Chile--Controversial Chilean cleric is quietly sent away
For immediate release: Tuesday, Aug. 4
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Catholic officials have quietly sent to another country a priest who admits facilitating illegal adoptions. Shame on them. http://www.koat.com/national/adoption-scandal-priest-leaves-chile/34408920
Fr. Alex Vigueras of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts order has moved Fr. Gerardo Joannon to a house for priests in the city of Merlo, Argentina, according to CNN.
“Chilean authorities said Joannon is only one of many priests, nuns, doctors, nurses and others who conspired to carry out illegal adoptions” as recently as 1990, CNN also reports.
Adding insult to injury, Catholic officials refused to explain or discuss their irresponsible move.
This is why clerics continue to commit and conceal crimes in the church: because they’re almost never disciplined by their supervisors or denounced by their colleagues. Usually, they’re just quietly moved, no matter how harmful or recent or illegal their crimes may be.
Instead of quietly protecting their colleagues, Catholic officials should be begging anyone with information about Fr. Joannon’s crimes to contact law enforcement. It’s always possible that a criminal who has so far evaded the law might still be prosecution. It’s likely that Fr. Joannon has committed more recent offenses for which he could still be charged. That’s why Catholic officials should prod parishioners and others to step forward if they saw, suspected or suffered wrongdoing by Fr. Joannon or other priests.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has 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 – Juan Carlos Cruz (312-420-4301, [email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [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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