BELLEVILLE (IL)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Six predator priests “outed” for first time
All worked in Catholic dioceses Missouri or Illinois
They’re “credibly accused child molesters,” church admits
Long secret records about them were just released this week
More hidden documents will be disclosed in the months ahead
Two of them were in this area as recently as three & six years ago
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will
–disclose the names of six predator priests who’ve never been “outed” here before,
–discuss just-released and soon-to-be-released secret records about them, and
–provide their photos and work histories
They will also
— prod anyone who was hurt by the priests to speak up and get help, and
— prod Catholic officials in St. Louis, Belleville and Springfield to “come clean” with more information about the priests and aggressively seek out their victims.
WHEN
TODAY, Wednesday, July 8 at 2:00 p.m. (rain or shine)
WHERE
On the sidewalk outside the Belleville diocese headquarters (“chancery office”), 222 South Third St. in
Belleville, IL
WHO
Three-four individuals who belong to
–a support group called the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), and/or
–a Catholic reform group called Faithful of Southern Illinois (FOSIL)
WHY
Records about seven predator priests who worked in the St. Louis area are being released as part of a lawsuit settlement. Only one of the priests has been publicly exposed in this area as credibly accused child molesters until now. One lived in Belleville as recently as 2012. Another was there until 2009. Two of them also spent time in the St. Louis archdiocese and three were in the Springfield-Cape diocese.
One of them spent seven decades as a priest in this area. From the 1940s until six years ago, Fr. James Vincent Fitzgerald split his time between six states including assignments in at least three towns in Illinois towns and two in Missouri.
The two who worked in St. Louis archdiocese are Fr. Robert J. Reitmeier (at Holy Guardian Angels Parish) and Fr. Fitzgerald (at St. Michael’s Community).
The five priests who worked in the Belleville diocese are:
Fr. Thomas Meyer worked in Belleville, Alton and Mansfield, MO.
Fr. Emil Twardochleb was in Belleville and Henry, IL.
Fr. Michael Charland was in Belleville, Sparta, Godfrey, and Carthage, MO.
Fr. Orville Munie was in Belleville, Toluca, Mendota, Bethany and Campus, IL.
Fr. Paul Kabat worked in Belleville.
More details about each of the predators and their specific work histories in Missouri and Illinois (including dates, parishes and photos) will be provided at the news conference and/or is available at AndersonAdvocates.com
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