RI--Priest who abused in ND hurt 100s, panel is told

For immediate release: Monday, June 22

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003, [email protected])

A priest who molested Rhode Island kids, who “abused hundreds of children over decades” and should have never been ordained, a Northern Ireland government panel.

The testimony comes as part of a week-long inquiry into “what opportunities there were to (stop the priest’s abuse) of children and whether any action, or inaction, amounted to systemic failings.”   

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0622/709660-brendan-smyth/

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-33223162  

At least three abuse and cover up lawsuits (in 2010 and 2008) have been filed in Rhode Island because of child sex crimes by Fr. Brendan Smyth.

One of those victims is Helen McGonigle, a Connecticut attorney, who disclosed in 2006 to the Providence diocese that Smyth had sexually abused her as a child, beginning when she was in 1st grade and attending Our Lady of Mercy School in 1967. She said that Smyth threatened her with death if she told. (WBUR, January 27, 2010)

In 2007, Providence Catholic officials admitted that they had received eight abuse reports about Smyth. (East Greenwich Pendulum, October 25, 2007)

Smyth died in prison after being convicted of indecently assaulting 74 children in the Republic of Ireland and 43 others in Northern Ireland.

We call on Rhode Island Bishop Thomas Tobin and every single diocesan or parish employee in the state to show some courage, break their silence, act with compassion and use every possible means to reach out to and help others who were sexually violated by Smyth and his complicit clerical colleagues. It’s not enough for a church official to say “We’re sorry for his crimes.” Church officials must use their vast resources – parish websites, pulpit announcements, new releases and church bulletins – to seek out and console those who have been suffering for decades because of this predator.

Finally, we commend the brave individuals who were hurt as kids by Smyth and found the strength to expose this pedophile and those who protected him for decades and sought – and won – justice in the courts. We hope his passing brings them comfort, knowing that Smyth will no longer ever be able to assault anyone else.

(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, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])