WISCONSIN
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)
An ex-seminarian who reportedly tried to circumcise himself and was arrested in Wisconsin now admits he recently molested kids. We urge Milwaukee Catholic officials to publicize the abuser’s admission and aggressively reach out to anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes in Wisconsin.
Kevin Sloniker was arrested in Menomonie WI and reportedly admitted to child sex crimes in Washington and Idaho. In 2005, he attended a Minnesota seminary but was allegedly removed.
For the safety of kids, and to help law enforcement, we call on Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki to use church websites, parish bulletins, pulpit announcements and personal appeals to reach out to others who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Sloniker.
And we call on bishops in Idaho and Spokane, where Sloniker’s crimes happened, to use church websites, parish bulletins, pulpit announcements and personal appeals to reach out to others who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Sloniker.
Sloniker was at Immaculate Conception Church in Post Falls, Idaho. He’s part of an arch-conservative Catholic group called the Society of St. Pius X. He’s not the first man with that group to face abuse allegations:
[SNAP]
All too often, when church staff and volunteers are arrested on child sex charges, bishops do nothing. All too often, corrupt church officials refuse to act and thus essentially protect criminals and endanger children. And all too often, secular officials with the power and duty to safeguard society’s most vulnerable pursue only church staff who commit about and ignore church staff who conceal abuse.
Church members and employees in northern Idaho and eastern Washington – especially Idaho Bishop Peter F. Christensen and Spokane Bishop Thomas Daly – have a moral and civic duty to help law enforcement investigate and prosecute Sloniker. They’ll be tempted, of course, to do nothing. But that’s wrong. And their inaction might help enable Sloniker to exploit legal technicalities and escape punishment and hurt more kids.
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