ST. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

April 5, 2019

Our movement is filled with brave, eloquent survivors who have uttered lines at news conferences that fill me with pride and amazement. One of them is Fr. Gary Hayes. Or I should say “was.” Gary has passed away.

He was the first priest to have been molested by a priest to file a lawsuit and hold a news conference. One of the proudest moments of my life came in the early 1990s. Along with Steve Rubino, I had the honor of helping Gary organize the event. I stood next to him, and his mom, when he issued an opening line that still brings goosebumps to my skin today when I recall it:

“I am here seeking justice in the courts because I could find no justice in my church,” Gary said before a crowded hotel conference…