PENNSYLVANIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, July 27
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)
The impending freedom of Msgr. William Lynn – only the second US Catholic official to be convicted of essentially enabling child sex crimes – will no doubt feel like yet another blow to hundreds of wounded Philly area abuse victims and thousands of betrayed Philly area Catholics.
Needless to say, it’s more important than ever that people with knowledge or suspicions about complicity by Lynn or other church officials call secular authorities.
And needless to say, no matter how uphill it might seem, we hope prosecutors seek a new trial. Vigorously pursuing those who act recklessly, callously and deceitfully with kids’ safety is one sure way to make kids safer and more recklessness, callousness and deceit is deterred.
No matter what lawmakers or church officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in Catholic churches or institutions to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling law enforcement, get justice by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.
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