SNAP responds to Catholic Deacon charged with child pornography

For immediate release: Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Statement by Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Regional Leader, 636-433-2511, [email protected]

Deacon Rosendo F. Dacal of city, Pennsylvania has been accused of possessing child pornography.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2018/04/11/pittsburgh-catholic-diocese-deacon-child-pornograph-arrest/

While we have no first hand information on the charges against Deacon Rosendo F. Dacal, viewing, possessing, distributing, and/or creating child pornography is a serious crime for good reason. Real children are being sexually abused in the images, and these innocent victims are likely to experience lifelong pain and suffering as a result. Moreover, it is not uncommon for those who possess child pornography to also sexually abuse children.

We beg anyone who has any information about this case or any similar case to share that information with law enforcement. We further urge Bishop David A. Zubik to make sure that all of his parishioners know that, if they have any pertinent knowledge, it is appropriate to report it immediately to the civil authorities.

We mourn for all the children who were exploited to create these images. We hope that they are receiving treatment from mental health professionals, and support from family, from friends and from groups like ours. 

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world's oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 25,000 supporters. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org ) 

Contacts - Judy Jones ( 636-433-2511, [email protected]), Tim Lennon, (415-312-5820,[email protected] ), Becky Ianni (703-801-6044, [email protected]) 


Showing 1 comment

  • Michael Ference
    commented 2018-04-13 00:24:05 -0500
    Deacons are sometimes abused while in the seminary. When they blow the whistle on their perp, everything is often covered-up. Promises are made that the perp will be guarded, etc., all the normal lies made by church hierarchy. Sadly, once a whistleblower the seminarian is only permitted to attain the level of deacon. It’s a form of damage control. The seminarian is permitted to become a deacon, receive a stipend, full benefits and given a job in a nursing home other some other low paying position. It’s not much, but it provides a modest living as long as the victim keeps quiet. The reason the victim is not permitted to become a priest; once a whistle blower always a whistle blower. As a deacon, the bishop still has control over the individual.

SNAP Network is a GuideStar Gold Participant