TX--Survivors appalled: Why did Bishop Burns suppressed critical information about abuse of minors at St. Cecila parish for roughly 6 months?
Survivors appalled: Why did Bishop Burns suppressed critical information about abuse of minors at St. Cecila parish for roughly 6 months?
For immediate release, August 19, 2018
Statement by Lisa Kendzior, Volunteer Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter Leader of SNAP, the Survivors Network (817-773-5907,[email protected])
Bishop Edward Burns, leader of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, failed to notify parishioners in a timely manner that their longtime pastor, Rev. Edmundo Paredes, was under investigation for molesting three teenage boys in the parish a decade ago. Rev. Paredes has apparently fled the country, but the bishop doesn’t know his whereabouts.
It only took from May, 2017, to June, 2017, to remove Rev. Paredes from St. Cecilia and to suspend him from ministry for stealing money from the church. Yet, it took Bishop Burns nearly 6 months to notify parishioners about the much more serious allegations of child molestation. This is very disturbing to us, and we think it should be disturbing to the community at St. Cecilia’s as well.
The diocese received notification of alleged criminal sexual abuse by Rev. Paredes in February, 2018, but only disclosed this very important fact to parishioners this morning, August 19, 2018.
Why would Bishop Burns suppress this crucial information? Was it to protect the diocese from scandal? What about concern for the safety of children and the need to comfort any survivors? Where is the transparency that the Catholic bishops promised? As survivors of clergy sexual abuse who belong to SNAP, the Survivors Network, we believe parishioners should be demanding answers from Bishop Burns.
If Bishop Burns is truly sincere about addressing the sexual abuse inflicted on young parishioners, he needs to do more. He should reach out to every parish where Rev. Paredes worked. He should also notify Catholic communities around the world, especially in the Philippines, where he suspects the priest fled.
Parents should also be gently asking their children if they were harmed by Rev. Paredes. Anyone who experienced, witnessed or suspected abuse should report immediately to the Dallas Police Department. Please. If you know something, say something.
(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 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - Lisa Kendzior (817-773-5907, [email protected]); Tim Lennon (415-312-5820, [email protected]); Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, [email protected]),
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director