The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
SNAP
Press Release
Giving Voice to Victims
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Closing arguments today in case against Mother Teresa’s ‘confessor’
Closing arguments today in case against Mother Teresa's 'confessor'Convicted pedophile priest molested teen "almost continuously" for a year
Cardinal George continues to 'split hairs' and distance himself from predator
Cleric has been convicted for assaulting two other kids & faces new criminal charges
Nationally known ex-cleric has been defrocked and abused one kid just four years ago
Evidence shows his Catholic supervisors knew of allegations against him as far back as 1969
WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, BEFORE/AFTER closing arguments in a criminal trial, clergy sex abuse victims will discuss the criminal case against a high-profile Jesuit pedophile priest who was once Mother Teresa's spiritual advisor. They will urge
--- Chicago's Cardinal George to stop 'splitting hairs' and take responsibility for all pedophile priests who live or work in his archdiocese (including those in religious orders, like Jesuits),
--- Jesuit officials to 'come clean' about their cover up of McGuire's crimes, and
--- anyone who saw, suspected or suffered his crimes to come forward, get help, and call police.
WHEN: TODAY, Thursday, Oct. 23, 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Inside the Dirksen Federal Bldg, Jackson & Dearborn in downtown Chicago (press area in lobby)
WHO: Attorneys and several local 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: Fr. Donald McGuire is a widely-known, recently defrocked Jesuit who has been Mother Teresa's spiritual advisor, spoken at hundreds of schools, churches and retreats across the globe. He is also the most high-profile Catholic priest to ever be convicted for sexually abusing kids.
He faces federal charges and the two week trial is being held in Courtroom 2119 in front of Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer.
Evidence shows that McGuire lived with and molested a teenaged boy almost every day for a year in 1998, even though his supervisors knew of repeated sex abuse allegations against him dating back to 1969.
In Feb. 2006, McGuire was found guilty of molesting two other boys on trips to in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Those victims testified that they were also repeatedly abused by McGuire at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, where they were students and where McGuire taught from 1965-70.
McGuire also faces prosecution in Maricopa County (Phoenix AZ) for molesting two brothers there between 1998 and 2002. At least two civil molestation suits against McGuire and the Jesuits have been settled.
According to church records, in 1999, McGuire began living with and molesting and living with a different teenager at Canisius House in Evanston. McGuire repeatedly abused the youngster until a different boy filed a civil molestation lawsuit against the priest and the Jesuits in 2003.
McGuire, an Oak Park native now in his 70s, was finally defrocked in February.
Closing arguments are set for this morning and the case is expected to go to the jury today. He is represented by Chicago attorney Stephen Komie. In civil cases, McGuire's victims are represented by Jeff Anderson of St. Paul MN (612 817 8665) , Kevin McGuire of Orange County CA (949 510 1229) & Marc Pearlman of Chicago (773 368 0142).
SNAP believes that Cardinal George is responsible for the safety and well-being of all Chicago Catholics and should stop claiming no responsibility or control over religious order priests who commit crimes while in the Chicago archdiocese.
CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP president 312 399 4747
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