Victims hold candlelight vigil at Cardinal’s service

They mourn for those “betrayed by Rigali’s ‘bait & switch’”

SNAP: Some were hurt by priests, then again by church managers

Group begs widely criticized ‘victims assistance coordinators’ to resign

SNAP renews its plea to Rigali: “Fire or at least suspend them ASAP”

“Some who inflicted pain have been ousted. None who compounded pain have been,” SNAP says

WHAT
Holding candles, signs, childhood photos, clergy sex abuse victims and concerned Catholics will hold a vigil outside a church service led by Philadelphia’s Cardinal tonight. The event will focus on those who’ve been severely betrayed twice – first by a child molesting cleric, then (when after coming forward) by Rigali’s widely-criticized ‘victims assistance coordinators.’

The victims will also
--‘victims assistance coordinators’ to voluntarily resign, and
--Rigali to fire them, or at least suspend them, and
--the victims who’ve been ‘betrayed twice’ to come forward again, but this time to independent sources of help (police, prosecutors, therapists and support groups)

WHEN
TODAY, Friday, March 11, 6:30 p.m.

WHERE
On the sidewalk outside the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, 18th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia ‎

WHO
A handful of concerned Philly Catholics and members of a victims’ self-help group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a St. Louis woman who is the organization’s outreach director

WHY
Child sex abuse victims who call the Philly archdiocese are still being forced, even now, to deal with the so-called ‘victims assistance coordinators’ who were exposed as callous and duplicitous in a recent grand jury report. SNAP wants those church managers to resign, or be fired (or at least suspended) immediately b y Cardinal Justin Rigali.

These employees include Karen Becker, head of the archdiocese's youth protection office, and Maggie Marshall.

According to the grand jurors, Rigali’s ‘victims assistance coordinators’ are “mislead(ing) victims,” “not keep(ing) victims’ statements confidential,” “hound(ing)” victims for statements to “use as ammunition to impeach victims,” and “turning over” victims’ statements “to archdiocesan attorneys.” In at least one case, according to the grand jurors, a ‘victims assistance coordinator’ “handed previously confidential” victim’s records “over to one victim’s abuser.”

SNAP is glad that some of the Philly priests who inflicted pain on victims have finally been suspended. But no Philly church official who compounded victims’ pain has been suspended (other than Msg. William Lynn who faces criminal charges).

Despite suffering thanks to a nefarious church “bait and switch” scheme, SNAP is urging victims who experienced betrayal by archdiocesan staffers to “dig deep and find the courage to step forward again” but do so “more carefully” by contacting “trustworthy individuals and institutions” like law enforcement and self-help organizations.

A week ago in Philly, for only the second time in church history, ‘victims assistance’ employees were sued for alleged misconduct.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20110214_Archdiocese_may_face_new_lawsuit.html

(Several years ago, similar lawsuits were filed, and eventually settled, in Sacramento by attorney Joseph C. George, 916 442-7100, 916 802 7949. George is a Philadelphia native.)

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2002_07_09_Korber_HotlineSuit_Edward_Boyle_1.htm

CONTACT
Barbara Dorris 314 503 0003 cell SNAPdorris@gmail.com, David Clohessy 314 566 9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com,