ARKANSAS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Group challenges bishop on abuse
They’re worried about recently ousted priest
SNAP: Catholic officials should seek out other victims
Predator’s whereabouts should be disclosed, group says
And victims want diocese to post predators’ names on websites
What:
Holding signs and children’s photos at a sidewalk news conference, leaders of a support group for clergy sex abuse victims will prod Arkansas’ top Catholic official to take more action about a recently-ousted priest who engaged in sexual misconduct. Specifically, the group wants Arkansas’ bishop to use church resources to
— more aggressively seek out others who may have seen, suspected or suffered the cleric’s misdeeds,
— warn prospective employers and others about him,
— educate parishioners about adult clergy sexual misconduct, and
— permanently post on his church websites the names of all proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics.
When:
Saturday, November 8, at 2:00 p.m.
Where:
On the sidewalk outside the Little Rock Catholic diocese headquarters (“chancery office”), 2500 N. Tyler St. (near Hawthorne Road) in Little Rock (501-664-0340)
Who:
Two-three members of an international support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who is the organization’s long time director. (He and his brothers were molested as a child by a priest. One of them grew up to become a priest and molested children himself.)
Visuals:
Copies of a bishop’s message about the case & an Arkansas Democrat story about it will be available.
Why:
Five weeks ago, Arkansas’ top Catholic official disclosed that a priest would be permanently defrocked because he committed “predatory” sexual misconduct with several adults and violated the sanctity of the confessional.
On Sept. 27-28, at churches in Russellville, Dardanelle and Danville, Bishop Anthony Taylor announced that Fr. James Melnick would be “laicized” or kicked out of the priesthood. Taylor said that Fr. faces “credible allegations of sexual misconduct” by “multiple adult victims” and that his actions seem “predatory.”
But that’s not enough, SNAP says. Taylor should give more details about when abuse reports first surfaced against Fr. Melnick, so parishioners and the public know whether church officials addressed the matter promptly or tried to keep it quiet for weeks or months, the group says.
And Taylor should disclose where Fr. Melnick is now, SNAP says. Since he has not yet been defrocked, church law and practice dictates that Taylor must keep paying Fr. Melnick, the group asserts, so Taylor knows where Fr. Melnick is now and should make that information public.
In 17 states, it’s illegal for any clergy to have any sexual contact with congregants (adults or children). If Fr. Melnick cannot be criminally charged, SNAP says it’s possible that other Catholic employees might be prosecuted on charges of witness tampering, destruction of evidence, intimidation of victims, obstruction of justice, etc.
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