Names Left off List of Priests Accused of Sexual Abuse, Mississippi Chapter of SNAP Says

By Sarah Fowler
Clarion Ledger
March 22, 2019

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2019/03/22/catholic-priests-accused-sex-abuse-mississippi-snap-names-left-off-list/3232350002/

A Mississippi activist group says four names were left off the recently released list of priests accused of sexual abuse.

Mark Belenchia, coordinator of the Mississippi chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, commonly referred to as SNAP, said Thursday, March 21, 2019, that he believes four names were left off the list of priests accused of sexual abuse released Tuesday by the Catholic Diocese of Jackson. (Photo: Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger)

Tuesday, the Catholic Diocese of Jackson released the names of 37 clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse. All 37 served in Mississippi.

Mark Belenchia, coordinator of the Mississippi chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, commonly referred to as SNAP, said Thursday he believes four names were left off the list of priests accused of sexual abuse.

"It took two people two days in a garage office to research this information," Belenchia said. "Why were their names not included on the church's list when, in fact, we have been waiting for months for this list?"

The Clarion Ledger is not publishing the four names provided by SNAP because the allegations could not be independently verified.

Maureen Smith, director of communications for the Diocese of Jackson, said Thursday, "Our research team worked very hard to review the files in our archives. We contacted religious orders to try and track down the names of men who served in the Diocese of Jackson but were accused elsewhere and we included those names in our list, but it is possible some of those cases were not reported to us.

"We would like to thank SNAP for bringing forward this information. We will research these names and if needed, add them to the list."