VERMONT
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)
A Catholic seminarian from Vermont has been arrested in San Diego on child sex charges.
Joel H. Wright had been attending a seminary in Columbus Ohio.
We fear Wright may have hurt kids in Vermont or Ohio. So it’s crucial that church officials in both states use church websites, parish bulletins and pulpit announcement to beg anyone who may have information or suspicions about him to call police.
All too often, in cases like this, Catholic officials pretend to be powerless. They aren’t. They can actively help law enforcement and aggressively seek out others who may have been wounded and are still trapped in silence, shame and self-blame. That’s what truly caring shepherds would do.
We hope every single person who saw, suspected or suffered crimes by or cover ups by priests, nuns, seminarians, brothers or bishops will find the strength to call police, expose wrongdoers and protect kids.
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