WV- Boy molested by priest, SNAP responds
For immediate release: Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003, [email protected])
A new court filing yesterday revealed that an admitted predator priest likely molested a West Virginia boy and a support group for victims is urging the state's Catholic bishop to “aggressively reach out” to anyone else the cleric may have assaulted.
The priest is Fr. Joseph G. Gallatin, who was suspended in Dec. 2013 when church officials found evidence of “inappropriate conduct with a minor” around 1998 in his personnel file. Those records included reference to"the sexual nature of his contact" with a West Virginia boy and his "admitted sexual attraction to boys as young as 12," a former high-ranking church official-turned-whistleblower wrote.
Last month, a St. Paul Minnesota church panel determined that "significant restrictions" would be placed on Fr. Gallatin with continued monitoring and very limited ministry not involving children.
Jennifer Haselberger, the former chancellor of the St. Paul archdiocese, wrote a stunning 107 page affidavit that was filed in a civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuit in the Twin Cities. In it, she outlined;
--repeated instances of a "cavalier attitude" towards the safety of children by Catholic officials and
--about 20 clergy in ministry who were guilty of sexual misconduct with adults and children despite bishops' pledges of “zero tolerance.”
Fr. Gallatin is mentioned by name 18 times in the document.
Click here for her full affidavit.
Fr. Gallatin's records may be available from St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson ([email protected], 612 817 8665 cell, 651 227 9990), who represents abuse victims.
We call on Bishop Michael J. Bransfield Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston to use his resources to seek out others who may have been hurt by Fr. Gallatin. Bransfield should put notices in parish bulletins and church websites and make pulpit announcements across the state this Sunday, urging anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Fr. Gallatin to call police and get help.
(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 25 years and have more than 20,000 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, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003, [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
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