nationwide support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
For the first time in its 20 year history, SNAP is urging Catholics across the US to stop donating to their local bishop and contribute instead to a Wisconsin bishop who removed an accused predator Franciscan priest from his parish last month. It’s the first time ever, SNAP believes, that a diocesan bishop has taken action against a religious order cleric who is allegedly a child molester. SNAP believes that Bishop Peter Christensen of the Superior diocese should be rewarded for his “brave and prudent move.”

The cleric is Fr. Henry Willenborg, who sexually exploited a vulnerable Catholic mom, got her pregnant, advocated an abortion, and is essentially ignoring his 22 year old son who is now dying of cancer. The boy’s mom, who was also just diagnosed with cancer, has had to struggle for more than 20 years for child support from Willenborg’s supervisors.

According to last month’s New York Times, Willenborg’s also accused of sexually abusing a teenager.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/us/16priest.html

At the same time, SNAP is calling Newark Archbishop John Myers “the most reckless Catholic prelate in America,” after he quietly put a convicted pedophile priest into hospital officials insisted a hospital chaplaincy. The predator was ousted only after and a journalist began asking questions and hospital officials insisted. It’s the most egregious violation of the letter and spirit of the church’s national child sex abuse policy in the last 7 years, SNAP feels. Because of Myers’ secretive and irresponsible actions, SNAP wants Catholics to stop donating to his archdiocese.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/archdiocese_removes_priest_fro.html

For years, SNAP has tried to get bishops to take responsibility for clergy sex crimes committed by religious order clerics working in their dioceses. In virtually every instance, bishops ‘pass the buck’ to the religious order officials. SNAP considers this inexcusably irresponsible hair splitting, finger pointing and excuse making.

CONTACT Becky Ianni, 703-801-6044, David Clohessy 314-566-9790, Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003, Jim Moran 202-679-0009