FL--New disclosure: Predator priest worked in Tampa

For immediate release: Saturday, March 5, 2016

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

A predator priest who was exposed this week in a scathing new grand jury report worked in Tampa. For the healing of victims, we call on Tampa Bishop Robert Lynch to quickly and thoroughly spread the name of Fr. Mario P. Fabbri throughout his diocese and beg anyone who may have been hurt by him to come forward and get help.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/03/03/abuse-survivor-advocates-see-hope-in-spotlight-and-in-new-report-alleging-widespread-cover-up/

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/reports/2016_03_01_Pennsylvania_Grand_Jury_Report_on_Diocese_of_Altoona_Johnstown.pdf#page=46

Lynch should also disclose the identities of any other child molesting clerics from outside Tampa who were allowed to work in his diocese.

Fr. Fabbri was “outed” for the first time as a pedophile on Wednesday when Pennsylvania attorney General Kathleen Kane released a highly critical 147 page summary of a two year investigation into clergy sex crimes and cover ups in the Altoona diocese.

Fr. Fabbri’s assignment record shows he was a teacher in San Francisco, a seminary teacher in Richwood, CA, and spent a decade in Italy before being sent to Altoona. In Pennsylvania, long-secret church documents show that he groomed and raped a 9th grade boy for several years.

It’s therefore likely that he molested kids in Tampa. It’s callous and irresponsible for Bishop Lynch to sit back now and do nothing to reach out to them and offer consolation and help.

So get moving, Bishop Lynch. Use diocesan websites, church bulletins, and pulpit announcements to alert your flock about this predator priest and urge them to break their silence and get some help if he assaulted them. Assure them that the abuse was not their fault and that healing is possible.

And disclose  how many other clerics like Fr. Fabbri, who were ordained and committed crimes elsewhere and then were given more changes to hurt more kids in your diocese, where their victims may still be trapped in shame, silence and self-blame today.

No excuses, apologies, promises, reassurances or hair splitting, Bishop. Your actions will show whether you care about kids’ safety or colleagues’ reputations.

NOTE – Church records show that Fr. Fabbri worked in Tampa in the 1930s. He is presumed to be dead.

(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 25,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, deacons, bishops, rabbis, Protestant ministers, elders, and officials in many social organizations like Scout leaders and coaches. 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])