Cincy church officials won't release info about deceased predator

Clergy sex abuse victim speaks out

Kentucky woman talks publicly for the first time

The Ohio priest she says molested her is now deceased

And Cincy church officials won't release any info about him

Pope promises to “do everything possible;” Group urges archbishop to do the same

SNAP says disclosing facts about dead priests WON’T harm them but WILL help their victims

“Others hurt by cleric may still be trapped in shame, silence and self-blame,” organization fears

WHAT: Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, a Kentucky woman will
- discuss publicly for the first time the child sex crimes she suffered at the hands of an Ohio priest,
- prod others who were similarly abused to step forward so they can begin to heal, and
- urge the Cincinnati archdiocese – and all Catholic officials - to list on church website the names of proven, admitted and credibly accused abusive priests who are deceased.

The victim is coming forward now, in part, because of the Pope’s promise, two weeks ago, to do “everything possible” about abuse in the church.

She will provide copies of 6-8 e mails exchanged with a top archdiocesan official.

WHEN: Friday, June 25, 1:45 p.m.

WHERE: Outside the Kettering Police Department, 3600 Shroyer Rd., Kettering OH

WHO: The victim, family and friends, two local Catholics and two clergy abuse victims who belong to an international support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY: Colleen Powell was 10 - 11 years old in 1960-61 when she says she was sexually abused by a priest at St. Albert the Great parish in the Dayton suburb of Kettering OH (3033 Far Hills Ave., 937-293-1191). Powell is from a very devout Catholic family which attended St. Albert’s at the time. As a youngster, she repressed memory of the alleged crimes. In 1997, memories of the abuse resurfaced, she says.

In 2002, Powell wrote a letter to Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk and to St. Albert’s then-pastor, Fr. James Manning, reporting her abuse. Her goal was to find and help others who may have been hurt by the same predator priest. While Manning sent her a compassionate and very helpful letter, Powell was angered by Pilarczyk’s brief, cold and legalistic reply.

In 2007, she exchanged several emails with archdiocesan chancellor Fr. Joseph Binzer. Binzer said he checked the priest’s file, but like other church officials, Binzer refused to acknowledge or respond to Powell’s queries about other possible victims.

SNAP has repeatedly asked church officials to disclose the names of pedophile priests but their requests have been ignored. The group hopes local Catholic staff will be more inclined to at least release the names of deceased predators, since those men can’t be hurt by such disclosures. Their wounded victims, however, would benefit by this move, SNAP believes.

Over the past eight years, roughly 24 US bishops have released such lists of predatory priests. Only one in Ohio has (Toledo). Here is a list of these dioceses: http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/lists.htm

Powell is in her 50s, is single and lives in the Louisville KY area.

CONTACT
Dan Frondorf of Cincinnati, SNAP Cincinnati Co-Director (513) 706 7403, dandorf@fuse.net
Kristine Ward of Dayton, National Survivors Advocate Coalition (937) 272 0308
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566 9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Director (314) 862 7688, (314) 503 0003 cell