SNAP Legal Action

(For Immediate Release October 4, 2022)

According to a release by church officials, a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Washington has been placed on leave following an accusation of sexual abuse of minors that is reported to have occurred in another diocese decades ago.  

As listed on the parish website, Cardinal Wuerl named Father Robert P. Buchmeier to work at Holy Cross Parish and School, Garrett Park, Maryland in 2015. Buchmeier also worked at St. John the Evangelist Parish, Clinton; St. Bernardine of Siena Parish, Suitland; Christ the King Parish, Silver Spring; St. Mary Parish, Bryantown; and St. John the Evangelist Parish, Clinton. Other work assignments include St. Nicholas Parish, Laurel, from 1998 to 2005; St. Columba Parish, Oxon Hill, from 2005 to 2011; and Sacred Heart Parish in La Plata from 2011. Buchmeier was ordained in 1991 after studying at John XXIII seminary for delayed vocations in Weston, Massachusetts.

Sadly, we are shocked at how quickly church officials point out that the allegation is from decades ago as if they are already dismissing the complaint. The average age for a survivor to come forward is 52. As time marches on, we will likely see more victims of clergy, religious and institutional abuse from the 1990s and 2000s, as they are finally ready to speak out. The standard narrative for diocesan statements often includes that the -clergy abuse crisis- is a thing of the past. We know that it is very much a thing of the present and the future, those victims who have yet to disclose their abuse, also hold the name of their abuser.

We now urge those with rank in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. dioceses and employers of Buchmeier, since his vocation was delayed, to employ every resource at their disposal to notify the community, parents, and parishioners about the claims, as well as to encourage potential victims or witnesses to come forward and make a report to police and call the Alexandria Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division at 703-746-4444. We know that informed communities are safer communities, and we hope church officials take these steps immediately. 

Contact: David Lorenz, Maryland SNAP Leader ([email protected], 301-906-9161) Becky Ianni, Virginia State Leader SNAP (703-801-6044, [email protected]) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)  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 more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

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(For Immediate Release October 3, 2022)

Another allegation of sexual abuse has been levied against a Chicago area priest. We call for transparency from the Archdiocese of Chicago and hope that this news will encourage other survivors of sexual violence to come forward to seek healing and justice.

According to reports, a retired priest named Fr. John Clemens has been accused of sexual abuse in an incident from approximately 50 years ago. While news media covering this story have used that time frame to cast aspersions on the allegation, the reality is that this lapse in time from incident to report is well within the norm based on the scientific fact of delayed disclosure. It can take survivors decades to come forward and report abuse, and we believe this claim should be taken seriously and investigated fully.

To that point, we call on Church leaders in the Archdiocese of Chicago to clarify to whom they reported the allegation. In their statement, Catholic officials say they have reported the allegation to civil authorities, and based on their track record, we believe this likely means they reported the allegation to the Department of Children and Family Services. This is a creative dodge used by the Archdiocese to claim they reported abuse, but in reality, does nothing because DCFS does not investigate historical cases of abuse. This allegation should have been reported to the local police and district attorney’s office, and we call on Cardinal Blase Cupich to be clearer with his words regarding where and when this allegation was reported.

Finally, regardless of what actions the Church has taken, we know that the best way for survivors to heal and protect other children is to make their own reports to law enforcement. We hope that this story will encourage any still-suffering survivors in the Chicagoland area to talk with a trusted friend, family member, or therapist so that they can start healing and find ways to break their silence.

​CONTACT:  Larry Antonsen, SNAP Leader Chicago ([email protected], 773-255-3382) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)  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 more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

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 (For Immediate Release October 3, 2022) 

Pope Francis has appointed ten new members to the Pontifical Commission for minors. The seven women and three men join the nine other members who have been reappointed, as well as one member who was appointed for a three-year term last year. However, despite these new appointments and the inclusion of the Commission in the Curia, survivors see little change in the way victims are treated by the Catholic Church.

We would be more impressed if the Church opened its books and publicly identified those who prey on children and adults. Removing all perpetrators from ministry permanently and handing all information on these cases over to secular authorities would have a greater effect on the scandal, in our opinion.

True reform would also include the Church doing more to assist survivors. Funding for counseling and other critical services should be made available to victims rather than paying lobbyists who advocate for keeping the courthouse doors closed to survivors. 

