SOUTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Monday, Nov. 11
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com )
In 1995, a Catholic priest admitted sexually assaulting several kids on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Yet no Catholic official ever told anyone about him.
Today, Fr. Clarence Vavra’s admissions have been revealed by Minnesota Public Radio.
Fr. Varva now lives in New Prague, Minnesota.
In 2002, US bishops formally pledged to be “open and transparent” about clergy sex crimes.
Yet In 2003, Minnesota Catholic officials let Fr. Varva, an admitted serial child molester, quietly “retire” and told no one that he had committed – and acknowledged committing – heinous crimes against South Dakota kids.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.