PENNSYLVANIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Friday, Jan. 242014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com )
The Vatican has made another depressing appointment by promoting Lexington Bishop Ronald Gainer to head the Harrisburg diocese. In fact, this may be Pope Francis’ most distressing promotion yet.
Gainer has done a very poor job protecting kids and healing victims in Lexington.
1) Just last year, we begged Gainer to oust – and warn his flock about – a four-time accused predator priest who works, basically unsupervised, in the Lexington diocese. He is Fr. Carroll Howlin, who lives unmonitored and “ministers” in eastern Kentucky in apparent violation of a Vatican order and the church’s national abuse policy.
Late year, the Chicago Tribune reported that Fr. Howlin, suspended for sexually abusing Illinois boys, still lives and works – unsupervised – in McCreary County. The cleric has reportedly also molested two Kentucky boys, one of whom committed suicide.
Fr. Howlin, according to the Chicago Tribune, allegedly used money to garner sexual favors from impoverished boys.
In 2002, Fr. Howlin, then 67, pastored Good Shepherd Chapel in Whitley City. He was reportedly put on administrative leave when abuse reports against him surfaced that year, according to Lexington diocesan officials.
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