Another clergy sex trial approaches
- Another clergy sex trial approaches
- And Victims seek help from medical staff
- 2 accused CT clerics worked at local hospitals
- Group suspects more “problem priest” were sent there
- SNAP says archbishop "refuses to do outreach, so others must”
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will disclose that another Hartford pedophile priest case is set to go to trial in May. They will also urge officials at two local hospitals to
-- “come clean” about two credibly accused child molesting clerics/chaplains who worked there, and
-- work to find more victims of the two alleged predator priests.
They will also blast Hartford’s Catholic archbishop for refusing to do more to warn parents about - and help more victims of - sexually abusive priests, nuns, brothers and other church employees.
WHEN
Tuesday, March 27 at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE
Outside Hartford Hospital, 80 Seymour Street in Hartford CT
WHO
Three child sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), and two Catholic parishioners who belong to a reform group called Voice of the Faithful (VOTF).
WHY
Next month, SNAP has learned, jury selection will begin in another civil child sex abuse and cover up suit against the Hartford Catholic archdiocese. It stems from alleged crimes by Fr. Ivan Ferguson, who molested several kids. One of his victims went to trial last month. A jury found church officials guilty of negligence and recklessness and awarded the victim $1 million.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2012/01_02/2012_02_10_Mahony_PriestAbuse.htm
Ferguson and a second Hartford archdiocesan priest, Fr. Raymond F. Paul, worked for years at local hospitals. Over the years, SNAP believes that a disproportionate percentage of sexually troubled and abusive priests have quietly been transferred to hospital chaplaincies.
SNAP worries particularly about those who were sexually assaulted by hospital chaplains. Some of those kids were restrained, drugged or disoriented and completely vulnerable and unable to defend themselves. Because children are usually in hospitals for only a short while, many who were molested in such settings have a hard time recalling the name of the cleric who abused them.
SNAP wants hospital leadership to acknowledge that the clerics worked there and aggressively and publicly urge others who may have been hurt by them to step forward, get help and start healing.
Ferguson was assigned by the archdiocese to Hartford Hospital between 1985 and 1993. Paul was assigned by the diocese to Saint Mary's Hospital between 1973 and 1975.
Fr. Ferguson died in 2002. He worked in these CT towns: Hartford (Northwest Catholic High School, 1970-1980, and chaplain at Hartford Hospital, 1985-1993), Derby (St. Mary’s, 1980-1982), and Bristol (1982-1985).
Fr. Paul, a Waterbury native, died in 2008. He worked in these CT towns: Waterbury (St. Thomas, 1963-1967), North Haven (St. Barnabas', 1967-1972), Waterbury (St. Mary's Hospital, Nov. 1971-May 1981), North Branford (St. Augustine's, 1982-1986), Seymour (St. Augustine's, 1987), and Ansonia (Holy Rosary,1988-2001)
http://www.obitsforlife.com/obituary/34309/Paul-Rev-Raymond-F.php
Information about the upcoming trial, Mathew Doe v. Hartford Archdiocese, can be found at jud.state.ct.us (case number uwy-cv-08-5010716-s). The alleged victim is represented by New Haven attorney Tom McNamara.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/09_10/2008_10_16_Adams_HartfordArchdiocese.htm
CONTACT
David Clohessy 314-566-9790 [email protected], Jayne O’Donnell 860-335-4259, Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003 [email protected], Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, [email protected]
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