Media Statements

For immediate release: Monday, Sept. 23, 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])

Bishop Shelton Fabre, an auxiliary bishop of New Orleans since 2006, has been promoted to head the Houma-Thibodaux diocese, succeeding retiring Bishop Sam Jacobs. We are disappointed with this move.

http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/                                                                                              

Earlier this year, we urged Bishop Fabre and his colleagues to aggressively seek out others who may have been hurt by Fr. Mark A. Broussard, who had just been sued for child sexual abuse. As best we can tell, neither Bishop Fabre nor any of his peers took any helpful action. 

For immediate release: Monday, Sept. 23, 2013

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

Shame on every single employee of St. Francis Prep School and the Franciscan Brothers of Brooklyn. They’re using junk yard dog lawyers to force a child sex abuse victim to publicly reveal her identity.

For decades, Catholic officials have deliberately used inexcusable and mean-spirited tactics to intimidate victims, witnesses and whistleblowers into staying silent about clergy sex crimes and cover ups. But there’s no more inexcusable and mean-spirited tactic than this one – insisting that a victim of a heinous, invasive and devastating child sex crime disclose her name. 

For immediate release: Monday, Sept. 23

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

It seems clear that at least three top Catholic officials hid, tampered with, or tried to tamper with evidence in a recent clergy sex abuse case. In light of this, we call on Minnesota prosecutors to open a grand jury investigation into the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese’s handling of clergy sex crimes.

A lengthy Minnesota Public Radio story details how high-ranking staff of the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese kept Fr. Curtis C. Wehmeyer on the job despite “repeated troubling actions by and allegations against” the priest. 

For immediate release: Friday, Sept. 20, 2013                                                             

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

We are grateful that Fr. Robert Poandl has been found guilty to sexually abusing a 10 year old boy. However, we are worried that he may receive such a light sentence.

We are especially grateful to this brave victim and his family. Their courage to speak up, their wisdom to seek justice and their patience to endure delays has been heroic. Because of their compassion and determination, this dangerous predator will always be publicly known as a child molester.

For immediate release: Friday, Sept. 20, 2013

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

After arranging the meeting on Craig’s List, a Scranton priest was arrested last night with a teenager in his car. 

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/old-forge-priest-charged-with-sex-crimes-against-teen-met-through-craigslist-1.1555722

Starting this Sunday, Scranton’s bishop should go to each parish where Fr. Reverend William Jeffery Paulish worked, begging anyone who may have any information on suspicions about this situation to call police or prosecutors.

For immediate release: Friday, Sept. 20, 2013

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

Fairbanks Bishop Donald Kettler has been named to head the St. Cloud Minnesota diocese. We’re disappointed by this choice.

Kettler graduated from St. John’s in St. Cloud, a dreadfully abuse-ridden institution. For a decade he’s run a scandal-ridden diocese. (There are 45 proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting Fairbanks clerics, according to BishopAccountability.org) We’ve seen no signs that Kettler has learned from these experiences and handles child sex crimes any differently than most of his peers, who continue to put their careers above the well-being of their flocks.

Victims blast bishop over ‘delay, secrecy & deception’

For immediate release: Friday, Sept. 20, 2013

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

A week after returning a troubled priest back on the job in Alton, Springfield’s Catholic bishop is letting another priest – who worked in Granite City - temporarily resign because he’s accused of child sex crimes. But the bishop kept the accusation secret for weeks. And the bishop continues to use misleading language and doing the bare minimum.

For immediate release: Friday, Sept. 20, 2013 

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

Pope Francis continues to make comments and gestures that show compassion and a willingness to break old, unhealthy church patterns. And he makes millions of Catholics feel better.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/world/europe/pope-bluntly-faults-churchs-focus-on-gays-and-abortion.html?hp&_r=0

But it's time for him to bring these traits to bear on the crisis that even he refuses to deal with – the church’s on-going and rampant child sex abuse and cover up crisis.

For immediate release: Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013

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

A week after returning a troubled priest back on the job, Springfield’s Catholic bishop is letting another priest who’s accused of child sex crimes temporarily resign. But the bishop sat on the accusation for weeks, keeping it secret. And the bishop continues to use misleading language and doing the bare minimum.

http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x1837087565/Former-Jacksonville-priest-being-investigated

Today, Bishop Thomas Paprocki temporarily let Fr. Robert “Bud” DeGrand resign from his posts at Catholic parishes in Sigel, Neoga, Green Creek and Lillyville.

For immediate release: Thursday, Sept. 19, 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])

A high profile priest, suspected of molesting kids more than a decade ago, is now one step closer to being imprisoned. While we applaud this move, we’re appalled that this criminal has tied up the court system with a seven year trial and 200 hearings over 11 years while spending only one month behind bars despite sexually assaulting at least two boys.