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The
Survivors Network of those Abused
by Priests SNAP
Press Statement Statement
Regarding SNAP Bishops' Audit March
30, 2006 Statement by Barbara Blaine The
bishops' latest report, released today, once again proves that bishops can't be
trusted to monitor themselves. Their system of analyzing and allegedly 'protecting'
the safety of children is a failure. The report issued by bishops today
shows that reviewers found the Archdiocese of Chicago to be in full compliance
with the Charter for the Protection of Children. Yet in recent months two priest
predators were found working in active ministry even though the Chicago Archdiocese
received allegations from multiple victims over two years earlier. News reports
from Chicago indicate that children were abused up until a few weeks before one
of those priests was arrested in January 2006.
The weak, watered-down bishops'
charter failed. The innocence of children was shattered because of the irresponsible
and reckless behavior of bishops who relied on this policy.
Bishops
can't be trusted to monitor themselves. It
was announced today that the bishops' appointed reviewers will now ask to review
church personnel files. But those files should be turned over to police. It's
time for church leaders to stop investigating crimes internally and turn over
all records to police agencies, the appropriate investigators of crime.
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There
are two simple, proven ways to make the church safer.
The
first is legislation. We don't let Enron police itself. We can't let America's
bishops police themselves. And the most important legislation is reforming the
archaic, rigid and dangerously restrictive statutes of limitations. When sex crimes
are handled by the independent professionals in law enforcement, not by bishops,
everyone is safer.
The second is getting the names of the predators. Knowledge
is power, and when we gain the knowledge of who is dangerous and who has been
harboring the dangerous, then we can protect our families. |
We
in SNAP firmly believe that this is where the focus needs to be. If real change
will ever happen, it will be because bishops lose the power to handle sex crimes
in house and lose the power to keep the names of molesters secret. That's where
our prevention efforts have been and will continue to be focused.
For
more information: Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President
(312) 399 4747 cell David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314)
566-9790 cell Barbara Dorris, SNAP Outreach Coordinator 314 503 0003
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Survivors Network of those
Abused by Priests www.snapnetwork.org
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