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The
Survivors Network of
those Abused by Priests
SNAP
Press Release
Giving Voice to Victims
Thursday, October 20, 2005
MEDIA ADVISORY FOR PHILADELPHIA
Sex Abuse Victims Want Philadelphia Cardinal To
Back Legislative Reform
Group Also Urges Rigali To Impose Consequences On
"Abuse Enablers"
They Ask That Archdiocesan Second-in-Command Be Disciplined
Victims Upset That Those Who Covered Up Sex Crimes Are Still In Power
"Lead by Action, Not Words," SNAP Says To Catholic Church Officials
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy
sex abuse victims will publicly urge Philly Catholic officials to
-- endorse and lobby for a one-year "window" that would enable
sex crimes victims to bring lawsuits and use the justice system to protect
children and expose child molesters, and
-- publicly discipline church employees (including his second-in-command)
who have covered up clergy sex crimes against children.
Then they will try to hand-deliver a letter to Cardinal Justin Rigali
prodding him to take these steps
WHEN
Thursday, Oct. 20, 1:30 p.m.
WHERE
On the sidewalk outside the archdiocesan headquarters/chancery office,
222 17th Street (near Race) in downtown Philadelphia
WHO
Four or five adults who were molested as kids by Catholic priests and
who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those
Abused by Priests (including a St. Louis man who is the organization's
national director and closely followed Cardinal Rigali for eight years
in Missouri)
WHY
The group is distraught over the fact that no consequences have been meted
out to any church workers - lay or clerics - who didn't report or worked
to keep hidden known or suspected sex crimes against kids, despite a grand
jury's recent conclusions about a "concerted cover up" by the
church hierarchy.
In particular, SNAP wants Rigali to publicly discipline Auxiliary Bishop
Joseph R. Cistone (215 587 4507). According to the Inquirer, the grand
jury found that Cistone was "complicit in the 1996 silencing of Sister
Joan Scary, who was trying to alert parishioners" about an abusive
priest, and in 2002, took no action after learning that another molester
had been teaching in two suburban school districts.
Cistone was promosted by Rigali in July 2004, two years into DA Lynn Abraham's
investigation of the archdiocese.
The one year "window" is SNAP's top priority and one of several
legislative reforms recommended by the grand jury report. California lawmakers
enacted such a reform in 2002. In two other states - Ohio and New York
- one legislative chamber have passed such a provision.
CONTACT
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790
Pat Clancy of Philadelphia, SNAP Philadelphia Support Leader 215 850 2527
(who has met face-to-face with Cistone)
Marie Whitehead of Philadelphia, SNAP Philadelphia director 215 200 1043
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Survivors Network
of those Abused by Priests
www.snapnetwork.org
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