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Sexual abuse survivors' group targets local Catholic church
By Keri Blakinger
When Michael Norris was 11, he got a bad case of poison ivy at summer camp - a pretty normal childhood experience But that normal experience turned into lasting trauma when a Catholic priest working as a counselor at the all-boys camp invited the Kentucky pre-teen back to his cabin to "treat" the outbreak - and instead molested him, Norris alleges. Now, more than 40 years later, Norris is trying to help today's children avoid a similar fate by spearheading a local awareness campaign targeting Catholic congregations. Sunday, Norris and other activists with the recently relaunched Houston chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests showed up at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Sunday to tell church-goers about their awareness campaign. As mass ended just after noon, a trio of SNAP supporters handed out flyers to worshipers leaving the downtown church. Emblazoned with a SNAP logo, the handouts listed names of 18 clergy members that have been accused of child sexual abuse - and have ties to the Houston area. "This is all about awareness, trying to prevent kids from being abused," Norris told the Chronicle. "We don't know where these people are. Some might still be in the Houston area." To remedy that, the activists are asking the local diocese to make public more information on those who have been accused. "Ask Cardinal DiNardo to post the names, photos, whereabouts and work histories of proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics on church website, so that kids can be safer and victims can be healed," the flyer urges. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The throng of worshipers filing out of Sunday services seemed largely ignored the group's efforts. One man politely refused a flyer after asking a few questions. "It's really sad what happened and I pray for all the victims," said a woman who declined to give her name. "It's very important we protect our kids - but this could happen anywhere," she added, before hurrying off with two children in tow. But Norris see it differently. "It's a major problem across the whole religion," he said. Heather Korb, 59, agrees. Though today she lives in Houston, Korb was born in Kansas, where she says she was sexually abused by a priest more than five decades ago - when she was just 5. Now, she shares Norris' goal of educating local congregations. "We're here for information spreading. Information is power," she said. Aside from roadside education efforts, local SNAP members have launched a monthly support group for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The next meeting is slated for 6 p.m. Thursday at the Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library.
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