TX- Victims blast Ft. Worth church in abuse case
For immediate release: Friday, Aug. 15, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Members of a Ft. Worth area church cheered as a minister made callous and intimidating comments in a child sex case involving a twice-accused colleague.
Shame on them.
Congregants of Cowboy Way Church cheered and applauded as visiting Pastor Randy Free told them “Our beloved pastor finds himself in the greatest spiritual battle of his life…However there is a silver lining behind this storm cloud ... That is that Dan’s God and our God has never lost a battle. And he's not about to lose this one.”
Shame on Free and everyone who clapped at these insensitive, chilling words. Such hurtful remarks make victims, witnesses and whistleblowers feel frightened and discouraged about reporting known and suspected child sex crimes.
As adults, we face a simple choice. We can make it easier or harder for crime victims to step forward, expose wrongdoers, help police, protect kids and start healing. Members and staff at Cowboy Way Church are making it harder, on teenagers and adults who have been sexually assaulted. And they're rubbing salt into the already-deep wounds of many crime victims.
It's very hard for those with information about child sex crimes to speak up. But unless they do, more child molesters hurt more kids. Those at Cowboy Way Church are ignoring this sad reality.
Despite this irresponsible behavior, we hope every single person who saw, suspects or suffered crimes by Rev. Dan Haby Jr., finds the strength to pick up the phone, do their moral and civic duty, and call law enforcement. And in light of the depressing and intimidating actions of church members, we hope police and prosecutors will re-double their efforts to successfully prosecute Haby and anyone at Cowboy Way Church who may have ignored or concealed or enabled his crimes.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years and have more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
Showing 4 comments
He used his pastoral authority figure to learn as much as he could about them (maybe I should say prey on them as sex offenders do to their victims), gained their trust, showered them with gifts then instead of being the Sheppard that’s meant to guide and protect his flock was really the wolf wrapped in sheep’s clothing that MOLESTED OUR CHILDREN making them feel as if they did something wrong to where they suppressed these feelings for years until NOW!! I’m thankful these victims have the strength and courage to come forward and speak out.. I know in my heart there are more VICTIMS out there and I’m praying all of you will come forward too. When my child told me, (YES, MINE WAS MOLESTED BY THE HAND OF THIS PREACHER, DAN HABY JR.) this had happened I believed them without any doubt whatsoever but I have to say I was torn in the beginning because of my relationship with the Church family, the accused family, gatherings and I knew right then our lives would never be the same ESPECIALLY FOR MY CHILD AND ALL THE OTHER VICTIMS TOO. This coming forward is just the beginning but right now we have to take life one day at a time, let’s get through this day and we will worry about tomorrow then.. I believe in God, Jesus is my Lord and Savior I’m saved by His blood and grace, so I DO believe in PRAYER and it can solve any situation.
It’s time for Dan Haby Jr. to step down as Pastor of Cowboy Way Church ALLOWING GOD TO SAVE THE CHURCH. You DAN are NOT the CALLED pastor of Cowboy Way Church ANY LONGER. BE A MAN, DO THE RIGHT THING AND STEP DOWN.
THIS IS GOD’S HOUSE NOT DAN’S HOUSE..