Blog
Three alleged predators go to San Diego
By David Clohessy
It’s 23 degrees in St. Louis, the coldest day of winter so far. At times like this, my mind wanders to the hundreds of proven, admitted and credibly accused predator priests who’ve quietly been sent or moved to warmer clients.
Today, I think of two who are in San Diego and one who was arrested there:
--Fr. Denis Heames of Saginaw now works for San Diego lawyer Richard McEntyre (619-221-0279). He claims, on his Linked In page, that he moved to California for "family" reasons. But Fr. Heames makes no mention of the pending lawsuit against him which says he sexually exploited a 22 year old student who worked under him. Nor does he mention the findings by officials at Central Michigan University that he sexually harassed that brave young woman,
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2016/01_02/2016_02_15_Sydney_Life_Internal_sexually.htm
The Altoona grand jury report in a nutshell
By David Clohessy
Most folks won’t wade through all 147 pages of the new grand jury report disclosing rampant child sex abuse and cover ups in the Altoona-Johnstown diocese. So here, in our view, is the shortest, clearest summary of the most alarming and recent wrongdoing it contains.
In short, the report shows that diocesan abuse deceit is continuing. Here’s how PennLive reported it:
A priest on his way to breaking an abuse record
By David Clohessy
It seemed like a one of those sports records that would never be broken. But given what’s just happened, Fr. Joseph Jeyapaul could surpass Fr. Norman Rogge in the annals of the clergy sex abuse crisis.
Rogge is the only priest, as best we can tell, who was put back into ministry twice, after two child sex abuse convictions.
Jeyapaul is half way to equaling this achievement. He’s just been convicted once. But last week, we learned that Vatican officials lifted Jeyapaul’s suspension and his bishop plans to reassign him soon.
This is no joke. This is really happening. In 2016. With the Vatican’s OK.
http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/02/15/victims-group-protests-reinstatement-jeyapaul
Proof, in 2 sentences, that church abuse policies are worthless
By David Clohessy
2010:
Indian Catholic Bishops Draft 'Zero Tolerance' Abuses Policy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/indian-catholic-bishops-d_n_559299.html
2016:
Indian bishop lifts convicted priest's suspension
http://www.ucanews.com/news/indian-bishop-lifts-convicted-priests-suspension/75204
What a week! Ten outreach events in five days in nine states!
By David Clohessy
On Sunday in Georgia, we leafletted a church about pedophile priests. (Thanks Barb!)
http://www.snapnetwork.org/ga_snap_church_staff_should_protect_kids_by_publicizing_new_legal_option
In defense of Billy Doe
By David Clohessy
Ralph Cipriano, a blogger who once wrote for a Catholic publication, writes often about the case of Billy Doe of Philadelphia. His abusers have been criminally convicted.
Cipriano believes that experienced and unbiased professionals, including police, prosecutors, judges, jurors and civil attorneys, all got this case completely wrong and he, Cipriano, got it all right.
Few people understand the abuse and cover up crisis better than Carolyn Disco. She is the survivor support chairman of New Hampshire Voice of the Faithful and a few years ago, was chosen as the “Catholic Layperson of the Year” award at the SNAP annual conference. She’s also one of the kindest, tireless and most fair-minded people I know.
Birds of a feather
By David Clohessy
From the Associated Press. Speaks for itself:
“(Defense attorney Brian) McMonagle, one of two lawyers representing Bill Cosby in a sexual assault case, is a revered criminal defense attorney whose past clients include organized crime members, rappers, athletes and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Philadelphia during the searing priest-pedophile scandal.”
McMonagle unearthed a lab error in a drug-linked date rape case involving a local GOP official; helped persuade authorities not to charge future NBA standout Tyreke Evans as an accessory in a fatal 2007 shooting; and helped Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua avoid testifying in open court in the priest sex-abuse case
http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/article56193520.html#storylink=cpy
Why I do what I do
By David Clohessy
Last week, in less than 24 hours, SNAP was in at least seven news outlets in three cities last week. Why? And why is this important?
The “why” is simple: we have dedicated volunteer leaders across the country (and increasingly, the world) who are:
--smart enough to recognize outreach opportunities, and
--generous enough to quickly drop their other responsibilities and seize those opportunities.
When abuse scandals surfaced in Seattle, Oakland and Kalamazoo, SNAP leaders Mary Dispenza, Bill McAlary, Tim Lennon and Melanie Sakoda dropped what they were doing, overcame their hesitation, summoned their strength and used these scandals to further expose church wrongdoing, raise the expectations bar, and beg those with knowledge or suspicions about abuse to come forward.
Bing Crosby’s niece, a nun, is a child molester
By David Clohessy
Bing Crosby’s niece, Sister Dolores Crosby, has just been “outed” as a child molester in Seattle.
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20160120/BLOG60/160129959
Why do we mention this?