Media Statements

For immediate release, October 12, 2018

Statement by Becky Ianni, SNAP Treasurer, Local DC SNAP leader, (703) 801-6044   [email protected]

We are thankful that Pope Francis has finally accepted the resignation of Cardinal Wuerl, who led the Archdiocese of Washington for many years. We hope that this action will bring healing to victims of clergy sexual abuse and relief to Catholics in the Archdiocese of Washington.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2018/10/12/pope-francis-accepts-retirement-dcs-archbishop-cardinal-wuerl-amid-criticism-wuerls-handling-abuse-claims/?utm_term=.69b177e7002b

Catholic officials from the Diocese of Vermont have announced today that they will release “some” names of priests accused of sexual abuse.

Bishops from the Catholic dioceses in California have announced their intentions to release lists of names of priests accused of sexual abuse. So far, the Dioceses of Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose and San Bernardino have said they will be releasing names.

Bishops from the Catholic dioceses throughout the state of Texas announced today that they will be releasing the names of all clergy “credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors dating back from 1950 through today.”

A priest from the Diocese of San Diego has been suspended following credible accusations of abuse. According to the Times of San Diego, Fr. Justin Langille has been removed from his posts in San Carlos and Tierrasanta.

In August, the Diocese of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania told the public that they knew where accused predator priests were and that they had given that information they had to law enforcement officials. Today it appears that the information they had was actually precious little information since Diocesan officials have now come out and said they don’t actually know where all of their accused priests are.

On Tuesday, an accused predator priest will be in court again, facing charges that he abused at least two children while serving in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (with another survivor having recently come forward, but not yet filed charges). But before Fr. Manuel LaRosa-Lopez returns to court, we call on Houston’s top Catholic official to take steps to avoid potentially intimidating or hurting more victims.

For immediate release: October 4, 2018

We are thrilled to hear that the Florida Attorney General’s office has launched a statewide criminal investigation regarding sexual abuse by priests. Investigations like these – fully independent and backed by subpoena power – are the best way to get the truth regarding sex abuse scandals and cover-ups and we support the action today by AG Pam Bondi.

Another victim has come forward to the police alleging sexual assault by Father Manuel Larosa-Lopez while the survivor was an altar boy in the early to mid 1990’s while Fr. LaRosa-Lopez was in seminary.  At the time of the abuse, the victim reported the abuse to the local supervising priest but no action was taken to remove Fr. LaRosa-Lopez from the seminary. Instead, Fr. LaRosa-Lopez was ordained into ministry.

Yesterday, investigators and law enforcement empowered by Michigan’s Attorney General Bill Schuette served search warrants at seven dioceses across the state, seizing misconduct records and other files related to potential abuse and cover-up cases.

This kind of action is exactly what we mean when we call for independent investigations. Rather than hoping for a voluntary release of files, Schuette compelled their release and in doing so ensured that he received all records, not just those that officials had deemed OK to be released. Given that the latter has been seen as recently as two weeks in Buffalo, it is understandable why AG Schuette chose to execute his warrants this way.