TEXAS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, February 20, 2014
For more information: David Clohessy 314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com
Victims group praises Texas diocese
Twice, it does outreach about predator priest
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is praising a Texas Catholic diocese for twice seeking out others who may have been molested by a priest.
Once in 2010 (under Bishop Alvaro Corrada) and again this month (Bishop Joseph Strickland), officials in the Tyler diocese used parish bulletins and the diocesan website to notify parishioners about Fr. Robert (Bob) Poandl who was found guilty in September 2013 of molesting a boy in West Virginia. Last week, Fr. Poandl was given a seven and a half year prison sentence.
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, say they’ve long prodded the Catholic hierarchy to use their resources to “aggressively seek out others who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by priests.” Almost never do church officials respond, SNAP says.
And the group is commending the Tyler diocese for doing so.
“Literally thousands of times over the past 25 years, we have begged Catholic officials to reach out to other victims who may still be struggling in silence, shame and self-blame,” said David Clohessy of SNAP. “And we know that some people who have information that could help police catch predators also stay quiet. All of them – victims, witnesses and whistleblowers – should be urged to speak up.”
“Twice, we asked bishops in eight states where Fr. Bob Poandl worked to reach out to others who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Poandl and may still be struggling in silence,” said SNAP’s Judy Jones. “Tyler officials were the only ones to respond positively.”
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