PENNSYLVANIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
for immediate release: Tuesday, March 1, 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)
Another grand jury has found that Catholic officials respond deceitfully to child sex abuse reports. We’re saddened but not the least bit surprised. It proves what we’ve long maintained: that even now, under the guise of “reform,” bishops continue to deceive parishioners and the public about their on-going efforts to hide abuse.
We hope this investigation will prod similar ones across the US.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FINDING IN THIS REPORT: The diocesan review board “is a fact-finding (tool) for litigation, not as a victim service function” (p. 124).
“Nothing has changed but the trappings. . .” and “Victims who believe they’re reporting to an unbiased observers (on a church panel) would be sadly mistaken.”
In other words, a purported “reform” move by bishops – an internal “lay review board” – is actually a self-serving move. Ostensibly set up to help wounded victims, it actually helps church officials.
Catholics, citizens, police and prosecutors should be outraged over this.
Other grand juries, notably on Long Island and Philadelphia, have reached similar conclusions.
The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that the grand jury found that “as recently as 2005, the Altoona-Johnstown diocese was hiring private investigators to look for ways to undercut the credibility of an alleged abuser.”
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RECOMMENDATION IN THIS REPORT:
It recommends opening a civil window and abolishing the criminal statute of limitations, so that more victims of child sex crimes can expose and punish those who committed and concealed them and so that more crimes and cover ups can be stopped and deterred in the present and future.
This is a “no-brainer.” Pennsylvania lawmakers should stop being cowed or fooled by slick Catholic lobbyists. For the safety of children, legislators should pass these long-overdue, common sense reforms now.
Other noteworthy facts and findings:
— “the men of God were devils in disguise”
— “Offending priests knew they faced no risk of exposure because Bishop James Hogan and Bishop Joseph Adamec were cover ups” such crimes.
–Bishop Joseph Adamec pled the Fifth when questioned by the grand jury.
— More than 50 child molesting clerics operated in a relatively small diocese in which abuse “was rampant for decades.” (p. 130),
— They were “assisted by priests and bishops who covered up abuse rather than report it.”
— The diocese “sought to protect the image of the institution rather than the children.”
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