Media Statements

For immediate release: Wednesday, Aug. 26

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

Statement by Jeff Jones, Peoria SNAP leader (jjones10072gmail.com, 815 985 9441)

We are saddened that Peoria’s bishop says nothing about calling the police about a child sex abuse report against one of his priests.

For immediate release: Wednesday, Aug. 26

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

A credibly accused predator prelate walks free now in Rome, according to the BBC. We join with staff at BishopAccountability.org in questioning how top Catholic officials can apparently be so reckless.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/statements/2015_08_24_Doyle_Wesolowski_Reportedly_Free_in_Vatican_City.htm

http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2015/08/150811_republica_dominicana_wesolowski_nuncio_vaticano_juicio_mes_sin_fecha_lv

For immediate release: Wednesday, Aug. 26

Statement by Verne Wagner of Duluth, Northeast MN SNAP director (218- 340-1277, [email protected])

Kids are safer every time information about those who commit or conceal child sex crimes is made public. So we’re disappointed in Judge Shaun Floerke ruling that limits disclosures about clergy sex crimes and cover ups in Duluth in a civil lawsuit.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/3825189-judge-denies-broad-access-church-abuse-documents

For immediate release: Wednesday, Aug. 26

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003, [email protected])

A woman in St. Louis is charged with sexually abusing an infant. A woman from Park Hills is charged with promoting under-aged prostitution. A woman in New York is charged with promoting prostitution through a website called RentBoy.com

Today, these three stories appear in just two news sources: the Post-Dispatch and the New York Times.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lemay-woman-sexually-abused-child-while-boyfriend-videotaped-crimes-police/article_e0344732-0270-568a-8484-a22718f30328.html

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/missouri-couple-charged-with-luring-girls-into-prostitution/article_0660574f-a763-576a-acf7-730ed659855a.html

For immediate release: Tuesday, Aug. 25

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

A judge has awarded $5 million to a brave victim of a Houston predator priest. We hope this victim’s courage will inspire others who are in pain because of child molesting clerics to step forward, seek justice, expose predators and protect kids. And we hope it will prod Catholics in Beaumont and Yakima to urge their bishops to do more to supervise the serial pedophile.

http://www.kimatv.com/news/crime-and-justice/322723751.html

http://www.kapptv.com/article/2015/aug/24/multi-million-dollar-award-issued-yakima-sexual-ab/

For immediate release: Monday, Aug. 24

Statement by Becky Ianni of Burke VA, DC area director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (703 801 6044, [email protected])

We doubt Fr. Espinoza was ever on the Arlington bishop's payroll. But we know seven things.

First, he admitted raping a teenager.

Second, he was around kids in the DC area (including in the Arlington diocese).

For immediate release: Tuesday, Aug. 25

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

We hope youth pastor Jeffery London is given the toughest sentence possible today. And the minute he’s sentenced, we hope that Miami area church officials and charter school officials start working hard to find others London has hurt.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-jeffery-london-sentenced-20150825-story.html

For immediate release: Monday, Aug. 24

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

We are glad that a judge has awarded a brave victim of a Yakima predator priest a $5 million judgment. We hope this victim’s courage will inspire others who are in pain because of child molesting clerics to step forward, seek justice, expose predators and protect kids.

http://www.kimatv.com/news/crime-and-justice/322723751.html

http://www.kapptv.com/article/2015/aug/24/multi-million-dollar-award-issued-yakima-sexual-ab/

For immediate release: Monday, Aug. 24

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

We’re grateful that Rev. Gregory Ivan Hawkins has gotten a tough sentence. Now, however, others at Zion Plaza Church and Zion Child Care& Learning Center must launch an aggressive outreach campaign to find and help others who are in pain because of Rev. Hawkins’ crimes.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/tulsa-pastor-sentenced-to-seven-life-sentences-for-sexually-abusing/article_7d82ce2b-31f8-5e3e-8a39-2093f1a3e87d.html