SNAP Calls For Catholic Church To Host Public Meeting Regarding Joel Wright

By Maureen Kocot
10TV
February 9, 2016

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2016/02/09/columbus-ohio-snap-calls-for-catholic-church-to-host-public-meeting-regarding-joel-wright.html

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The group SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is calling on the Catholic Diocese of Columbus to hold a public meeting, and to discuss the arrest of former seminary student, Joel Wright.

The Columbus diocese has repeatedly told 10TV it has no affiliation whatsoever with Wright. 

Homeland Security says in January, the 23-year old tried to travel to Mexico to buy three girls, ages 1, 2, and 3, for sex.  

Wright was sponsored by another diocese, the Steubenville Catholic Diocese, to study to be a priest at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus. 

On Tuesday, SNAP urged Bishop Frederick Campbell to talk openly to Columbus parishioners about this case.

"When they’re sitting back and saying nothing and doing nothing,” SNAP member Judy Jones said. 

Jones wants to know why Wright wasn’t exposed sooner?

10TV has uncovered a police report documenting a Craig's list ad posted by a Joel Wright offering to pay $150 to watch your children. 

A government informant told 10TV he tried to warn the Josephinum but admits he hung up before naming Wright. 

"I would think they would take it seriously because they have such a lousy history of child sex abuse,” Jones said.

SNAP released documents outlining sex abuse allegations against other priests who studied at the Josephinum.  10TV has only verified one who was convicted.

In 2013, Phil Jacobs was sentenced to two months house arrest for touching a teenager in Canada.  Jacobs served as a priest at several Columbus churches in the 70's and 80's. 

When he was arrested in 2010, the Diocese of Columbus told the Columbus Dispatch it had received ten reports of abuse by Jacobs that were passed on to police.

Jones says her point is the case against Joel Wright is not an isolated incident.

The federal complaint reveals Wright bragged that he had abused a child before. 

SNAP says that's why it's calling on both the Steubenville and Columbus Diocese to talk openly with parishioners.

"They have some serious explaining to do," Jones said.

Wright has agreed to remain behind bars without bond until his next hearing in front of a federal judge.