UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, July 7, 2016
Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, national president member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (312-399-4747)
We’re disappointed that Pope Francis has promoted Chicago Archbishop Blasé Cupich. He’ no “reformer” when it comes to abuse and cover ups.
Here are two recent and problematic moves by Cupich regarding clergy sex crimes and cover ups:
Here’s a detailed look at Cupich’s abuse track record that we issued two years ago:
Many commentators are stressing that Cupich is perceived as a “moderate” in terms of his theology, philosophy or behavior. It’s important to remember, however, that Catholic officials of all stripes have concealed – and often are still concealing – awful crimes against children. “Left wing,” “right wing” and “centrist” bishops deal with clergy sex crimes and cover ups in remarkably similar ways. On this continuing crisis in the church, it’s irresponsible to assume that Cupich will be any better than George. Prudent people will remain skeptical and let Cupich hopefully prove, through his deeds (not his words) that he is committed to the safety of children.
–At least 39 Spokane priests have been publicly accused of child sexual abuse. That’s a very high number for a relatively small diocese. Cupich should explain, in detail, what he has done that goes “above and beyond” the bare minimum of paying settlements and suspending predators.
–He and his top aides in Spokane acknowledge that 27 of these 39 clerics have molested children. He should explain that discrepancy.
–He should tell parishioners and the public precisely what he has done to warn parents about and protect kids from Patrick G. O’Connell, the most prolific and notorious child molesting cleric in the Northwest.
Here’s what we know about Cupich’s past:
1) Earlier this year, a priest, Fr. Brad Reynolds, was still on the job at a Catholic college in Cupich’s Spokane diocese even though
–eight years earlier, the priest was sued for molesting two boys in Alaska,
–was removed from his duties by his Jesuit supervisors, and
–was allegedly put under 24 hour surveillance at a Jesuit institution.
We urged Cupich to warn the public and their parishioners about the priest him and insist that Jesuits suspend him and aggressively reach out to others he may have hurt.
As best we can tell, Cupich ignored our request.
2) In 2010, we urged Cupich to reach out to others who may have been hurt by a priest, Fr. William J. Vogel, who exploited and impregnated a Catholic parishioner. As best we can tell, Cupich ignored our request.
3) In 2007, we backed Cupich in the election for head of the US bishops’ sex abuse committee chairmanship. At that time, we admitted that we knew little about Cupich but endorse his candidacy simply because his competitors have poorer track records on abuse cases. (Because of the Spokane bankruptcy, much of his abuse track record was sealed or hidden.)
Since then, what we’ve seen and learned about Cupich has been disappointing.
4) Cupich won that election. But he did little or nothing to strengthen a very weak and rarely enforced abuse “charter” that had been hastily adopted five years earlier (despite repeated claims by Catholic officials that they were “learning” more about abuse and were “getting better” at dealing with it)
And under his tenure as chair of the USCCB’s child protection committee, two of the most disturbing and clearly egregious scandals surfaced
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