Victims Blast Gallup Diocese

Documents Prove Molesting Cleric Dumped in Winslow, NA Reservations

Despite Evidence, Diocese Officials Are Keeping Quiet About Perpetrator

Even Now, Diocese Refuses To Reach Out Victims/Parishes

SNAP to Gallup Bishop: You Must Be Open And Transparent About Abusive Clerics

If You Have Been Abused, Please Come Forward And Get Help, Self-Help Group Begs

What:
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will reveal new information about a serial molesting cleric who was dumped in Winslow and local Indian AZ Reservations. They will:
---Show how a child molesting cleric was "dumped" in Winslow after Gallup church officials caught him "playing with boys,"
---Explain how the cleric used easy access to Native American Reservation Missions to molest children, and
---Blast Gallup Diocese officials for keeping quiet about the predator for more than 70 years.

They will also:
---Beg Gallup and Phoenix Diocese officials to personally visit each parish where the child molesting cleric worked,
---Ask Native American leaders to reach out to victims, and
---beg anyone who saw, suspected or suffered his crimes to get help.

Where:
Outside of Madre de Dios Parish, 1015 Central St in Winslow, AZ

When:
Wednesday, April 20th at 11 am

Who:
Two-three child sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (snapnetwork.org), including a California woman who is the group's western regional director. A victim of the priest will also be there, as will a former priest who is now an advocate for victims and an expert on clergy files.

Why:
Yesterday, child sex abuse victims released the secret personnel file of 50-year Gallup Diocese priest Clement A. Hageman. The documents show that Hageman, a serial child predator, was accused of sexual abuse even before he was ordained in 1927.

After being accused of abuse and "playing with boys" at four locations - Kingman, Holbrook, and the Indian Missions of Mayer and Camp Verde - Hageman spent his last years as a priest at Madre de Dios Parish in Winslow. During his lifetime, all of the parishes and missions were in the Diocese of Gallup, NM.

Victims believe this is another case of "priest dumping" - where a cleric accused of abuse is sent to far-regions of a diocese where children are less likely or able to report abuse. Hageman was assigned to remote Northern Arizona parishes and Native American Missions by the Gallup bishop after numerous allegations of abuse, complaints from parishioners, and alcoholism. The complaints span Hageman's entire career.

During the past few years, numerous victims have come forward to name Hageman as their abuser. For more than 70 years, SNAP says, Gallup diocese officials knew about Hageman's felony crimes and stayed silent.

SNAP fears there may be other Hageman victims in Northern New Mexico and on local reservations. They hope to reach out the local tribal leaders to let them know that it is safe for victims to come forward and find healing.

The group is also blasting Gallup Diocese officials who have refused to publicize the allegations and evidence against Hageman. Even though the priest in this case is dead, his victims are still suffering, witnesses may still have information, and enablers can still be exposed for deliberately putting children at risk of abuse.

The documents will be available at the event and online at BishopAccountability.org. Hageman's complete work history is available at http://bishop-accountability.org/priestdb/PriestDBbylastName-H.html.

Hageman’s victims are represented by Phoenix attorney Robert Pastor (602) 266-5557. Hageman died in 1975.

Contact:
Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach, CA, SNAP Western Regional Director, (949) 322-7434, jcasteix@gmail.com
Barb Dorris of St. Louis, MO, SNAP Outreach Director, (314) 503-0003, snapdorris@gmail.com
Joe Baca of Phoenix, AZ, SNAP Arizona Leader, (602) 692-1958
Terry McKiernan of Bishop-Acountability.org, (508) 479-9304, mckiernan1@comcast.net