June 20, 2006

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis,
national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home)

We're grateful that Fr. Daniel Schulte has pled guilty, and we're grateful to the federal prosecutors who pursued this case. We suspect that he has hurt other kids, and we hope they'll find the courage and strength to come forward, get help, and contact the police.

Here is a partial list of Schulte's assignments:
" 1989-1990 at St. Vincent DePaul parish in Perryville, MO
" 1991-1996 at St. Vincent DePaul parish, 1010 W. Webster Ave. in Chicago
" 1997 in Houston, TX
" 2000-2002 at St. Vincent DePaul parish in Cape Girardeau, MO
" 2004 at the Lazarist Residence, 13245 Tesson Ferry Rd. in St. Louis.

Child porn is not a victimless crime. We hope his superiors will aggressively reach out to anyone else who Schulte may have harmed.

It's worth noting that Schulte is one of dozens of sexually troubled priests from across the country who've been sent and continue to be sent to St. Louis for 'treatment' and housing in several church-run centers here. This policy, we believe, needlessly puts families and unsuspecting neighbors at risk.

Abusive diocesan priests are still being transferred and bishops are still covering up the crimes. But abusive religious order priests are even more 'under the radar' than their brethren diocesan clergy. We hope that religious orders will work harder to prevent sex crimes by clergy and will be more open about those crimes when they occur.

Here's today's story: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=4290222

Here are the prosecutors: Randal Samborn 312 353 5318 &Scott Drury 312 353 1416

Here is the Vincentian's website: http://www.vincentian.org/midwest/confreres.php

Here's a news release from the prosecutor: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2006/pr0321_01.pdf

Here's who to call for more info: Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747 or Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688.

Schulte's supervisor in St. Louis was Fr. Thomas Hinni.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 7,000 members across the country.)

SNAPnetwork.org

Priest, formerly of Chicago area, pleads guilty to having child porn

June 20, 2006 - A Roman Catholic priest formerly based in suburban Hoffman Estates faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to possessing child pornography.

The Reverend Daniel Schulte was former chaplain at Saint Alexius Medical Center. The 53-year-old was accused after federal investigators found still and video sexual images of children on the hard drive of his computer.

The plea agreement says the images include girls and boys younger than 12 years old and some involve material that portrays sadistic or masochistic acts.

The Vincentian priest was not accused of engaging in sexual activity with children.
Schulte also faces a maximum $250,000 fine when he is sentenced September 14th.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Feds charge priest with downloading child porn

Chicago Sun-Times, Mar 22, 2006 by Natasha Korecki

A priest who recently served as hospital chaplain at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates downloaded child pornography onto his personal computer, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Daniel Schulte, 53, formerly of Chicago, was charged with one count of possession of child pornography after the feds allegedly found an "unspecified" number of pornographic images of children on his computer. He's not accused of misconduct against children.
Schulte is a Catholic priest of the Vincentian order who was removed from his hospital chaplain position last year. His personal computer was flagged after an Internet provider noticed inappropriate material may have been downloaded, authorities said. Schulte at the time was living in a Vincentian residence in Lincoln Park.

The Rev. Raymond Van Dorpe, assistant provincial of the Midwest Province of the Congregation of the Mission, said Schulte was removed from ministry last year and sent to St. Louis, where he and his Internet activity could be monitored. Schulte's supervisors immediately called the FBI and turned over Schulte's computer, Van Dorpe said.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060322/ai_n16141103

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis
National Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

We're grateful that Fr. Daniel Schulte has been charged but disappointed again that a priest's alleged sexual misconduct is exposed by law enforcement, not by church officials, who kept Schulte's crime secret for at least a year.

We hope that St. Louis Catholic officials will 'come clean' about Schulte's transfer here and disclose what he's been doing in St. Louis. We hope that no local child has been hurt by Schulte. If he did assault any kids here, it will likely be years or decades before we know it.

Dozens and dozens of proven or admitted sex offending Catholic clerics are still quietly being imported into St. Louis from across the country. This secrecy and recklessness puts kids needlessly at risk. At least three clerics from elsewhere came here allegedly for treatment and molested St. Louis children. As a result, every day our kids are still vulnerable. Yet Archbishop Burke refuses to consider or discuss our proposed moratorium on this potentially dangerous practice. We hope he'll reconsider.

According to the Official Catholic Directory, among other places, Fr. Schulte worked and/or lived in Texas, Missouri and Illinois.

CONTACT
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566-9790 cell
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President (312) 399 4747 cell
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/14152034.htm