Dallas Jesuit Prep Sued Again for Child Sexual Abuse, SNAP Responds

A new lawsuit has been filed against a school run by the Catholic Church in Dallas. We are grateful that this survivor of sexual abuse, a former athlete and now an attorney, has spoken out about his abuse. His revelation of a new name to potentially be added to the Jesuits' list of abusers may well help other victims heal. It could also be a step towards addressing the under count of abusers in Texas.

Coach and teacher Reverend Peter Callery has been accused of abuse for the first time in a civil lawsuit. The- action also implicates the former president of Jesuit Prep, Reverend Patrick Koch. In January, Fr. Koch appeared on the lists of both the Dallas and Corpus Christi dioceses as a clergyman "credibly accused" of sexually abusing children . He never faced criminal charges and is not included in a similar list released by the Jesuits in December.

As mentioned above, this is the first known accusation against Rev. Callery and potentially adds a new name to the Jesuits’ list of abusers. We call on Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas to start reaching out to other victims, witnesses, or whistle-blowers who may have information about Rev. Callery or any other abuser from Jesuit Prep. Those with information about clergy abuse should be encouraged to report to Dallas Police Detective David Clark.

Based on research SNAP has conducted, the Diocese of Dallas is likely under-reporting abusers within its borders. We believe there may be many more “hidden abusers” in its files, and we call on Attorney General Ken Paxton to undertake an investigation like those conducted in Pennsylvania, Michigan and other states. Those secular, law enforcement-driven efforts are uncovering abusers at two and three times the rate of the voluntary lists being produced by bishops without law enforcement oversight. 

According to SNAP's records, over 300 Jesuits have abused children all over the United States and often abusive priests have moved not only within their home provinces, but to other provinces throughout the country. The Jesuit Central and Southern Province, which has jurisdiction over Texas, should immediately publish Rev. Callery's complete work history so that outreach to all his prior postings can be conducted, and anyone with knowledge about these allegations against him can be encouraged to come forward.

CONTACT: Lisa Kendzior ([email protected], 817-773-5907), Paul Petersen ([email protected], 972-569-0995), Zach Hiner ([email protected], 517-974-9009)