ILLINOIS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com )
Another person who was sexually assaulted by Belleville’s Fr. Robert J. Vonnahmen has filed a civil child sex abuse and cover up lawsuit against Catholic officials.
Vonnahmen is one of Illinois’ worst child molesting clerics. And like so many of his abusive associates, he walks free today with no supervision thanks to dozens of current and former Belleville Catholic church staff and members who, for decades, ignored or hid his crimes.
We applaud this brave victim and hope his legal action brings him some degree of healing. We know it will help ease the burdens of others who were violated by Belleville priests. We hope it will inspire even one church employee – past or present – to show courage and become a whistleblower. And we hope it will deter one employer, secular or religious, from concealing heinous crimes against kids.
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