OKC Diocese Knew of Abuse Allegation in 2001 Yet Only Added Priest to their List Now
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City just disclosed the name of another priest with a "substantiated" allegation of child sexual abuse, despite having known about the allegation for nearly two decades. This is a disturbing revelation that calls into question the cooperation of Catholic officials with the recently released report into clergy abuse in the archdiocese.
According to The Oklahoman, Fr. Papa-Rao Pasala worked in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City for approximately a month in 2001, a short amount of time that was apparently enough for this priest to make “inappropriate but not criminal” advances towards a teenage girl. This is an alarming fact that gives us cause for concern that Fr. Pasala abused elsewhere. We fear that he has victims on both sides of 2001, and in other places.
This situation is yet another example of the intentional cover up of abuse by shuffling a priest to another country. It is especially concerning that Fr. Pasala was working in a parish in the Diocese of Baker, OR, when the allegation against him was at last "substantiated."
We call on Archbishop Paul Coakley to share details on how Fr. Pasala was transferred into and out of the archdiocese and what was done in 2001 when the allegations against him were first received. We also call on the attorney general of Oklahoma to launch his own investigation into abuse within the state, and to determine if there are any cases in the archdiocesan files, still being examined, that could be acted on by police and prosecutors today.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. 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