The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
SNAP
Press Release
Giving Voice to Victims
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Sex abuse victims to leaflet at cathedral in Chicago
Sex abuse victims to leaflet at cathedralGeorge ‘importing’ convicted predator is 'new low', SNAP says
The Pope defrocks pedophile, but Chicago’s cardinal quietly hires him
Top Catholic official secretly reverses his 2003 pledge to never bring criminal back here
For first time ever, SNAP urges parishioners to write the Pope complaining about George
WHAT
As mass ends, clergy sex abuse victims will hand out fliers to parishioners about a newly-defrocked convicted, pedophile priest who is now working in Chicago again.
The leaflets urge Catholics to
-- call the archdiocese and complain about the predator’s return,
-- write the Pope about the Cardinal’s continuing recklessness, and
-- work harder than ever, in their own parishes, to seek out others who saw, suspected, or suffered clergy sex crimes and get them to call therapists and police
WHEN
Sunday, Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m.
WHERE
Outside Holy Name Cathedral (corner of State & Superior) in Chicago
WHO
Several clergy sex abuse victims and family members who are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)
WHY
Today, the Sun Times disclosed that a controversial, convicted child-molesting clergyman is back in Chicago, working again for Cardinal Francis George, even though George was forced to oust him after media attention and public outrage in 2003.
That year, news accounts revealed that Fr. Kenneth J. Martin, originally from the Diocese of Wilmington, Del., was living in George’s mansion one week each month and working as a “liturgy expert” in the Chicago archdiocese. George was severely criticized because just six months earlier, America’s bishops adopted an allegedly ‘zero tolerance’ policy toward clergy sex crimes.
Since then, SNAP contends, George has repeatedly defied that policy, yet seen his stature rise in the church hierarchy. George, now president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, reluctantly voted for zero tolerance six years ago, only after repeatedly and publicly arguing for a more lenient policy, which appears to be what he has practiced in Chicago.
In 2003, George publicly pledged that Martin "won't be coming back to Chicago."
http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/religion/1229064,CST-NWS-martin19.article
CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP president 312 399 4747
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis SNAP Outreach Director 314 503 0003 cell
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
www.snapnetwork.org