PEORIA (IL)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: August 13, 2013

Statement by Jeff Jones of SNAP (815 985 9441, jjones1007@gmail.com)

I am proud and grateful to be here today. Like Andrew Ward, I have played a small role in helping to uncover the corruption and complicity of the Catholic hierarchy in the Peoria Diocese. I know, from painful first-hand experience, that Peoria Catholic officials fight long and hard against victims. So I am proud of Andrew and his parents. They have achieved something here that very few victims have achieved – some long over-due truth and justice that will help protect others by deterring future cover ups.

I’m here because Andrew has settled his lawsuit. It was a long, hard battle. It involved one predator priest, one corrupt bishop and one troubled diocese. It settled for $1.35 million.

But even more important, it means…