MO--STL priest removed for abuse
Statement by Barbara Dorris of SNAP 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])
Another credibly accused St. Louis predator priest has been “outed” but Archbishop Robert Carlson is providing only the sketchiest of details about him.
He’s Fr. John J. Ghio. Carlson will only say the accusations against him are “recently reported.”
http://archstl.org/node/4334559
But we suspect that allegations against Fr. Ghio surfaced months or even years ago.
We applaud the brave person who was strong enough to step forward, get help, expose Fr. Ghio and warn the public about him. We hope this disclosure will help that individual in his or her healing. And we are confident that this move will make children safer.
We urge victims, and whistleblowers to contact secular authorities, not church officials. And we beg anyone who may have seen, suspected, or suffered clergy crimes - by this cleric or others - to come forward, call police, expose wrongdoing, protect kids and start healing.
Carlson should personally visit every parish where Fr. Ghio worked and beg anyone with information or suspicions about him to call law enforcement immediately. And he should put Fr. Ghio in a remote, secure, independent treatment center so that kids are safer. Until this happens, Carlson should disclose where Fr. Ghio is now, again, so that kids will be safer.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years and have 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)
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