SNAP Media Events

New perpetrator priest lawsuit is filed

Victims also blast local bishop over ‘continued secrecy’

SNAP: He’s hiding at least 3 ‘credibly accused’ abusive priests

They’re still alive, so they may still be a threat to kids, group says

Other church officials say charges against them are substantiated

But their names are NOT on the official Lafayette diocese list

Victims also urge greater awareness of new state child molestation law

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, abuse victims will announce and discuss a new child sexual abuse and cover up lawsuit against ‘the most notorious child molesting’ cleric in Louisiana history.

Using chalk, they will also write on a sidewalk the names of several publicly accused pedophile priests who have spent time in the Lafayette area but are NOT on the Lafayette bishop’s ‘credibly accused’ list.

And they will also “urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered ANY other known or possible abuse to a) call police, not church staff, and b) contact SNAP.

WHEN

Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 11:00 a.m.

(NOTE: The group will hold a similar event in Baton Rouge later the same day, Wednesday, October 9 at 2 p.m.)

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, the address for the Cathedral is 914 St. John Street, Lafayette, LA, press conference will be at 515 Cathedral. Call if you can't locate them: David, 314-566-9790 (Cathedral phone: 337-232-1322)

WHO

Two child sexual abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who for 30 years was the organization’s national director

Victims blast Alexandria bishop on child abuse

They say he’s “concealing four publicly accused priests"

Other church officials admit charges against them are ‘credible’

SNAP: “If church officials are hiding these guys, what else might they be hiding?”

Support group also alerts child victims to unusual new legal opportunity

New law means that anyone molested at any time by anyone can now sue

‘By coming forward, the wounded can protect the vulnerable,’ victims say

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos, clergy sexual abuse victims will

---disclose four publicly &/or ‘credibly accused’ priests who were in the Alexandria diocese but are NOT on the local Catholic bishop’s official ‘accused’ list, and

---write their names - and names of other alleged pedophile priests - on the sidewalk with chalk.

The victims will also urge 

---Catholics to “spread the word” about a new Louisiana law that “helps protect kids and expose predators” by enabling “anyone abused at any time by any one” to file a civil lawsuit against “both the actual perpetrators and those who enabled their crimes” and

---anyone with information or suspicions about ANY other known or possible abuser to a) call police, not church staff, and b) contact their SNAP.

WHEN

Tuesday, Oct.  8 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, 626 4th St. in Alexandria (318-445-1451)

WHO

Two child sexual abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who for 30 years was the organization’s national director

Abuse victims blast Lake Charles bishop

He’s hiding at least four ‘credibly accused’ abusive priests

Other church officials say allegations against the men are ‘credible’

SNAP: “If church officials are hiding them, what else might they be hiding?”

Support group also alerts child victims to unusual new legal opportunity

New law means that anyone molested at any time by anyone can now sue

‘By coming forward, the wounded can protect the vulnerable,’ victims say

WHAT

Using sidewalk chalk, and holding signs and childhood photos, clergy sex abuse victims will write on the sidewalk the names of child-molesting clerics, at least four of whom have been left off the Lake Charles Catholic bishop’s ‘credibly accused’ abusers ist.

Holding signs and childhood photos, they will also 

---urge Catholics to join with them in spreading awareness of an “unusual and groundbreaking child safety law” that “enables virtually any child sex abuse victim to sue, no matter how long ago the crime happened,” and

---urge those with information or suspicions about ANY other known or possible perpetrator to a) call police, not church staff, and b) contact their support group.

WHEN

Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at 11 AM

(NOTE: The group will hold a similar event in Alexandria later the same day, Tuesday 10/8 at 2 p.m.) 

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 935 Bilbo St. in Lake Charles (337-436-7251)

WHO

Two child sexual abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a man who for 30 years was the organization’s national director

Victims say top Catholic official is 'becoming worse' on abuse

They write names of 'credibly accused perpetrators' on sidewalk

Newly filed civil lawsuit targets four or five priests accused of abuse

SNAP: But Jeff City bishop refuses to 'reveal even one fact' about them

Group wants Bp. McKnight to disclose who 'Fr. Dave' is and where he is now

And it 'especially urges' those who were hurt as adults to 'come forward & get help'

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, abuse victims will discuss a new lawsuit filed last week accusing four or five Jefferson City area Catholic priests of child sexual crimes and adult sexual misconduct. They will also prod Jefferson City's Catholic bishop to reveal more information about 

--the four newly-accused abusers - including which are alive and where they are now 

--all of the clerics on his 'credibly accused' abusers list, including their photos and complete lists of each parish where they worked. 

