By Kristen Elicerio
WKBT
August 5, 2010
http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12934858
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Thursday leaders of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) met at the Diocesan Center of La Crosse to hand-deliver a letter that asks Bishop-Designate William Callahan to put a plan in place that will hold clergy members accountable.
According to SNAP, the La Crosse Diocese reportedly covers up more clergy sex abuse reports than any other place in the country.
They cite New York's John Jay College for Criminal Justice that it's six times the national average.
"How are all these priests who are being reported for assaulting children over the years, being investigated. Why are they being left in ministry," said Peter Isley, Midwest Director of SNAP.
In an effort to develop a plan that will help the Diocese of La Crosse be more transparent, SNAP has three benchmarks they're asking Bishop Designate Callahan to meet within his first 100 days.
They include having independent law enforcement review all abuse reports, releasing the police report and church investigation for the most recent case of Onalaska Priest Ft. Patrick Umberger, and a complete overhaul of the diocesan review board.
When Callahan was first appointed Bishop of La Crosse, he said he'd make it a priority.
"As Bishop I will continue to strive to my best. To learn more about the issue, to which I am not quite as well versed as a Diocesan Bishop yet, but it will certainly be a priority," said Callahan on June 11, 2010.
Leaders of SNAP attempted to hand-deliver its letter to Bishop Designate Callahan.
"We just want clergy to have the same obligations, responsibilities, licensing requirements as every other occupation in our civil society. The clergy here same thing as teachers have to do, same thing as counselors, same thing as social workers," said Isley.
They say the church is at a point where it needs to do more than pray, "No amount of prayers are going to fix the system. The only thing that is going to fix the system is directing your actions, with prayer, to what needs to be fixed," said Isley.
SNAP was not able to hand-deliver it's letter to Bishop designate Callahan or Monsignor Richard Gilles. Neither were available.
A worker at the La Crosse Diocese accepted the letter saying he'd pass it onto the appropriate clergy members.
SNAP Members say they've been attempting to make contact with the La Crosse Diocese since 2002 and haven't been successful. The group says it plans to check in with the Diocese leaders in 100 days.
Bishop Callahan will be installed next Wednesday.
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