Five cases of Catholic sex abuse settle in Chicago; SNAP calls for more action.
(For Immediate Release April 26, 2022)
Five cases of Catholic sex abuse settle in Chicago; SNAP calls for more action.
Now that the Archdiocese of Chicago has agreed to settle five cases of Catholic sexual abuse for a combined $800,000, we urge Church officials to find others who may have been hurt by these men and may still be trapped in silence, shame, and self-blame.
We are grateful to the survivors of the four priests and an Irish Christian brother who stepped forward, sought justice, and exposed these perpetrators. We believe that other victims of sexual violence will feel vindication because of their courage, and we hope this settlement brings them some measure of healing.
One of the four priests involved in this settlement is Fr. George Clements, who went on leave in 2019 at age 87 as the Archdiocese investigated a sexual abuse allegation against him from 1974. Fr. Clements died of a stroke later that same year. The longtime priest also had four adopted sons, a first for an American priest and to us a possible red flag.
The settlement reportedly also referenced Brother Edward C. Courtney, who worked in all three Chicago-area Irish Christian Brothers high schools in the 1960s and 1970s as well as order-run schools in Michigan and Washington. The Chicago Sun-Times reported last year that Br. Courtney had been accused of being a “serial sexual predator” responsible for abusing more than 50 children.
While these five cases have settled, the work is far from over. We beg the Archdiocese of Chicago to update its list of abusive clergy members which has remained stagnant since June of 2021. In particular, Cardinal Blasé Cupich should make sure that the names of the other three priests that were part of this settlement are made public. In addition, if the Cardinal wants to be a real shepherd, he will use parish bulletins, church and archdiocesan websites, and pulpit announcements to urge anyone with information or suspicions about any abusive bishop, priest, deacon, brother, nun, church staffer or volunteer to come forward to secular authorities.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected]) Larry Antonsen, SNAP Leader Chicago, (773-255-3382, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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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