CANADA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, July 10, 2014
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com )
A group of victims who suffered abuse at a Catholic school in Quebec have won their unprecedented lawsuit. We are grateful to the brave victims who came forward and demanded truth and justice.
[CBC News]
In this first-ever lawsuit to go to trial, a group of priests, the Redemptorists, the Seminaire St-Alphonse and Fr. Raymond-Marie Lavoie were found guilty of abusing and covering up decades of child sexual abuse. At least 70 victims came forward in this case. We suspect that there are dozens of others who remain trapped in shame, silence, confusion and self blame.
We are grateful to the judge who found Catholic officials guilty of such heinous crimes. Because of the actions of these brave men, children will be safer.
We hope Redemptorists officials will work hard to reach out to anyone who saw, suspects or suffered child sex crimes and urge them to come forward and get help.
And we hope other clergy sex abuse victims throughout Canada will be inspired by the bravery of these victims and take similar steps to expose wrongdoers, protect kids and start healing.
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