It is critical to remember that the Catholic Church has landed at this juncture as a result of gutsy survivors speaking out, organizations mobilizing and supporting victims, great reporters communicating the truth, and investigative government agencies identifying criminal acts. Without the efforts of civil society, Church officials might have continued unabated recycling abusers and moving them to unsuspecting populations. 

For more than 30 years, survivors have pounded on the Church's door, requesting help for survivors as well as the ouster of predators, as well as the individuals who defend them. It is past time for Catholic officials to understand this message. 

CONTACT:  Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)  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 more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

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(For Immediate Release October 1, 2022) 

The Vatican disclosed on Thursday that it quietly reprimanded East Timor bishop and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Carlos Ximenes Belo two years ago in response to allegations that he sexually molested youngsters in East Timor decades ago. The Vatican's reaction came in response to inquiries from reporters following an article published this week in the Dutch magazine De Groene Amsterdammer. Sadly, we find this easy to believe. And if it's true, we also see this as very troubling.

We admire the victims' bravery in stepping forward. Fighting influential organizations takes willpower and guts. This situation exemplifies the disparity between rhetoric and decisive action of Vatican officials. We consider it a red signal when someone says something happened and then quietly sweeps it under the rug with retirement plans. Vatican officials have the ability but not the desire to make the required changes. Transparency and accountability appear to remain elusive at every level of the Catholic church throughout the world.

We are not surprised by this revelation about Bishop Belo. Our concern is a glaring one and an inexcusable one. We learn from many allegations of sexual abuse against children that there are often more victims. In this tragedy, the Vatican set Belo free to have access to potentially more victims.  Bishop after bishop and church officials claim, repeatedly, “we just didn’t know.” For us, we just don’t believe anything from them and join the UN and our friends at Bishop Accountability in a call for a full investigation.

The choice is simple. We can generally assume that Catholic officials lack the knowledge to do what’s right in clergy sex abuse and cover-up cases. That’s what many Catholics and citizens have done for decades, especially when the accused wrongdoer had supporters in their backyards. Or we can generally assume that Catholic officials wish to continue a track of self-preservation and allow surprise news to manifest itself daily.

We urge anyone with information regarding Belo to report their information to secular authorities. 

CONTACT:   Mike McDonnell, Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578) 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)

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(For Immediate Release September 28, 2022)

Coptic Survivor and SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, wrote to two Coptic bishops yesterday. The advocates want the prelates to explain the exact nature of the complaints behind the removal of a Maryland priest from ministry in 2013. The advocates have heard that the complaints involved the sexual abuse of children and targeted adults. They are concerned because the cleric is now pastoring at a church in South Carolina.

Fr. Guirguis Ghobrial, AKA Fr. George Gobrail, was removed from ministry at St. Mary Coptic Church in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2013 following “complaints." The exact nature of those “complaints” was not explained in the announcement removing the priest from St. Mary “to preserve the confidentiality and the dignity of the priesthood.” However, Coptic Survivor has been told that the complaints accused Fr. Guirguis of sexual abuse.

Fr. Guirguis is now in ministry at Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Greenville, South Carolina. However, members of the faithful in that parish had heard that Maryland complaints involved sexual abuse and were also alarmed by certain actions taken by Fr. Guirguis in their church. They reached out to Bishop Peter, head of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky, and Bishop Youssef of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, who investigated the Maryland complaints. The church members did not receive any response from Bishop Peter, and Bishop Youssef merely said that “I trust the wisdom of Bishop Peter.”

Coptic Survivor and SNAP are now openly giving the two bishops an opportunity to supply clarification about the exact nature of the Maryland complaints so that members of the South Carolina parish can be assured that Fr. Guirguis does not present a risk to church members or to the public.

The complete text of the letter, sent by email on September 28, 2022, to Bishop Peter of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky and Bishop Youssef of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States is attached as a PDF.

Fr. Guirguis Ghobrial, AKA Fr. George Gobrail

Fr. Guirguis Ghobrial Timeline:

August 1957: Fr. Guirguis born in Cairo, Egypt

1970’s/80’s: During college, Fr. Guirguis worked in the youth and elementary ministry at St. George and St. Sarabamon Church in Cairo

1986: Fr. Guirguis married on October 7, and was ordained a priest less than 2 months later on December 5, 1986; his son was born in 1987

Aug 10, 1995: Fr. Guirguis assigned by Pope Shenouda to work at St.Mary’s Church in Savage, MD, as the first/head priest to work in this parish

July 4, 2012: Fr. Guirguis is elevated to the high rank of priesthood - “Hegomen” 

Jan/Feb 2013: Pope Tawadros receives “complaints” about Fr. Guirguis; Pope Tawadros assigns Bishop Thomas to investigate in Virginia along with Bishop Youssef and Fr. Botros Samy 

Apr 14, 2013: Letter written by Bishop Youssef distributed to church members (see attached); indicates “after thorough investigation and making sure that those complaints are correct, His Holiness [Pope Tawadros] has made a decision to terminate all the pastoral and priestly service of Fr. Guirguis Ghobrial.” 

