CHICAGO (IL)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Second man accuses priest
Cleric was put back on the job just last week
Church officials didn’t believe first allegation
SNAP: “Suspend alleged predator immediately”
“Don’t keep endangering children,” support group says
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will disclose that
– a second accuser is reporting that he was assaulted by a just-reinstated priest, and
– he’s meeting today with police and archdiocesan officials.
They will also urge Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George to
– suspend the credibly accused child molesting cleric immediately,
– put him in a treatment center, and
– aggressively seek out others who saw, suspected or suffered the priests crimes or misdeeds and encourage them to call police or prosecutors, not Catholic officials.
WHEN
Monday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE
Outside the archdiocesan headquarters/chancery office, 835 N. Rush St (corner of Chestnut) Chicago, IL
WHO
Three-four victims of clergy sex crimes who belong to an international support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including the organization’s long time president
WHY
Last week, Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George put an accused predator priest back on the job in a parish. Today, a second man who reports having been assaulted by Fr. Michael O’Connell will file a police report, meet with church officials and speak publicly about his experiences.
Last December, because of child sex abuse allegations, Fr. O’Connell stepped down from his post at St. Alphonsus Catholic parish (1429 W. Wellington Ave., 773 525 0709) in Lakeview. He was accused of molesting a boy when he worked at Our Lady of the Woods Parish (708 361 4754) in Orland Park (1997-2012).
But on April 15, archdiocesan officials announced that they consider the abuse allegations against Fr. O’Connell be “unfounded.”
Now a second man is reporting that he too was hurt by Fr. O’Connell, in a one-time incident in the 1990s at a gym. The man, who was an older teen at the time, has not disclosed this before to either secular or church authorities.
SNAP says in dozens of cases across the country, Catholic officials have reinstated an accused child molesting cleric only to later oust him permanently. Cardinal George has done that at least three times in the past few years regarding Fr Bennett, Fr McCormick and Fr. Klein.
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