Group wants Catholic official fired

Top church staffer lied to a victim & a state agency

As a result, a child molesting cleric got a tax-funded job

And he went on to molest at least one other boy in that post

Victims and advocates want action by Pope & DC-based religious order

WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy abuse victims will publicly call on DC area Catholic officials and the Pope to fire or at least discipline a high-ranking church official who
--- lied, in writing, to a victim of a child molesting cleric,
--- deceived Minnesota state officials about that known sex offender, and
--- enabled the abuser to get a taxpayer-funded job where he sexually violated at least one other boy.

They will also urge others who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes to come forward, get help, call police, expose wrong-doing, protect children and start healing.

WHEN
Monday, Dec. 13 at 1:15 p.m.

WHERE
Outside the Christian Brothers headquarters, 3025 Fourth Street NE, in Washington DC

WHO
Two-four clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
Late last week, the Associated Press reported that a high-ranking Catholic official with DC-based group misled state authorities and enabled a serial child molesting cleric to get a taxpayer-funded job where he molested at least one boy. The church official also lied in writing to a victim, claiming that the child molester “had been forbidden from contact with anyone under 18,” when in fact the predator was working at a juvenile facility where he also abused.

Both men belong to a world-wide religious order called the Christian Brothers, which runs hundreds of Catholic schools. The pedophile is Brother Charles Anthony "Raimond" Rose, who is accused of molesting dozens of kids in California, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Florida. The Catholic official is Brother Thomas Johnson, who is now in Rome working as the #2 Christian Brothers leader in the world.

SNAP is asking the Pope, and the Christian Brothers, to fire or at least discipline Johnson. SNAP also wants the Christian Brothers to launch a multi-state outreach effort to find others who have been hurt by Rose.

(From 2002 until earlier this year, Rose lived in a church facility next to a Catholic boys’ high school in Chicago where he taught from 1960-63 and again from 1966-68. But church officials now say he’s been sent to an undisclosed location in Pennsylvania. For the sake of public safety, SNAP believes Rose’ bosses should tell the public and parishioners his whereabouts, so they can better protect their children.)

Four more abuse suits against Rose and the Christian Brothers were filed in November and one was filed in October. This summer, five men filed similar suits charging that Rose abused them. In 2003, Rose was also sued for molesting a California child. In 2004, that civil case settled for $ 1.1 million.

A hearing in one of the pending cases is set for today in Minnesota.

Rose has worked for the Christian Brothers for at least five decades. His real name is Charles Anthony Rose. His photo is at BishopAccountabilty.org

Rose's victims are represented by St. Paul MN attorneys Patrick Noaker of St. Paul MN (651 227 9990, 612 961 1307 cell) and Jeff Anderson (651 227 9990, 612 817 8665 cell).

(NOTE: none of Rose's victims will be at the event today.)

http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/top-catholic-educator-concealed-769290.html

CONTACT – Bill Casey 703 568 3438, Becky Ianni 703 801 6044, [email protected], David Clohessy SNAP director 314 566 9790 [email protected], Barbara Dorris, SNAP outreach director 314 503 0003