IL - Ex-Granite City priest is “credibly accused” of abuse; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])
We are glad that Catholic officials have admitted that child sex abuse allegations against a priest who worked in Granite City are “credible.” Now, it’s time that they try to get Fr. Robert DeGrand criminally prosecuted, instead of trying to handle these serious accusations “in house.”
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20140113/NEWS/14011974
Springfield Catholic officials claim that Fr. DeGrand’s alleged crimes happened long ago. That may be true. But it’s exceedingly rare that a child molester only molests once. And Springfield’s bishop has plenty of resources – parish bulletins, pulpit announcements and a public relations staff – that he could use to beg others who saw, suspected or suffered Fr. DeGrand’s crimes to call police. He could immediately give Fr. DeGrand’s personnel files to prosecutors in each of the dozen towns where he’s worked.
But that won’t happen. Why? Because Catholic officials still do the absolute bare minimum and handle child sex abuse reports internally.
So we in SNAP beg anyone who may have knowledge of or suspicions about Fr. DeGrand’s crimes or misdeeds to take a simple but courageous step forward. We beg them to call police, prosecutors, therapists or support groups like ours. We beg them to end their silence, because silence only helps those who commit and conceal child sex crimes.
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell,[email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])