Victims urge Mahony to set up data base of predator priests

“That’s the only way kids will be safer,” self help organizations says

Archdiocese hasn’t updated list of child molesting clerics for five years

Group also prods LA Catholic hierarchy to help with upcoming criminal trial

English pedophile priest who worked in five local parishes goes to court in Oct.

WHAT
Holding “WANTED” posters signs and childhood photos, clergy sex abuse victims will prod LA Catholic officials to
-- set up an on-line data base of current and former LA child molesting clerics, and
-- help find victims and witnesses of a predator priest who faces trial next month, and

They’ll also beg anyone who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes – by this Irish pedophile or others- to call police officials (not church officials).

WHEN
Thursday, Sept. 9 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE
Outside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple Street (at Hill) Los Angeles, CA

WHO
Four clergy sex abuse victims (and their loved ones) who belong to the world’s oldest and largest clergy victims group SNAP - the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
Two dozen US bishops have posted on their websites the names of predator priests, but the Los Angeles archdiocese does not. SNAP believes that it’s crucial that LA’s new archbishop take this “bare minimum” public safety measure, especially because it’s been five years since the archdiocese has released or updated any list of LA area clerics who have molested kids.

SNAP’s request is particularly urgent now, because of the cases of Fr. Richard John James Robinson of England and Fr. Patrick McCabe of Ireland. Neither were “outed” here as credibly accused child molesters until recently and both face criminal charges in their home countries and worked extensively in California. (In the last three weeks, at least four northern California men who were molested by McCabe have come forward for the first time.)

Both cases, SNAP feels, show how increased public awareness of predator priests can prompt more wounded victims to speak up, get help and sometimes lead to or help with criminal prosecution.

SNAP is urging all Los Angeles church staff to use their “considerable resources” to reach out to anyone with information about alleged child sex crimes by Robinson. He is charged with repeatedly sexually violating at least five boys and faces a criminal trial in Birmingham Crown Court on Oct. 4.

Specifically, SNAP is asking local Catholic employees to use their diocesan and parish websites and bulletins to beg victims and witnesses of Robinson’s crimes to contact law enforcement. Each bishop, SNAP maintains, has a moral and civic duty to report clergy sex crimes and suspicions immediately to secular authorities AND aggressively seek out others with knowledge of the accusations and urge them to call law enforcement as well.

SNAP believes there are hundreds of child molesting clerics like Robinson who have quietly or secretly been sent to different countries by church supervisors, some of whom are running from the law. In the years ahead, as citizens, Catholics and police become more vigilant about abuse, SNAP predicts even more predator priests will be transferred overseas. The problem will be even more pronounced, the group suspects, in large, diverse, metropolitan archdioceses like Los Angeles.

From 1993-96, Robinson worked in five different Los Angeles are parishes, where he is also accused of molesting kids. In 2008, a BBC film crew tracked down Robinson in a California trailer court and confronted him on camera with two of his victims. In 2009, he was extradited back to England.

SNAP believes there are hundreds of child molesting clerics like Robinson who have quietly or secretly been sent to different countries by church supervisors, some of whom are running from the law. In the years ahead, as citizens, Catholics and police become more vigilant about abuse, SNAP predicts even more predator priests will be transferred overseas.

From 1986-1989, Robinson worked in the LA area though his precise location isn’t clear. From 1989-1990m he was at Holy Angels in Arcadia CA. From 1990-1992, he was at St. Catherine Laboure in Torrance and from 1992-1993, he was assigned to St. Mel's in Woodland Hills. At each of the latter three assignments, he worked in a parish with a parochial school.

SNAP is holding a similar news conference about Robinson today in London. (One of Robinson’s UK victims is represented by Newport Beach CA attorney John Manly (949 252 9990, JManly@manlystewart.com).

The first US diocese to post names of predators was Baltimore (in 2002). The best current example is Philadelphia, which also posts the predator’s photos and work assignments. A list of all 24 dioceses that have posted such names is available at BishopAccountability.org

In the last year alone, at least seven priests have been publicly identified for the first time as proven, admitted or credibly accused child molesters who worked in the LA archdiocese (according to BishopAccountability.org and media accounts): Edmund Austin, Matteo Guerrero, Edward Henriques, Forrest McDonald, Jeffrey Newell, Joseph Prochnow, and Pedro Vasquez.

CONTACT
Joelle Casteix(949 322 7434, jcasteix@gmail.com) , Barbara Dorris (314 5903 9993 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com), David Clohessy (314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com)