May 2015: Photos of Fr. Guirguis working in Louisville, Kentucky

Sept 2015: Fr. Guirguis assigned to work at Archangel Michael Coptic Church in Greenville, South Carolina.

Sept 2017: Fr. Guirguis was last seen in Greenville around this time

Oct 2017/Nov 2018: Reports that Fr. Guirguis was moving around and working in Bishop Peter’s Diocese of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky, and traveled to Egypt   

Nov 2018/May 2021: Photos of Fr. Guirguis working in Louisville, Kentucky

Jun 2021/Jun 2022: Reports of Fr. Guirguis in Egypt 

Jun/Jul 2022: Fr. Guirguis returns to work as a priest at Archangel Michael church in Greenville, SC; but his name has been changed from “Fr. Guirguis Ghobrial” to “Fr. George Gobrail.” Concerned church members reach out to Bishop Youssef and Bishop Peter

Miscellaneous Info:

• Studied at the Coptic Seminary in Cairo
• Master’s Degree in Spiritual and Pastoral Care from Loyola University-Maryland
• Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies (Old Testament) from Lancaster Bible College-Pennsylvania
• Reportedly working on a degree in Strategic Leadership at Lancaster Bible College
• Member of SBL (Society of Biblical Literature)
• Founder and president of Christ Ambassadors Mission, a non-profit organization

Contact: Sally Zakhari, Founder and CEO of Coptic Survivor President of Coptic Survivor, SNAP Leader (+1(407) 758-4874, [email protected])  Melanie Jula Sakoda SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator, SNAP Orthodox Leader (+1(925) 708-6175, [email protected])

(For Immediate Release September 27, 2022) 

Retired Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston passed away. Due to his history of cover-ups of clergy sexual abuse, we hope that church leaders would forego a pompous funeral service in order to convey sympathy to abuse victims and churchgoers who were misled by Fiorenza. Humility is suggested unless the church hierarchy wants to aggravate already grave wounds.

The bishop, a past president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, was among the church officials who supported the tough-talk approach during the bishops' summit in Dallas in June 2002, now known as the ‘Dallas Charter.’ He told the Houston Chronicle the day it passed that it was "It was as powerful as we had planned. In effect, I believe it is zero-tolerance."

In reality, our scorecard shows that Bishop Fiorenza has long kept silent about clergy sex crimes, misdeeds, and cover-ups.  In 2003, for instance, Fiorenza dismissed sexual abuse allegations against Fr. John Keller by saying, ‘Questioned by the diocese, Father Keller denied abusing the youth but acknowledged he "crossed a proper boundary by holding you in a manner inappropriate for a priest," Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza even wrote to the victim. In 2019, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston announced that it had turned over two complaints to Houston police regarding Prince of Peace Priest John Keller, who is presently being investigated. Keller is still listed as a priest in the Archdiocese as pending investigation. In our opinion, Keller has enjoyed enough freedom from the consequences of his actions and so too has Bishop Fiorenza.

Another mishandled case, Fiorenza, dates back to his days as a diocesan administrator. In 2001, he promised the parents of a child victim that Fr. Manuel La Rosa- would be pulled from duty to seek counseling. He had been accused of assaulting an altar boy about a decade before. With Fiorenza's approval, the priest later returned to ministry at another parish.  La Rosa too enjoyed years of freedom enabled by church officials. If the priest went to trial on numerous counts of indecency with a child, prosecutors in Montgomery County identified Bishop Fiorenza as a prospective witness. Instead, LA Rosa accepted a plea bargain and was sentenced to ten years in prison. It is astounding that La Rosa is still a priest.

Like practically all of his colleagues in the United States, this departed bishop deserves little or no appreciation. They shielded predators. They put youngsters in danger. They kept crimes from being discovered by authorities. Praising them now may provide a little delight to a few of their relatives. However, it will cause even more pain for those who have already significantly endured. In lieu of flowers, we suggest contributions to survivors who were hurt during Fiorenza's reign or to organizations that support them. 

