Victims blast new church plan

“A truck can fit through loopholes,” they say

They also release startling new abuse figures

Group discloses list of diocesan parishes affected by abuse

At one point, almost 20% of active priests here were accused

And roughly 80% of all parishes had at least one alleged predator

SNAP: “No other diocese in the world has such a high percentage of offenders”

It begs those who saw, suspected or suffered clergy crimes to “speak up & protect others”

WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will criticize a new Chapter 11 plan submitted late yesterday by Delaware’s bishop. They will also release newly-compiled figures showing that
-- during some years in the 1980s, almost 20% of Delaware’s active priests were accused child predators,
-- nearly 80% of the parishes in the state have had an alleged child molesting cleric working there, and
-- one Catholic church had nine publicly accused predator priests assigned to it.

They will also unveil a list of all parishes ranked by number of predators who were assigned at each, giving each priest’s name and years he worked at each church.

WHEN: TODAY, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Outside diocesan headquarters (“chancery office”) 1925 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington, (302 573 3118)

WHO: 3-5 members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a California woman who is the organization’s western regional director and a Delaware woman who heads the organization’s local chapter

WHY
In the wake of a $3 million jury verdict against Wilmington’s Catholic diocese, its top church official revealed a new compensation plan yesterday for dozens of alleged clergy sex abuse victims. SNAP is calling Bishop Francis Malooly’s proposal “a few belated and begrudging steps forward, deceptively calling these small moves ‘voluntary,’ when, in fact, he's virtually been forced to start taking at least some of the action any caring official would have taken long ago.” The group is particularly disappointed in his “vague” proposals about releasing abuse & cover-up documents, which they say is more important than finances in any possible settlement.

The group will also release new information showing that almost 20% of the priests actively working in the diocese were, at one time, accused child molesters.

Late last month, SNAP disclosed data showing that 80% of the parishes in Delaware have had accused predator priests working at them. It’s the highest documented percentage anywhere in the world, the group says. (St. Francis de Sales in Salisbury, Md. had nine and Holy Cross in Dover, Del. had eight.)

Sources for the new numbers include the Official Catholic Directory, BishopAccountability.org, the Wilmington diocese website, a list of accused clerics released by Malooly’s predecessor and lawsuits filed against priests during a recent, two year civil ‘window’ which let more victims take legal action (created by the Delaware Victims Act).

Several months ago, a Catholic lay group in Chicago called Voice of the Faithful determined that 60% of the parishes there had been assigned an accused predator priest.

For a copy of a spread sheet detailing the assignments of the predator priests, contact Terry McKiernan of BishopAccountability.org (508 479 9304, mckiernan1@comcast.net, or Barbara Dorris (314 503 0003).

CONTACT:
Joelle Casteix 949322 7434 jcasteix@gmail.com, David Clohessy 314 566 9790 SNAPclohesy@aol.com, Judy Miller 302 234 1519, (home), 302 397 1622 (cell)