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The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests SNAP Press Statement
Statement
Regarding Reprimands for
Abusive Catholic Bishops
March 15, 2006 Statement by David Clohessy of
St. Louis (314) 566 9790 cell
At least some abusive priests have been defrocked,
At least some abusive priests have been prosecuted.
At least some abusive priests live in church run housing centers for pedophiles.
At least some abusive priests, at least theoretically, are being "monitored."
To the best of our knowledge, little of this applies or is going on with abusive bishops.
No abusive bishops are being defrocked. Few disclose their whereabouts. Fewer still, we fear, are being monitored. No current church officials claim they are actively taking any responsibility for protecting kids from potentially dangerous child-molesting bishops.
And there are between 10 and 20 proven, admitted or credibly accused abusive bishops: Soens in Iowa, Williams in Kentucky, Hart in Wyoming, O'Connell in Florida, Dupre in Massachusetts, Weakland in Wisconsin. (See others on our website: SNAPnetwork.org)
May God have mercy on the souls of today's church officials if one or more of these men have molested again or does molest again, after they have already been accused because of sexual abuse.
Catholics remain troubled because of the on-going clergy sex abuse crisis. This is one reason why.
Children remain at risk because of the on-going clergy sex abuse crisis. This is one reason why.
The broader, nagging, crucial yet unanswered question centers on prevention and on what must be done with the hundreds and hundreds of complicit church officials. But for now, can't church officials at least take some steps to safeguard innocent kids today from these men?
CONTACT Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President (312) 399 4747 cell Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP National Outreach Director (314) 862 7688
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Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests www.snapnetwork.org | ||