For immediate release: Thursday, February 17, 2011

Hawaii priest is arrested, SNAP responds

Statement by Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach CA, western regional director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (949 322 7434, [email protected])

We hope that anyone who saw, suspected or suffered crimes by this priest will contact police. Everyone is safer when predators are jailed. And predators are jailed when victims, witnesses and witnesses find the courage and strength to call law enforcement, as this brave woman has done.

We commend her for acting responsibly and hope her courage will inspire others to do the same.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected]), Peter Isely (414-429-7259, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])

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http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/116385639.html

Priest arrested in sex assault of a woman on Sunday

By Star-Advertiser staff - POSTED: 10:23 p.m. HST, Feb 16, 2011

A 56-year-old priest of an East Oahu church was arrested today in connection with the sexual assault and kidnapping of a woman on Sunday.

The 55-year-old woman told police the priest held her against her will and sexually assaulted her about 1:55 p.m.

Officers arrested the priest about 1:30 p.m. today at his church, St. Sophia Ukrainian Greek Catholic Mission, at 5919 Kalanianaole Highway.

He was booked on suspicion of fourth-degree sexual assault and kidnapping.

A man who answered the phone at St. Sophia tonight referred questions to the Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy in Chicago, where no one was immediately available to comment.