BishopAccountability.org
 
  "SNAP" Snaps Back

By Valerie Hurst
KimaTV
April 10, 2008

http://www.kimatv.com/news/17510149.html

[with video]

YAKIMA - They told us they wouldn't let the issue die.

And now 'SNAP'... is snapping back at Yakima's bishop.


The 'Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests' has a new request.

The group says talk is cheap.

It wants bishop Carlos Sevilla to face consequences for keeping Juan Gonzalez employed while he was under investigation.

And it's bringing up another alleged scandal.

Last week the group asked bishop Carlos Sevilla to voluntarily put himself on paid leave, after he admitted mistakes about hiring Juan.

Juan's in jail now facing kiddie porn charges--charges he denies.

The bishop said he has too many responsibilities to go on leave.

Now the group says, 'Don't visit the pope next week...' as punishment for this so-called deceit.

They also want the bishop to come clean about ex-Yakima-priest Jose Estrada, who pleaded guilty to molesting a teen in Oregon in 2003.

Juan Gonzalez's lawyer says these requests are silly.

"Somebody needs to have oversight for the good ol' boys club, the good ol' boys club is being exposed and it's gonna continue because this has been going on for a very long time," JJ Sandlin says.

The bishop, once again, wasn't available to us.

The diocese tells us he won't honor SNAP's request about the papal visit.

Regarding Estrada, the bishop claims he did not receive any complaints about him while Estrada was employed here.

He felt, and still feels, it wasn't necessary to tell the parishes.

But "Voice of the Faithful," a group working with SNAP, says a former diocese employee *told them there were complaints.

Both SNAP and voice of the faithful encourage anyone who may have been a victim of abuse at the diocese to come forward and call them, or call police.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.