TX - Houston's top Catholic runs for national post

For immediate release: October 22, 2013

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)

Houston’s Cardinal Daniel DiNardo is a candidate to head the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. We hope he’ll withdraw or fail in his bid.

His record in Sioux City was abysmal. His record in Houston shows no improvement.

In 2008, we named DiNardo as one of the worst Cardinals in the US. Our view of him has not changed.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_press_releases/2008_press_releases/041608_SNAP_issues_new_list_of_worst'_US_cardinals.htm

In November 2007, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Stephen Horn between 1989 and 1993. DiNardo found him credible and suspended Horn. The Cardinal, however, kept the allegation and his determination secret from parishioners, police and the public for two months, despite US bishops’ repeated pledges to act quickly and openly with credibly sex abuse allegations. Finally, in mid-January, DiNardo disclosed his action. (The delay gave Horn, a credibly accused molester, ample opportunity to fabricate alibis, destroy evidence, intimidate victims, threaten witnesses, or even flee the country, as some pedophile priests have done.)

Part of DiNardo’s secrecy and delay occurred in the weeks between when the Pope announced that DiNardo would be named a Cardinal (October 2007) and when DiNardo was promoted amid much pageantry (November 24). Some Houston Catholics have speculated that DiNardo didn’t want the news of Horn’s crimes to ‘rain on [DiNardo’s] parade.’

At the time, we wrote DiNardo, urging him to explain and apologize for his secrecy and to visit parishes where Horn worked and emphatically beg victims and witnesses to come forward, get help and call the police. He has not responded to either the letter or the request. As best we can tell, he never did.

Sioux City

Beginning in the 1990s (and likely longer), Sioux City church officials knew of repeated charges of child molestation against an admitted abuser, Fr. George B. McFadden (dating back into the 1960s). (DiNardo was Sioux City bishop starting in 1997.) For at least five years DiNardo had the chance to disclose McFadden's hurtful actions to police, prosecutors, parishioners, and the public, and to keep McFadden from other vulnerable children. He stayed silent.

According to the Des Moines Register, "The confessed child molester continued to hear confession and say Mass daily over the past decade at the Cathedral of the Epiphany, Sioux City's largest Catholic church.)

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news/2002_06_23_Rood_ChurchSecrecy.htm

McFadden who remains a priest even now, is accused of abusing more than 25 girls and boys in dozens of civil lawsuits. Despite his alleged 'treatment' and 'retirement' in the 1990s, he continued to function as priest until 2002.

As long as the Vatican continues to promote bishops who covered up clergy child sexual abuse, Catholics can expect more kids to be hurt and more sex crimes to be committed.

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home, [email protected]) Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688, [email protected])