OHIO
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
He says he was abused by teacher
Alleged perpetrator is still on the job
Man reported abuse to prosecutor & bishop
Bishop says he investigated but did so secretly
But Catholic prelate claims “No evidence” was found
SNAP: “A second person also reported misdeeds” against deacon to us
Group wants alleged wrongdoer suspended from his teaching post
WHAT:
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, a Youngstown man will disclose that he
— was allegedly molested as a child by a Cardinal Mooney teacher who is now a deacon and who is still working in the diocese,
— has repeatedly reported the offenses to Youngstown’s bishop, and
— has also tried to contact law enforcement about the cleric/teacher
Two SNAP leaders will
— read aloud and provide copies of an anonymous letter from another person reporting similar crimes by the teacher/deacon, and
— prod current and former Catholic employees to speak up about the accused cleric
Both individuals will urge Youngstown Catholic bishop to make public all allegations of sexual abuse that he has received, those that have been removed, and all accused clerics that have been reported to law enforcement.
Afterwards, the three will
— hand out fliers to Catholics arriving for the 12:10 mass at the Cathedral, and
— hand deliver a letter to the bishop urging him to suspend the cleric/teacher and aggressively seek out anyone else who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes.
WHEN:
Wednesday, August 28, at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE:
On the sidewalk outside St. Columba Cathedral and chancery office 144 West Wood St. (corner of Elm St ) in Youngstown (330.744.5233)
WHO:
The Youngstown victim, Jerry Arnal, and a St. Louis woman, Judy Jones, who is the associate Midwest director of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
WHY:
In the mid-to-late 1970s, when he was roughly 13 years old, Jerry Arnal says he was repeatedly molested by a teacher at Cardinal Mooney high school.
In 1987, Arnal reported the alleged abuse to Sister Jane Marie Kudlacz who was principal of Mooney at that time.
Now, Arnal is speaking out, in detail, for the first time, about not only the purported crimes but also about what he says is the “secretive and hurtful way” Youngstown Catholic officials are responding to him.
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