Victims ‘out’ two accused Long Island priests
Victims ‘out’ two accused Long Island priests
They also blast Long Island’s Catholic bishop
SNAP: “He should identify child molesting clerics”
And he must seek out others hurt by his predecessor, group says
Victim to read a letter the now-accused McGann wrote to her dad in 1995
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will disclose the names of two publicly accused priests who are or were in the Rockville Centre dioceses but have largely been ‘under the radar,’
They will also prod Rockville Centre Catholic officials to
--reveal the names of ALL proven, admitted and ‘credibly accused’ predator priests,
--permanently and prominently post their photos, whereabouts, and work histories on church websites, and
--‘aggressively reach out’ to anyone who may have been hurt by a Long Island ex-bishop
WHEN
Thursday, February 21 at 1:00 p.m.
WHERE
On the sidewalk outside St. Agnes Cathedral, 29 Quealy Place in Rockville Centre, NY
WHO
Two-three members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including a Long Island woman who is the organization’s local volunteer leader and who was molested as a child by a Rockville Centre priest who was transferred by the recently accused former bishop
WHY
1--Dozens of US bishops have revealed and posted names of accused abusive clerics.
(Earlier this month, all of the dioceses in Virginia, Texas, New Jersey and Louisiana did this. Last week, Brookllyn’s bishop did as well.) It’s a ‘bare minimum step’ toward protecting kids, SNAP says. The group wants Rockville Centre Bishop John Barres (516 678 5800) to do this immediately, and include photos, whereabouts and full work histories of the accused.
https://nypost.com/2019/02/15/brooklyn-diocese-names-more-than-100-clergy-accused-of-sex-abuse/
2--SNAP is also drawing attention to two publicly accused priests who molested elsewhere, spent time on Long Island but have attracted little or no attention in New York. They are:
--Fr. Freddy Washington
In 2017, he was pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist parish in Harlem in the NYC archdiocese when he was arrested for the alleged sexual abuse of two boys (around 11 years old) in 1982-84 at St. Patrick's church in Charleston, SC. Washington was a lay person and volunteer at the time. The boys were in training to be altar servers. The abuse was said to have included fondling and oral copulation. The Charleston diocese claimed it learned of the allegations in 2016 and contacted the Rockville Centre diocese. That same year, Charleston church staff reported the case to the Charlestonpolice. Washington is also the former pastor of two Chicago parishes and was listed in 2017 on the website of Xavier University in New Orleans as an associate professor of pastoral theology.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2017/05_06/2017_06_01_Troutman_CatholicPriest.htm
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news555/2016_02_Rockville_Center_Diocese_In%20Honor.htm
--Fr. Christopher Pliauplis
He started his clerical career as a religious order brother in Steubenville OH, left for three years to become a nurse, then was ordained for theSteubenville diocese. In 1991, he transferred to the Rockville Centre diocese reportedly to be near his ailing mother. Then he was sent briefly toBrooklyn, then to the New York City Archdiocese. The Official Catholic Directory listed him as 'absent on leave' while assigned to a parish in Rockville Centre.
In 2006, he was accused of inappropriately touching a 17-year-old boy on Staten Island. Later that year, he was put on leave and his faculties were removed on the recommendation of the Archdiocesan Review Board. Pliauplis appealed to Vatican and in 2008 archdiocese officials announced that a church court had cleared him. That same year, he was returned to active ministry at St. Patrick's Cathedral where he worked until at least 2011. In 2012 he was again put 'on leave of absence' where he’s been ever since.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/assign/Pliauplis_Christopher.htm
3--SNAP is also calling on “anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes or cover ups by Bishop John McGann, who was just sued this week for allegedly assaulting two girls, to report to law enforcement immediately.
https://abc7ny.com/2-women-accuse-longtime-long-island-bishop-of-sex-abuse/5145220/
A Brooklyn native, McGann was personal secretary to Bishop Walter Kellenberg who first headed the Rockville Centre diocese. In 1976, McGann was promoted to bishop where he remained until he retired in 2000. He’s now deceased.
http://liherald.com/stories/Bishop-John-R-McGann-dies-at-77,17375
A recently-closed diocesan high school in Riverhead was named after McGann.
https://www.revolvy.com/page/Bishop-McGann%252DMercy-Diocesan-High-School
McGann’s accusers are represented by Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian (617 523 6250).
CONTACT: Janet Klinger, Volunteer Long Island SNAP Leader (516-749-3798, [email protected]), David Clohessy. Volunteer SNAP Leader (314-566-9790, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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