SNAP Media Events

For immediate release: Thursday, April 14, 2016

For more information: David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])

Abuse victims to leaflet parishes

They’re worried about convicted predator

Despite priest’s guilt, Vatican lifted his suspension

Group wants to find other “victims, witnesses or whistleblowers”

SNAP: “Another criminal case is our only chance to protect other kids”

Weeks ago, Vatican officials lifted the suspension of a Catholic priest who pled guilty to child sex crimes last year in Minnesota.

For immediate release: Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home,[email protected])

We’re glad a judge will consider Denny Hastert’s most recent wrongdoing – his attempt to frame a man he molested as a child – when he sentences the politician. This is the second worst crime Hastert committed, second only to his repeated child sex crimes.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-dennis-hastert-filing-unsealed-met-20160413-story.html

Victims to protest huge Protestant conference

Several controversial ministers are set to speak

Their denomination is accused of hiding predators

It’s now based in Louisville and has 70 churches as members

Group says ministers’ roles “will deter others from reporting abuse”

SNAP: “And it rubs salt into the deep wounds of those hurt on their watch”   

WHAT

Holding signs, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hand leaflets to church members outside a big Protestant conference. The fliers urge attendees to

--tell conference organizers they’re wrong to let a minister who’s accused of hiding child sex crimes speak at the event, and

--boycott conference sessions led by several controversial clergymen

Victims prod church to “take action”

Youth minister was arrested last week

He’s accused of molesting three children

SNAP: “Parents, ask your kids if they were hurt”

Group wants Methodist officials to “do outreach”

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will

--blast local church officials for their public comments in a pending child sex abuse case,

--urge them to “do aggressive outreach” seeking other “victims, witnesses and whistleblowers,”

--beg parents in the congregation to “ask their kids if they were hurt,” and

--prod anyone who may have “seen, suspected or suffered” crimes by the minister – or cover ups by his colleagues or supervisors – to “protect kids by calling law enforcement immediately.”

For immediate release: Wednesday, April 6, 2016

For more information: David Clohessy (314) 566-9790 cell, [email protected], Pam Palmer (240) 994-1278 cell, [email protected]

Abuse victims to protest outside big church conference

They want preacher accused of concealing crimes “disinvited”

But event organizers are ignoring their request sent last week

Group says preacher’s role “will deter others from reporting abuse”

SNAP: “And it rubs salt into wounds of those who were hurt on his watch”

A support group for clergy sex abuse victims will protest outside a religious conference in Louisville later this month that is expected to draw more than 8,000 church-goers and staff.

“Damning church document” surfaces  

It’s about Georgia’s most notorious predator priest

In 1980s, he admitted his crimes to 4 church officials

“He could have been stopped long ago,” group charges

SNAP: Memo shows Boston-style cover ups happened here

Victims also release list of 6 “largely unknown” Atlanta pedophiles

“Virtually none of them have attracted local attention,” group says

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will disclose a “damning” never-before-seen internal church memo showing that four top Georgia Catholic officials heard the state’s most notorious predator priest admit abusing kids decades ago, but they told no one and kept him on the job for years, allowing him to assault more children, and

They will also disclose a list of six predator priests who worked or spent time in Atlanta, been but have gotten little - if any - public attention in Georgia.

And they will also prod Catholic officials to post on church websites, “for the safety of kids,” the names, photos and whereabouts of child molesting clerics, like roughly 30 US bishops have done.

Victims' group discloses a “disturbing letter”

It shows church kept abuse report hidden

Support group blasts Mennonite officials for “secrecy”

SNAP: “Suspected crimes must be reported to police”

WHAT

Holding signs and photos, abuse victims and their supporters will

--disclose a letter showing that church officials hid suspected crimes for a year and a half,

--give a copy of the letter to police, and

--urge anyone who sees, suspects or suffers abusive crimes to tell secular officials, not church officials.

Victims “out” another predator priest

He was cited in new PA grand jury report

And he is the 14th accused child molesting SC cleric

Group urges Catholic bishop to “come clean & end slow torture”

Church officials refuse to do “real outreach,” support group says

SNAP warns: “Recently suspended cleric could be put back to work”

What:
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will disclose that
--a predator priest recently suspended because of abuse allegations in Pennsylvania also worked in SC,
--he’s the 14 alleged predator priest to have worked in the state, and
--at least seven civil lawsuits are pending against predator priests in SC, including one filed last October.
The group will prod
--Charleston Catholic bishop to permanently post on parish websites the names of all predator priests who have worked or lived – or now work or live – in the diocese.
--“anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered sexual misdeeds, crimes or cover ups” in the state to “call police, expose wrongdoing and protect others.”