VT - Diocese was warned about predator priest; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Monday, Oct. 14, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])
Thanks to a brave abuse victim and a Vermont judge, 88 pages of long-secret Catholic church records about a predator priest have been released. The documents show why Albany Bishop Howard Hubbard and his lawyers fought so hard to keep Fr. Gary Mercure’s files secret. Those files show that Mercure “was returned to ministry — with no restrictions regarding his contact with children — even after the diocese [knew] he had a sexual affair with a young man in the early 1990s.”
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Abusive-priest-s-files-detail-pattern-of-rape-4893196.php
The documents also reveal that “Mercure systematically stole money from church coffers and used it to lavish young men and boys with cash, gifts and living expenses as he brazenly maintained a sexually active, homosexual lifestyle for decades.” We can’t help but wonder how many current and former Catholic employees knew of or suspected these gifts – and why they were given – but chose to keep silent rather than report possible crimes to police.
Mercure's abuse of young boys began as early as the late 1970s, not long after Mercure was ordained as a priest for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.
Only about one sixth of the 500+ pages of church records about Fr. Mercure have been released, and Bishop Hubbard’s lawyers heavily redacted them. We suspect that the other 400+ pages contain equally horrific evidence of cover up by Bishop Hubbard, his staff and his predecessor.
We are grateful to the brave victim whose lawsuit is helping to reveal the truth about powerful Catholic men who commit and conceal heinous crimes against children. We hope his courage will inspire others who were hurt – by Fr. Mercure or other Albany-area clerics – to step forward, get help, call police and start healing.
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
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