KY--Predator priest loses appeal; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Wednesday, May 6
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)
Now that he’s lost his appeal, convicted child molester Fr. James Schook should give it a rest, do his time, stop re-victimizing his victims and let them heal without more desperate, self-serving legal maneuvers.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Appeals-court-upholds-former-priest-s-sex-abuse-6251229.php
And it’s time for Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz to cut off funds for the proven predator’s lawyers, if he hasn’t done so already.
(Just days ago, across the river, Springfield IL Bishop Thomas Paprocki admitted he’s paying the legal bills of a suspended, disobedient, credibly accused predator priest, Fr. Robert “Bud” DeGrand.
http://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/news/153294246/DeGrand-removed-as-pastor-at-four-parishes )
Finally, it’s time for Kurtz and his priests to aggressively seek out and offer help to others who were hurt by Fr. Shook and are suffering in shame, silence and self-blame.
We hope this decision brings comfort to Fr. Schook’s victims. And we hope that every single person who saw, suspected or suffered crimes by Fr. Schook or cover ups by his church supervisors will come forward, expose wrongdoers, call police, protect kids and start healing.
It’s also worth noting that a top Louisville Catholic official, Brian Reynolds, misled police about the Fr. Schook case: http://www.snapnetwork.org/catholic_official_mislead_police_snap_says
(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, S[email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])
SNAP contacts in Louisville: Colleen Powell, colleenpowell001@gmail.com, 502-479-0246
Kim Richardson, kimmi.rich@gmail.com
Jeff Koenig, 502-608-2738
Appeals court upholds former priest's sex abuse conviction : MAY 8, 2015
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A former Roman Catholic priest serving a prison sentence for sexual abuse has lost an appeal of his conviction.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals this week upheld James Schook's conviction on three counts of sodomy and one count of indecent or immoral practices. The charges stemmed from . . .
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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