Priest Found “Unsuitable for Ministry” Following Accusations of Abuse
A priest who had been placed on leave in January following allegations of sexual abuse has been found “unsuitable for ministry.” We call on Catholic officials in Philadelphia to do outreach to potential victims and to publicize complete information on this cleric so that local communities will be fully aware of the allegations.
In January of 2019, Msgr. Joseph Logrip was placed on administrative leave while Church leaders in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia investigated allegations of abuse against him. But this is not the first time that Msgr. Logrip was the subject of such an investigation. He had been investigated by Catholic officials on similar accusations in 2011. Howver, the clergyman was returned to ministry in 2014. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia owes the faithful and the public an explanation as to why the earlier allegation was found to be “not credible.”
To us this situation shows how Catholic officials in Philadelphia have not taken claims of abuse seriously nor done the right thing when allegations were received, especially since they refused to disclose publicly that Msgr. Logrip had been a volunteer at the K-8 school St. Aloysius Academy for decades.
Church leaders in Philadelphia owe it to their communities to be open and honest about Msgr. Logrip. They should not only disclose his removal, but also his full work history to all parishes in their community and to the public so that parents and parishioners know to look among their own for survivors. In addition, they should turn over all information to the police and to the Attorney General, if they have not already done so.
We are grateful to Kathy Kane and Susan Matthews of Catholics 4 Change for their consistent pressure on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and for getting critical information about Msgr. Logrip into the public when Church leaders in Philadelphia refused to do so.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, Volunteer Philadelphia Area SNAP Leader ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Zach Hiner, SNAP 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