Clergy sex victims to hold candlelight vigil

They remember victims who took their own lives

Group seeks info to help convict accused predators priests

It begs those who “saw, suspected or suffered abuse to speak up”

WHAT
Holding signs, candles and childhood photos outside the symbolic center of the Philadelphia Catholic archdiocese, clergy sex abuse victims and supporters will hold a brief vigil to remember and honor those who were molested by clergy and took their own lives, including a Philadelphia suicide victim whose suffering was described in a recent grand jury report that outlined clergy sex crimes and continuing cover ups by top church officials.

WHEN
TODAY, Sunday, Feb.20 at 6:00 p.m.

WHERE
On the sidewalk outside the Catholic Cathedral of Sts. Peter & Paul (18th & Benjamin Franklin Parkway) in Philadelphia

WHO
8-12 clergy sex abuse victims and supporters who belong to an international support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) including a Chicago woman who founded the self-help organization

WHY
SNAP knows of nearly 200 men and women who committed suicide after having been molested by Catholic clergy. One is “Mark,” whose suffering was described in a newly-released Philadelphia grand jury report. SNAP members will remember “their fallen brothers and sisters” and urge others who were sexually assaulted “to break their silence and start their healing,” reassuring them that “they are not at fault, they are not alone, and they can get better.”

SNAP also wants to help police and prosecutors successfully convict and jail the four recently-charged Philadelphia clerics who have committed or concealed clergy sex crimes. But often, the group says, once corrupt clerics are charged, many with knowledge of their crimes become complacent and stay silent, which SNAP believes is risky and wrong.

And often accused priests hire top notch defense lawyers, exploit loopholes, win delays and ultimately get off on technicalities or receive very lenient sentences, SNAP maintains.

So the group is publicly calling on everyone who with any information about the alleged wrongdoers to contact law enforcement immediately

CONTACT –Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, David Lorenz 301-906-9161, Judy Miller 302-234-1519, Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003 cell, 314-862-7688, David Clohessy 314-566-9790