Rome/Australia--Pope make poor promotion of Australian prelate
For immediate release: Tuesday, Nov. 11
Statement by Nicky Davis, Australia SNAP director ([email protected]) (in Switzerland now)
Pope Francis has made a poor promotion. This time, it’s his new top diplomat: Archbishop Peter Gallagher.
http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=42281#.VGEmMPnF_Mh
Less than a year, in Australia, Gallagher “claimed diplomatic immunity in response to repeated requests for archival documentation that might assist” a governmental inquiry into clergy sex crimes and cover ups. In other words, he exploited legal technicalities to conceal evidence of crimes and cover ups, like literally hundreds of other Catholic officials have done for decades and continue doing.
http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/australian-abuse-inquiry-faces-diplomatic-standoff-vatican
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2013/11_12/2013_12_19_Crittenden_AustralianAbuse.htm
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2014/05_06/2014_06_05_Barlow_WillPope.htm
Fortunately, Gallagher later relented.
But once again, it seems like church officials who conceal crimes, protect predators and endanger kids get rewarded. Once again, it feels like church officials who respond legalistically and selfishly, rather than pastorally and responsibly, get moved up the clerical career ladder.
(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)
Contact - Barbara Blaine (in Switzerland now), president of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312 399 4747, [email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])
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