Using chalk, they will write the names of the 10-12 proven, admitted and 'credibly accused' priests who are or were in the Jeff City area and are still alive.

And they will call on 

--anyone who was 'sexually manipulated, exploited or victimized' as an adult to 'speak up, protect others and start healing,' and

--state lawmakers to reform Missouri's 'archaic, arbitrary and predator-friendly' statute of limitations on child sexual crimes.

WHEN

Thursday, Sept. 19 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (where one of the priests is accused of abusing a woman), 1206 E. McCarty in Jefferson City (573 635 6143)

WHO

Two abuse victims including a mid-Missouri native who for 30 years led SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) and who sued the Jefferson City diocese years ago

Young abuse victim files unusual suit vs. sheriff’s department

He charges staffers 'committed & concealed' crimes against kids

The victim, now 23, was assaulted in 2015 & speaks for the 1st time

And a criminal trial vs. Christian school's co-founder starts next month

Missouri’s 'most prolific female predator' faces dozens of charges & civil suits

In last minute plea, SNAP says 'victims, witnesses & whistleblowers must speak now'

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, a 23 year old abuse victim will speak publicly for the first time and will announce his unusual new lawsuit. It charges that a southern Missouri sheriff’s department repeatedly ignored, concealed and committed abuses at a Christian facility for 'troubled' children and seeks four unprecedented reforms that will help prevent similar crimes.

Separately, next month, a long-awaited criminal trial against Missouri’s most notorious serial boarding school abuser begins. So abuse victims are making 'a last-ditch plea' to 'anyone who saw, suspected or suffered wrongdoing' by the female defendant to 'help prosecutors lock her up by coming forward to law enforcement now.'

And they will beg anyone with information or suspicions about crimes at Christian boarding schools to 'come forward, protect others and get healing.'

WHEN

TOMORROW, Friday, Sept. 6 at 1:15 p.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk just south of the Charles E. Whittaker US Federal Courthouse, 400 E. 9th St., corner of Oak, (in Ilus Davis Park) in Kansas City, MO

WHO

The 23 year old plaintiff and victim who is suing, two other survivors/advocates and a St. Louis man who was abused as a boy and is the volunteer Missouri director of a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

New horrific abuse suit filed vs. Christian boarding school

As a 13 year old, the victim suffered ‘torture’ in 2019 & 2020

She’s now just 18, making her the youngest to take legal action

Prominent local pastor reportedly ‘hid children’ from state authorities

He’s named as a defendant and SNAP says he should be fired or resign

A high profile criminal trial against school’s co-founder starts next month

She faces dozens of charges & civil suits; case will be heard in Stockton

In last minute plea, SNAP says ‘victims, witnesses & whistleblowers must speak up now’

WHAT

At a sidewalk news conference, holding signs and childhood photos, abuse survivors will

-- announce the filing of a “horrific” new abuse and cover up lawsuit against a controversial Christian boarding school for girls in southwest Missouri,

-- call for a prominent local pastor, named as a defendant in the suit, to resign or be fired, and

-- urge others to help prosecutors convict a female serial abuser by contacting law enforcement before her trial next month if they “saw, suspected or suffered her crimes.”

WHEN
Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 1:15 p.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the federal courthouse at 222 S. John Q. Hammons Pkwy (between Broadway and Washington) in Springfield MO

WHO

Two-three victims and anti-abuse advocates, including a Drury University graduate and child sex abuse survivor who for 30 years headed SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY

--1) The suit is being filed by girl who - as a 13 year old in 2019 and 2020 - was repeatedly subjected to “torture” and “physical, sexualized and mental abuse” at Circle of Hope Girls Ranch in Humansville (in Polk County, 40 minutes north of Springfield.) Now 18, she’s the youngest victim to sue the facility.

Among the offenses alleged in the suit: trafficking, involuntary servitude, brainwashing children, defrauding parents, child sexual abuse, and negligently hiring staff, negligently supervising staff and kids and intentionally inflicting emotional distress.

One of the defendants is Rev. Jeff Ables of Berean Baptist in Springfield (507 East Norton Rd, [email protected], 417.833.1529). He allegedly “hid children” from DCFS,” according to the suit, and refused to report abuses to authorities even though he’d been told of the crimes as far back as 2008.

Some of the abuses were sadistic and bizarre, the suit says, such as withholding food as punishment and force-feeding kids until they threw up and then forcing them to eat their vomit.

Staffers shoved the victim’s face into manure, put Wasabi sauce in her mouth and forced her to watch as other girls were “punched in the face, choked, beaten and whipped.”

