ROME
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by David Clohessy
Leaders of 2 groups appeal to pope about worst Jesuit abuse cases
First Jesuit pope has unique opportunity and obligation
Pope Francis must make Jesuits “clean house,” groups say Jesuit provincials must disclose names of known abusers, as 25 bishops have done
Jesuits operate schools and colleges worldwide; access to children deepens the problem
WHAT
At a news conference, a Catholic researcher and a US clergy sex abuse victim will:
— release a list of the four worst public Jesuit abuse cases worldwide;
— give an overview of how the order has responded to the crisis so far;
— explain why it is crucial that the new Pope push the Jesuits to reform
WHEN
TODAY, Friday, March 15 at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE
Orange Hotel, 86 Via Crescenzio 00193, Roma +39.06.6868969
WHO
Two leaders of the US-based groups:
–Anne Barrett Doyle of Boston, a Catholic mom who is the co-director of the international watchdog group BishopAccountability.org
–David Clohessy of St. Louis, an abuse victim who is the director of an international support called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)
WHY
As the first Jesuit pope, Francis has a historic opportunity to make the Jesuits finally address their massive problem of child sexual abuse.
The Jesuits are the largest Catholic religious order in the world, and their high schools and universities are elite institutions in the educational systems of many countries. They also have a massive missionary presence in the developing world.
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