MI--Victims urge bishop to be more honest
For immediate release: Monday, July 6
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])
Saginaw’s bishop owes parishioners and the public more information about a just-suspended priest. We hope the local Catholic hierarchy will be more honest about the allegations against Fr. Denis Heames.
http://www.ourmidland.com/news/diocesan-priest-placed-on-administrative-leave-
of-absence/article_fb0d033a-23ff-11e5-8b96-5f26f85b24b1.html
Bishop Joseph Cistone has temporarily ousted Fr. Heames from St. Mary University parish citing unspecified “boundary violations.” Cistone’s deliberating choosing to keep his flock in the dark by using a vague and confusing term.
Fr. Heames may have raped an adult. He may have ripped off an elderly parishioner. He may have sexually exploited a devout woman seeking counseling. He may have illegally and surreptitiously taken pictures of unsuspecting church members in a bathroom with a hidden camera.
If anything like this happened, Cistone’s flock should be told.
Fr. Heames may have broken church law. But he also may have violated secular law. If Cistone refuses to be specific, citizens and Catholics might not be able to help police and prosecutors pursue Fr. Heames, and a potential criminal may walk free.
We beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes or misdeeds in the Saginaw area – whether by Fr. Heames or other church officials – to call secular authorities, not church officials. Speaking up protects the vulnerable.
Staying silent protects the wrongdoers.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, S[email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])
Diocesan priest placed on administrative leave of absence
Updated: Mon Jul 6, 2015, 1:05 pm.
The Rev. Denis M. Heames, parochial administrator of St. Mary University Parish, Mount Pleasant, has been placed on administrative leave due to boundary violations related to his priestly ministry, Bishop Joseph R. Cistone, of the Saginaw Diocese, announced this weekend. The information was part of a press release released early Monday afternoon.
“Last weekend, it was brought to my attention that Father Heames has been involved in boundary violations related to his priestly conduct, serious enough to require . . .
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director