The victim, identified only as Jane Doe, will NOT be at the news conference. She lives in Kansas City and is represented by KC attorney Rebecca Randles (816 931 9901).

2)) Next month, Missouri’s most notorious Christian boarding school abuser goes on trial facing 22 counts of child abuse and neglect. She is Stephanie Householder who, for years, along with her husband, ran two Christian boarding schools for ‘troubled kids’ in southern Missouri. (Before he died in June, her spouse Boyd was charged with 79 similar counts.)

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article289535052.html

SNAP is begging other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to contact the FBI or the Missouri attorney general’s office before the widely-anticipated trial begins next month in Stockton.

“Over decades, hundreds of kids suffered because of the Householders,” said David Clohessy of SNAP. “So please, don’t sit back and be silent. If you saw, suspected or suffered abuse at these schools, help prosecutors get her locked up by coming forward now to the attorney general’s office, local law enforcement or SNAP.”

Dozens of ex-students accuse the Householders of using “brutal restraints, excessive workouts in extreme temperatures, psychological and sexual abuse” and withholding food and water as punishment. According to the AP, 16 former residents said they were handcuffed, whipped with belts, had their mouths taped shut and were punched for minor offenses such as singing.

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/midwest/2024/05/15/774285.htm

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2024/06/after-ex-mo-boarding-school-owner-accused/

In recent years, criminal charges, civil lawsuits, and media reports have exposed shocking and severe abuse of kids in at least three similar facilities in Missouri (Agape School in Stockton, Kanakuk Kamp near Branson and ABM Ministries, a.k.a. Lighthouse Christian Academy, in Piedmont.)

https://www.davidclohessy.com/blog/2nd-letter-to-mo-ag-bailey-re-boarding-schools

CONTACT

David Clohessy 314 566 9790, [email protected] (davidclohessy.com)

Press Conference: 

Wyndham Hotel NRG Houston, Texas.

2 pm Friday, August 16^th.

Ballroom Lobby

SNAP, www.snapnetwork.org, is proud to host our annual conference this weekend at Wyndham Hotel NRG Houston, TX. The conference runs from August 16th to 18th. This event allows us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We are so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and hear powerful messages from keynote speakers such as Cindy Clemshire.

Cindy is the courageous Baptist survivor who last month told The Wartburg Watch that Dallas megachurch founder and pastor, Robert Morris, began sexually abusing her on Christmas Day, 1982, when she was only 12 years old. Cindy said that the assaults continued for four-and-a-half years. Although this was not the first time Cindy had spoken out, the blog piece launched a media storm that ultimately resulted in Pastor Morris stepping down from his pulpit.

Cindy has transformed her experiences into a powerful mission to educate others about grooming and the prevention of sexual abuse. She is a passionate advocate for changing laws to eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims, making these changes retroactive to ensure justice for all.

Through the great work to make our conference and network a success, we are continuing our mission for survivor voices. Our work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors continues as we gather this weekend.

CONTACT: Eduardo Lopez de Casa, SNAP Board of Directors, SNAP Houston ([email protected], 832-641-6319); Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Director ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board of Directors President, Interim Executive Director  ([email protected], 814- 341-8386) 

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Victims beg bishop: ‘Warn your flock!’

Three Catholic clerics have just been sued

One, a deacon, allegedly molested a child

The other 2 clerics are sued for fraud in counseling a couple

SNAP: “Johnston must investigate quickly & announce results”

One of the suits targets a controversial ‘breakaway’ church group

On sidewalk, victims will write names of priests who may still be ‘threats’

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, child abuse victims will use chalk to write on the sidewalk the names of roughly a dozen “proven, admitted or credibly accused” KC MO abusive clerics who are still alive and “may still be a dangerous around kids.”

The will also disclose

--that a Catholic deacon who’s being sued for alleged child sex crimes is likely working now in a Kansas City MO parish, and

--that two Catholic priests and their controversial KC MO-based religious order are being sued NOT FOR  SEXUAL ABUSE but for ‘ fraud’ and ‘privacy invasion’ in counseling sessions that allegedly devastated a parishioner’s family. (It also charges his supervisors with fraud, privacy invasion and intentional infliction of emotional distress.)

The group will hand deliver a letter urging the KC MO bishop to

--immediately investigate the deacon,

--announce the results publicly and promptly, and if need be,

--suspend him and warn parishioners and the public about him, and  

--"aggressively reach out” to anyone who may have “seen, suspected or suffered any wrongdoing” by the man and “urge them to call police, prosecutor or police or a support group so they can protect others and start healing.”