CONTACT:  Eduardo Lopez de Casas, SNAP Houston and Board Member ([email protected], 832-641-6319), Mike McDonnell, Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578) 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)

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(For Immediate Release September 27, 2022)

In a court hearing today, closed to the public, a judge will consider rejecting a lawsuit seeking to close a controversial Christian boarding school where horrific child abuse - sexual, physical, and emotional - has long taken place and been ignored or concealed.

The action is brought by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmidt against the Stockton-based Agape Boarding School. Schmidt wants the facility to be closed. For the safety of kids and the healing of victims, we at SNAP agree. 

Over just the past four months, Missouri investigators have substantiated ten cases of physical abuse at the Stockton-based 'reform'' school. Civil lawsuits have also been filed against the facility.

One victim and advocate said that "hundreds" have been victimized at Agape over the years. Some have described "being physically restrained, sexually abused, starved as a form of punishment, and taken off prescribed medications while reassured that 'God will fix them.'

School officials claim that since they recently fired one high-profile abuser, there's no compelling need to shut its doors. That is a narrow, self-serving and dangerous claim, We believe that abuse at Agape has been widespread, horrific, and deeply hidden for years and that the dismissal of one or even several staffers won't end the risk to children.

The case is before Cedar County Circuit Court Judge David Munton.

Finally, during the last Missouri legislative session, lawmakers could have but did not pass a measure that would give the attorney general broader powers to punish, oversee and rein in these largely 'under the radar' facilities where so many youngsters have been so severely hurt. 

We call on Missouri legislators to enact this measure as quickly as possible and on Missouri's attorney general to make use of it to ensure that kids are safer now and, in the future.

CONTACT: David G. Clohessy, SNAP Missouri, ( 314-566-9790, [email protected]) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager, (267-261-0578, [email protected]) Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

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(For Immediate Release September 23, 2022) 

The Diocese of Sacramento today added Roberto Jaramillo, a priest who worked in Sacramento and Roseville between 1995 and 2005, to its listing of clergy who have been credibly accused of child sex abuse. Jaramillo, aged 70, is accused of raping and sexually assaulting a girl between 1996 and 1999. In 2005, Jaramillo left the Diocese of Sacramento to work for the Archdiocese of Atlanta before returning to Colombia in 2008.

A third party brought concerns of the 1996 rape and abuse to the diocese's notice in 2021. To investigate the problem, the diocese alerted police authorities and according to a statement by the diocese, they purportedly made many attempts to reach and interview the victim.

The diocese had additional claims against Jaramillo. Jaramillo was accused of kissing a young boy in 1999. Jaramillo disputed the claim, and investigations conducted at the time by both the diocese and local law enforcement found insufficient evidence to justify further action. More allegations surfaced against Jaramillo with claims that he sexually abused an adult man in 2001. This surfaced according to an allegation received by the diocese in 2020.

Sadly, we are not surprised to learn that the diocesan review board, just this week, agreed to add Jaramillo's name to the list of those credibly accused, there is an arrest warrant now issued for him.  The Diocese of Sacramento states that in August 2022, the case involving the young girl from 1996 was being investigated by the Sacramento Police Department. The diocese shared its findings with investigators and was able to gather enough evidence to submit the case to the diocese's Independent Review Board.

The Diocese of Sacramento, in our viewpoint, wants to appear aggressive in tackling the pandemic situation of clerical abuse, yet it only required the review board a short time in late summer to determine that this priest was an abuser previously identified in the 1990s.

We know this is not an isolated case, but rather another failure to safeguard children and adults from an abuser reported to the diocese. The Diocese failed twice to remove Jaramillo and disclose all evidence of suspected crimes received. The Archdiocese of Atlanta also had this wanted man working in their faith community. Are there victims there? We suspect so. How many other people in the Sacramento Diocese are like Jaramillo? How many others have been "investigated" and then left in positions of power? How many suspected abusive clerics have fled the country?

To report information on Roberto Jaramillo to investigators: Detective Matthew Wollman, Sexual Abuse and Child Abuse, Sacramento Police Department (916) 808 – 1223 [email protected]

-CONTACT: Dorothy Small, SNAP Sacramento ([email protected], 530-908-3676)  Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator ([email protected], 925-708-6175) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578)

(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)

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