Victims to US attorney: investigate predator priest

He’s accused of molesting 30 children in Bangladesh

SNAP: “Cleric may have violated sex trafficking laws”

Group also wants Catholic officials to bring pedophile back here

“Put him in secure treatment center so kids will be safe,” victims say

WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will try to hand deliver letter to the US Attorney seeking an investigation into a St. Louis priest who is accused of molesting 30 children in Bangladesh. They will also beg
--local Catholic officials to order the cleric to return to the US and put him in a secure treatment center, and
--St. Louis individuals who raise and raised funds for priest's work to stop doing it and
--donate instead, more generously than ever, to charities that don’t employ credibly accused child molesters.

WHEN
TODAY, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE
In front of the Thomas Eagleton Court House, 111 S. 10th Street (corner of Clark), St. Louis

WHO
Two-four clergy abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including the organization’s long time director and outreach director

WHY
Last week, SNAP made public the fact that a St. Louis-based priest, Father William Anthony Christensen, who is accused of molesting kids at Chaminade and in Bangladesh, is being defrocked and is now suing one of his accusers for alleged “slander” for $1.5 million.

http://kmox.cbslocal.com/2011/01/12/former-chaminade-priest-defrocked-snap-wants-apology/#more-47958

Christensen has reportedly traveled back and forth to Bangladesh from the US several times over the past decade. SNAP suspects there’s a good chance that Christensen has broken 'child sex tourism' laws and other statutes. (US Code provision 18 USCS 2324). SNAP is asking US Attorney Richard Callahan to investigate this matter, and to issue a public invitation or call to victims, witnesses or whistleblowers to step forward.

In a recent similar case, Douglas Perlitz, an American Catholic child predator, received a 20 year sentence for molesting kids in Haiti.

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/0909/090917newhaven.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20026373-504083.html

Until Christensen is formally and finally defrocked, his religious order, the Marianists have authority over him. His supervisors can order him to return to the US and can put him in a remote, secure treatment center. SNAP is urging them do take this step to safeguard kids.

Christensen, who taught at Chaminade and was accused of molesting there in a 2002 lawsuit, has worked in Bangladesh for years. (He also taught at McBride High School here.) Christensen allegedly used a charity there “as a front to sexually abuse” as many as 30 boys, silencing them with money and intimidation, according to an ex-nun who is now a human rights worker.

http://www.cathnewsindia.com/2011/01/12/former-priest-turns-on-sex-abuse-accuser/

The local branch of Christensen’s organization is Institute of Integrated Rural Development, 9005 Greenridge Dr.

St. Louis, MO 63117, 993-5599, v.klein@iirdna.org

At least five other local Marianists have been publicly named as credibly accused pedophiles - Fr. Robert R. Osborne, Brother John Woulfe, Brother William Mueller, Fr. Daniel A. Triulzi, and Brother Tony Pistone. Each has faced one or more civil lawsuits. Child sex abuse suits against Triulzi, Osborne and Mueller has been settled. The Marianists run Chaminade, Vianney and St. Mary’s high schools in St. Louis.

CONTACT
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com