MA--Another alleged clergy sex offender has been defrocked
For immediate release, January 27, 2018
Another alleged sex offender has been “dispensed from the clerical state,” otherwise known as laicized or defrocked. This was an appropriate move by the Vatican. However, the duty of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in this case is far from complete.
http://www.telegram.com/news/20180125/church-defrocks-former-st-peter-marian-headmaster-named-in-sex-abuse-suit
Peter J Inzerillo was a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Wocester when he was named in a 1999 civil lawsuit filed by Edward Gagne. After the diocese settled with Gagne for $300,000 in damages for an alleged sexual assault, Inzerillo was reassigned to different parish and maintained his priestly faculties until 2002.
We commend Mr. Gagne for courageously pursuing justice and publicly sharing his experience. We encourage any others who may have suffered, witnessed, or suspected abuse by Inzerillo or anyone else to speak up as well. Doing so helps promote accountability and healing.
At the same time, we wonder what the consequence has been or will be for the individual(s) responsible for reassigning Inzeriilo to a parish after the settlement. It is possible, if not likely, Inzerillo continued to commit crimes after that transfer.
If Catholic Church officials do not hold those who endanger children accountable, they cannot claim to be doing all they can to create safe environments for the innocent.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 25,000 members. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
CONTACT
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis (314-503-0003, [email protected]), Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, [email protected]), Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434, [email protected])
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