Media Statements

For immediate release: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014

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

The Pope made another move today to purportedly ‘clean up’ the Vatican bank.

It may seem like an odd question, but does Pope Francis care more about money than children? He pushes out church officials who are allegedly complicit with financial misdeeds but not those complicit with sex crime cover ups.

He gently moves aside a few bishops who are too stern in their demeanor or too ostentatious in their dress. But he won’t act against bishops who are too close to child molesting clerics, too reckless with kids’ safety or too callous toward wounded victims.

For immediate release: Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Statement by SNAP spokesman Kate Bochte 630 768 1860 (cell),[email protected]

Chicago Cardinal Francis George must answer two simple questions. First, why not disclose the names and the records of ALL Chicago child molesting clerics, whether they’ve been sued or not and whether he’s been forced to or not. And second, why not disclose the names and records of dozens of Chicago child molesting religious order clerics (Jesuits, Marianists, etc.) like 14 of his colleagues have done?

He claims he’s “committed” to “transparency.”http://www.catholicnewworld.com/cnwonline/2014/0112/cardinal.aspx

But he deliberately protects the roughly 1/3 of all child molesting clerics who work or have worked in his archdiocese by hiding their identities.

Child molesting clerics who have worked/lived in Chicago

Each has received little or virtually no public attention in the area

Most have molested children elsewhere in one case, dozens of them

And none have ever been disclosed by Cardinal Francis George or his staff

For immediate release: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014

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

A high ranking Ft. Worth Catholic official, Msgr. Stephen Berg, is the new bishop of Pueblo. He takes over a diocese with a dismal record on children’s safety.

We hope that he will take decisive action to safeguard kids, instead of just posturing and promising the way most bishops do.

For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 14 2014

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

For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014

Statement by Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach CA, western regional director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (949 322 7434,[email protected])

This indictment is a huge victory for Kelly's victims, who have fought for years to ensure that what happened to them never happens to another child. We salute them for their tenacity against what seemed to be huge odds.

The indictment is also the main reason that victims pursue justice in the civil courts. Civil lawsuits can be the best way to unearth evidence that can help law enforcement and grand juries.

For immediate release: Tuesday, January 14, 2014

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

We support the victims and advocates who want to see the Northern Ireland institutional abuse investigation to spread to England and Wales.

http://www.theguardian.com/global/2014/jan/13/child-abuse-inquiry-northern-ireland-extend-england-wales

It targets Sacramento children’s home

For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014

For more information: Dr. Joseph C. George (916-641-7300,[email protected])

For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

Several child sexual and physical abuse lawsuits against Catholic institutions in South Dakota have been tossed out at the urging of local Catholic officials.

http://listen.sdpb.org/post/church-sex-abuse-cases-dismissed

It is shameful that Catholic officials are exploiting a legal technicality to evade responsibility for heinous crimes against kids that they could and should have prevented. And it’s equally shameful that legislators are enabling complicit Catholic officials to get by with this.