FL--Accused abusive priest put back in a parish

For immediate release: Wednesday, Oct. 14

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])

A Florida bishop is putting a credibly accused abusive cleric back in a parish. We are deeply worried about the safety of the priest’s colleagues, neighbors and flock.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/local-news/east-naples-priest-leo-riley-returns-to-st-peter-the-apostle-after-abuse-investigation_28772112   

Diocese of Venice Bishop Frank Dewane is acting recklessly and callously. If he insists on putting Fr. Leo Riley back on the job, we would hope it would be in prison ministry or a desk job, not in a parish. We’re disturbed that Dewane is putting Fr. Riley back St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church on Rattlesnake Hammock Road in Naples.

Dewane also claims Fr. Riley took a lie detector test. We challenge him to make those test results public. If he doesn’t, we can’t put much validity in this claim.

Our hearts ache for Jeff Buchheit and anyone else who has been hurt by Fr. Riley. We beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered wrongdoing or crimes by this priest to call police, expose wrongdoers, protect kids and start healing.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/fl_victims_blast_bishop_on_abuse_decision

http://www.snapnetwork.org/fl_naples_priest_accused_of_child_sex_abuse

(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 - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])  


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