Victims ‘out’ 4 more accused Charlotte clerics

They are not on diocese’s ‘credibly accused’ list

Group blasts Catholic officials for “abuse secrecy”

Victims ‘out’ 4 ‘credibly accused’ priests in NC

SNAP to bishop “List those who abuse vulnerable adults too”

And victims urge others to come forward before legal deadline

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will disclose that four more publicly accused Catholic clerics have been left off the Charlotte diocese’s ‘credibly accused’ list.

(Each spent time in western NC but has attracted little or no media or public attention before in the state.)

And the victims will call on local Catholic officials to

--post names of ALL accused priests on their diocesan website,

--include those who preyed on vulnerable adults (not just kids), and

--join with victims in spreading the word about an upcoming legal deadline for victims in North Carolina to file civil lawsuits.

WHEN

Thursday, April 22 at 1:15 p.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the Catholic diocese headquarters (“chancery office”), 1123 S. Church Street (corner of W. Carson Blvd.) in Charlotte (704 370 6299)

WHO

Two – three victims and advocates who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including the group's volunteer North Carolina state director

WHY

-----1) SNAP has discovered and is disclosing the names of four more publicly accused abusive clerics who spent time in central/eastern/western North Carolina but are not on the official Charlotte diocesan ‘accused’ list.

For the most part, these ‘new’ alleged predators were ‘outed’ in news accounts, through litigation and/or by Catholic officials elsewhere. But each was in the Charlotte diocese at one point and so, SNAP says, should be added to Bishop Peter Jugis’ ‘credibly accused’ list. The new names are:

--Fr. Patrick T. Hoare, a diocesan priest who was the pastor of St. Matthew's in Charlotte when he was put on leave in 2019 due to an allegation that he sexually abused a child in Pennsylvania.

There were also complaints in the Charlotte diocese that Fr. Hoare was observed being "very touchy" with minors, including hugs and rubbing of shoulders or abdomens. Last year, Charlotte diocesan officials announced that Fr. Hoare would remain on administrative leave.

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2020/07_08/2020_07_02_AssociatedPress_NorthCarolina.htm

--John Brian Kaup, a seminarian who reportedly used his position as a youth counselor at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury to sexually abuse a teenage girl (for which he was sued by Raleigh attorney Leto Copley 919 606 8707, 888 666 2446). He also worked at St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville.

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/lawsuit-against-church-youth-leader-charlotte-catholic-diocese-alleges-sexual-assault-negligence/490710975/

--Fr. Vincent A. Zollo who resigned his post after he was sued in 2002 for reportedly molesting a child in the 1980s in Brooklyn New York.  

In 1987-88, he worked at Sacred Heart, Salisbury and in 1989-90 he was at Our Lady of the Annunciation in Albemarle. In 1991-93, the Charlotte diocese listed him as ‘absent on sick leave’ in the Official Catholic Directory. He also worked as a chaplain at a Veteran Administration Hospitals in North Carolina.

In 2019, Brooklyn church officials deemed the allegation "unsubstantiated," but the alleged victim was allowed to participate in a church compensation program.

Fr. Zollo was ordained in 1980 so is likely still alive.

https://www.andersonadvocates.com/accused/father-vincent-a-zollo/

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/2002_10_16_Newsday_TwelvePriests_Brooklyn12priests.htm

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news/2002_11_11_USAToday_TheAccused.htm#brooklyn

https://adamhorowitzlaw.com/fr-vincent-zollo-diocese-of-brooklyn/

--Fr. Albert J. Gondek, who was on the Raleigh diocese’s 2018 ‘credibly accused’ list but is no longer.

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/Raleigh/2018_12_17_Raleigh_List_of_Clergy.pdf

https://dioceseofraleigh.org/sites/default/files/2021-03/List-of-Clergy-March-31-2021-English.pdf

He was also accused in 2015 of abusing a teenager in the Charlotte diocese in when he pastored Our Lady of the Rosary parish in Lexington.

Fr. Gondek had been investigated in 2007 over allegations of sexual misconduct said to have occurred decades earlier.

He also worked at Sacred Heart Church in Whiteville and in at least two other states (Pennsylvania and Florida, where he was also accused of abuse).

https://www.wbtv.com/2018/09/06/catholic-leaders-charlotte-raleigh-allowed-priests-continue-ministry-despite-abuse-reports/

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2015/11_12/2015_12_20_Steve_Dispatch_Lexington_priest.htm

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/Raleigh/2020_04_24_Raleigh_List_of_Clergy.pdf

------2) Two years ago, Pope Francis instituted a new church policy that puts ‘vulnerable adults’ on the same legal statue as a child in the case of abuses in the Vatican.”

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/03/29/pope-francis-issues-decree-protection-minors-and-vulnerable-adults-vatican

At least four US bishops have revealed and posted names of credibly accused clerics who have sexually assaulted vulnerable adults. (Sacramento, Indianapolis, Anchorage and New York).

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/Indianapolis/2018_12_18_List_of_Indianapolis_Clergy_Credibly_Accused_Updated.pdf

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/Anchorage/2020_01_16_Anchorage_Letter_and_List.pdf

https://www.scd.org/clergyabuse/list-frequently-asked-questions

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/New_York/2019_04_26_New_York_List_of_Clergy_Credibly_Accused.pdf

For ‘the safety of the vulnerable and the healing of the wounded,” SNAP wants Charlotte Bishop Peter Jugis to do likewise on his diocesan website and in parish bulletins.

------3) Lawmakers passed a measure giving anyone who was molested by anyone at any time in North Carolina two years to file civil lawsuits against those who committed or concealed the crimes. That ‘window’ closes on Dec. 31 of this year.

SNAP wants both church and secular authorities to ‘spread the word’ about this impending deadline, “so that more child molesters will be exposed and kept away from kids” and “so that other crimes and cover ups will be stopped and deterred.”

The group also wants Charlotte’s bishop to “reveal now what he can about pending litigation” stemming from the ‘window’ law, instead of waiting until the end of the year to do so.

https://childusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/9-New-Revival-Laws.pdf

https://childusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Revival-Laws-Helping-Survivors-in-2021.pdf

BACKGROUND

There are 45 credibly accused child molesting clerics who are on the Charlotte diocese’s website now.

Six are or were in the Charlotte diocese before 1972 when it was technically part of the Raleigh diocese. Fourteen are diocesan priests (though an independent, respected on-line archive, BishopAccountability.org, lists 19 priests in this latter category).

SNAP is convinced that a number of proven, admitted and/or credibly accused abusive clerics are still ‘under the radar’ in the diocese. The group also wants Jugis “to provide photos, full and accurate work histories and ‘last known whereabouts’ of these men.

CONTACT

Carol Yeager 910 584 9113 [email protected]

David Clohessy 314 566 9790, [email protected], Zach Hiner 517 974 9009, [email protected]