LOUISIANA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home,davidgclohessy@gmail.com)
A new bishop has been picked to head the Lafayette Louisiana diocese (where more than 30 years ago, Fr. Gilbert Gauthe became the first pedophile priest in the US made national headlines.) We think this is another irresponsible move by Vatican officials.
A Louisiana native, Auxiliary Bishop Douglas Deshotel of Dallas has been in the “inner circle” in that diocese for years. He’s also been on the priest personnel board and the ‘review board’ that looks at clergy sex abuse reports. We have seen no evidence, however, that he has done anything noteworthy to protect kids and deter cover ups by exposing those who commit or conceal heinous crimes against children. So we are disappointed in Deshotel’s promotion.
According to BishopAccountability.org, there are 20 publicly accused predator priests in Dallas. We can find no instance in which Deshotel or his church colleagues voluntarily disclosed any information about any of them, made any of them live in a treatment center far away, or took any but the most minimal, mandatory steps regarding them.
In fact, Deshotel stayed silent when a proven Dallas predator priest was put back on the just two years ago: http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2014/07_08/2014_07_29_David_Priests_TX-_priest.htm
This is reckless, callous and in violation of the countless “zero tolerance” promises by Catholic officials keep making but ignoring.
Roughly 30 US bishops have posted predator priests’ names on their websites. Sadly, neither Dallas nor Lafayette are among them.
As long as Catholic officials elevate clerics who show no genuine concern for the safety of kids, this long abuse and cover up nightmare in the church will continue.
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