Media Statements

For immediate release: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013

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

Catholic officials with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis admitted today to paying at least nine predator priests.

For immediate release: Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013

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

It’s official – on April 27, Pope John Paul II becomes a saint.

And it’s hurtful.

Here is a letter being sent today to Cardinal Tim Dolan, head of the New York archdiocese:

(NOTE: At 1:30 today, SNAP is holding a news conference about this outside St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.)

October 1, 2013

Dear Cardinal Dolan:

We are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org). Our mission is to heal the wounded and protect the vulnerable. We believe you are acting irresponsibly regarding Deacon Al Mazza.

September 30, 2013

Dear Archbishop Nienstedt:

You and your top staff have acted recklessly, callously, deceptively and secretively in the case of Fr. Curtis Wehmeyer. These hurtful acts cannot be “un-done.” But you can – and should – act now to prevent more irresponsible and harmful behavior by your staff in the future, by

---disciplining at least three church employees over how they handled Fr. Wehmeyer and

---holding an open meeting to answer questions from parishioners and the public about this case.

And group wants archbishop to hold open public meeting

In sharply worded letter, SNAP blasts “recklessness, callousness and deceit"

For Immediate Release: September 30, 2013

For more information: David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP Director 314-566-9790 cell, [email protected], Bob Schwiderski of Wayzata 952-471-3422, [email protected]

For immediate release: Monday, Sept. 30, 2013

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

Cardinal Tim Dolan has apparently kept silent for months about an accused child molesting cleric. And instead of urging people to call police, Dolan is makes the same self-serving but hurtful plea bishops have made for decades – asking those with information about child sex crimes to call church officials, not police or prosecutors.

Shame on him.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20130929/NEWS/309290037/?nclick_check=1

Deacon Al Mazza has been dismissed from his duties at Church of the Holy Name of Mary Croton-on-Hudson has been “permanently removed from ministry.” 

For immediate release: Monday, September 30, 2013

Statement by NJ SNAP director Mark Crawford (732-632-7687, [email protected])

For months, Trenton’s Catholic bishop has kept hidden the fact that one of his priests sent 1,200  inappropriate sexual text messages to what he thought was a teenaged boy and had sexually harassed at least five teenagers and young men, some of whom were seminarians.

http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/print.html?entry=/2013/09/priest_in_sexting_sting_thought_he_was_talking_to_16-year-old_boy_wanted_to_meet.html

The bishop is irresponsible and disingenuous. His excuses ring hollow. His flock should be outraged.

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

A Colorado Springs priest was sentenced on Wednesday to four years of probation for “contributing to the delinquency of a minor.” He had been accused of molesting a boy, giving him liquor and marijuana, kissing the boy on the lips, taking the boy to get his nipples pierced, and engaging in other sexual acts.

Now, Colorado church officials should aggressively seek out others who may have seen, suspected or suffered the cleric’s crimes. 

For immediate release: Friday, Sept. 27, 2013

For more information: David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP Director (314) 566-9790 cell, [email protected]

Accused serial predator Fr. Joseph Shannon of Camden has passed away in a Missouri church facility that houses child molesting clerics. We are grateful that he will never again be able to hurt any more kids.

For more information: David Clohessy 566-9790, [email protected], Barbara Dorris 862 7688, [email protected]

St. Louis priest sentenced to probation

He "contributed to delinquency" of boy

Case has "unusual aspects," SNAP says

Cleric spent more than a decade in MO         

But in odd move, he was sent to Colorado

Priest followed a St. Louis bishop who was also sent there