UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, Aug. 26
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, davidgclohessy@gmail.com, SNAPclohessy@aol.com)
A credibly accused predator prelate walks free now in Rome, according to the BBC. We join with staff at BishopAccountability.org in questioning how top Catholic officials can apparently be so reckless.
[BBC News]
Statement by Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, 314-503-0003 bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org
Vatican officials claimed that the arrest of Archbishop Josef Wesolowski would send a strong signal that even high-ranking Church officials would be held accountable. We disputed this claim originally. And we dispute it now, especially if he really is free to come and go as he pleases.
We believe that Wesolowski’s case is being handled internally by church figures for public relations reasons – to give the impression of “getting tough” while actually concealing cover ups and minimizing publicity.
Internally handling child sex crimes, whether by a custodian or cardinal or papal panel, is hardly progress. So we are not encouraged by Francis’ decision to rebuff police and prosecutors and to deal with Wesolowski through secretive church processes. Civilized countries usually have independent, experienced and impartial justice systems to handle crimes. That’s what must happen with clerics who commit and conceal child sex crimes.
We challenge Pope Francis’ beefed-up public relations team to “come clean” immediately about Wesolowski’s whereabouts and status. We challenge Pope Francis to immediately put Wesolowski behind bars and prove that he has done so (not just say he has). We hope Vatican officials aren’t claiming that they’re “monitoring” him. That approach – Catholic clerics allegedly supervising abusive Catholic clerics – has repeatedly been shown to be disastrous.
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