Predator Priest to Be Extradited to Us; SNAP Responds

SNAP
June 27, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_predator_priest_to_be_extradited_to_us_snap_responds

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)

A dangerous predator priest is one step closer to being sent back to the US for trial. We are grateful for Indian court officials for their ruling today in the case of Fr. Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, who molested girls in the Crookston MN diocese.

We’ve long worried about the safety of girls in India near Jeyapaul, especially since his bishop put him in charge of overseeing schools, knowing full well that he was considered a fugitive from US criminal authorities.

Jeyapaul is one of an increasing number of accused predator priests who are allowed to flee to other countries despite credible child sex abuse allegations or sometimes arrest warrants.

According to BishopAccountability.org, Minnesota Catholic officials “knew of rumors about inappropriate behavior by (Jeyapaul) in 8/04” but Jeyapaul “suddenly returned to India in 9/05.”

We applaud Jeyapaul’s brave victims. We are grateful to law enforcement – in the US and in India – for pursuing this dangerous predator. And we call on every Catholic employee and parishioner – in Crookston and in India – who has suspicions or knowledge of Jeyapaul’s crimes to call police and prosecutors immediately.