Media Statements

For immediate release: Tuesday, Aug. 20

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])

It’s inappropriate and unseemly for a purported shepherd to use religious services to harshly attack the motives of others. It’s always suspect when a powerful officials claims the news media is to blame for his difficulties.

And it’s extraordinarily cruel to publicly accuse an abuse victims parents of trying to “undermine the Ministry of individual Priests . . .or Bishops (sic),” as Myers did on Sunday.

For immediate release: Monday, August 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])

Though we are glad the first Sandusky case has settled, we hope that at least one of them goes to trial.

We strongly suspect there’s more to this whole sordid affair than has surfaced. We are convinced that a trial – in open court, where defendants face tough questions under oath – is the best way to fully expose the wrongdoing of Sandusky’s peers and supervisors. 

For immediate release: August 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 Houston pastor has been arrested for sexually abusing a 8-year-old girl.

We applaud the young girl’s family for reporting the abuse of Romulo Jimenez to authorities. 

For immediate release Friday, August 16

Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, president of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747, [email protected])

An Argentine Catholic cleric alleged to have abused more than 50 children faces an appeal of his recent acquittal.

For immediate release: Thursday August 15, 2013

Statement by Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director, 314-862-7688 [email protected]

Because of a legal short coming, a credibly accused Chilean predator priest is listed as able to work around kids.

Statement by Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director, 314-862-7688 [email protected]

Police have charged an Iowa imam with sexual abuse and sexual exploitation by a member of the clergy.

A 42-year-old woman and her 18-year-old daughter were sexually assaulted by a Muslim religious official in their home. Nermin Spahic was invited into their home to perform a religious ceremony to help with the daughter’s personal issues. 

August 15, 2013

Committee against Torture calls Catholic officials to account

For the second time in recent months, a United Nations panel will soon determine if Vatican officials are complying with an international treaty. The Geneva-based UN Committee Against Torture (CAT) has set next May as the date for a review of whether top church officials are honoring the 1984 treaty on torture.

http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/TreatyBodyExternal/SessionsList.aspx?Treaty=CAT

For immediate release: Wednesday, August 14, 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 Delaware priest, who claims there’s a “war on the Roman Catholic priesthood” has just been elected head of America's Catholic religious orders. He also insists that two convicted child molesters are innocent and that prosecutors are “overzealous.” We think he’s an extremist. 

He is Fr. James J. Greenfield, an official with the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. He insists that his colleague Fr. Charles Engelhardt and Bernard Spero, who were found guilty of child sex crimes in January by a Philadelphia jury, were wrongly convicted.

For immediate release: Tuesday, Aug. 13

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

Authorities have charged a Houston pastor with sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl.

This predator is away from kids largely because, according to one news account, “a church member who saw suspicious activity . . . continuously voiced her concerns.” We are grateful to this brave and compassionate person for speaking up.

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])

Archbishop John Myers answers under oath are pathetic. He wants us to believe everyone and everything else is at fault, while he allegedly did nothing wrong.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/depo/2010_05_12_Myers_Deposition/

He blames allegedly bad files, therapists, underlings, canon law (p. 188) and even buildings (page 34 & 145).