MEDIA ADVISORY FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2005

Sex Abuse Group Will Leaflet San Pedro, CA Parish

Seven Priests Who Worked There Are Accused Of Molesting

Female Victims Receive Less Attention & Concern, Group Says

Dozens of Girls Hurt By Pedophile Priests At This One Church

SNAP Urges Victims And Witnesses To Come Forward

What:

At a church where at least seven Catholic priests worked and stand accused of child sex abuse in civil lawsuits, clergy molestation victims will hand flyers to parishioners informing them of the alleged predators and their crimes. The leaflet urges mass-goers to

-ask present and past parishioners if they were abused,

-urge their pastor to post the accused priests’ histories on the parish website,

-invite victims to tell their stories to parishioners at the church, and

-urge Cardinal Mahony to turn over all priests’ personnel files to prosecutors

When:

Sunday, November 27th @ 11:15 am

Where:

Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 870 W. 8th St. (near corner of N. Gaffey St.) in San Pedro, CA

Who:

Three to five women and men who were sexually victimized by clergy (including one woman abused by a priest who worked at the parish). Most are members of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)

Details:

According to civil molestation lawsuits, at least seven accused abusive priests have worked at this one parish. Among them are some of the archdiocese's most prominent clerics, including

- Msgr. Richard A. Loomis (former head of clergy who oversaw misconduct allegations),

- Fr. Michael Stephen Nocita (who church officials admit had documented sexual problems while still in the seminary),

- Fr. George Neville Rucker (who is accused of molesting dozens of girls and was arrested in 2002 aboard a cruise ship off Alaska), and

- Fr. Santiago Tamayo (who, along with six other priests, is accused of gang raping and impregnating a girl who was then secretly sent to Philippines to give birth to the child).

The other accused clerics are Fr. Raymond Tepe, Msgr. George Scott and Msgr. Patrick O’Dwyer.

A fact sheet with more information on the abusers is at SNAPnetwork.org.

At least four of the accused predators allegedly molested dozens of girls.

The group hopes to persuade victims and people who know or suspect abuse to report it to criminal authorities, expose molesters and protect kids and vulnerable adults.

Contact:

Mary Grant of Long Beach, SNAP Regional Director (626) 419-2930 cell

Esther Miller of Huntington Beach, SNAP Orange County Leader (562) 673-9442 cell

Sherida Ruiz of Anaheim, SNAP Family Coordinator (714) 292-5184 cell