Ca- Victims Want Accused Priest Disciplined

SNAP
December 5, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/victims_want_accused_priest_disciplined

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will disclose that a high-profile predator priest who was supposedly “retired” or “resigned” because of child sexual abuse allegations is still performing priestly functions in public, in violation of church abuse policy. They will urge

-- Catholic officials to suspend him, discipline him, and put him in a treatment center,

--disclose any other allegations or settlements against him, and

-- “aggressively reach out to anyone who has seen, suspected or suffered his crimes,” prodding them to “call police, expose wrongdoers, and protect others.”

Afterwards, they will try to hand deliver a letter to the SF archbishop urging him to post on his website the names, photos, whereabouts and work histories of all predator priests.

WHEN

Thursday, December 5, 2013 at 1 p.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the San Francisco archdiocesan headquarters 1 Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco CA 94109

WHO

Three-four members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY

In 2002, a very high profile priest, Father Miles O’Brien Riley resigned or was “retired” by San Francisco Catholic officials after being accused of raping and sexually assaulting an eleven year old girl. But he still publicly functions as a priest and calls himself a priest, in what SNAP calls “a clear and egregious violation” of the church’s abuse policy.

According to BishopAccountability.org and news accounts, Fr. Riley is “an author, actor, and former church spokesman who was well-known for his radio ministry and as a fixture on the old God Squad TV show.” The SF Chronicle reports that he has “written many books, produced films and written and directed musical comedies, as well as hosting 1,500 television and 4,000 radio programs."

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Fr. Riley is one of four accused clerics who, in 2002, had proclaimed his innocence and “was allowed to go quietly,” with then-Archbishop William Levada “either suspending them with pay, placing them on personal leave, or allowing them to retire,” according to the SF Weekly.

Just last week, Fr. Riley “moderated” an ecumenical service in Half Moon Bay.

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SNAP says that Catholic officials should house credibly accused child molesting clerics in remote, secure and independently run treatment centers, so they will be kept away from kids. “Bishops recruit, educate, ordain, train, hire, transfer and protect predator priests,” says SNAPs Tim Lennon. “Then, when pedophile priests are exposed, bishops pretend to be powerless over them. That’s irresponsible and deceitful.”

“For the safety of kids,” SNAP is also pushing SF Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone to post on his archdiocesan website the names, photos and whereabouts and work histories of the proven,

According to BishopAccountability.org, there are 74 publicly accused Bay Area predator priests in three dioceses. SNAP believes the real number is two or three times higher.

Roughly 30 US bishops have posted these names, almost always in response to public pressure, SNAP says.

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Fr. Riley’s victim first reported her abuse to local Catholic officials in the 1990s. The alleged rape and sex crimes took place in the 1968 at St Paul’s Parish in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.

He recently celebrated his “golden jubilee” as a priest:

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And proof that he did so in 2012 (at St. Stephen’s Catholic church in San Francisco

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Here is his Fr. Riley’s C.V.

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Here is his Facebook page:

[link] https://www.facebook.com/miles.o.riley

In 2002, he was arrested for driving while drunk. His attorney then was Gil Eisenberg. Fr. Riley is believed to be in his early 70s and lives in Miramar.

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CONTACT San Francisco Local SNAP Leader Tim Lennon 415-312-5820 sflennon@gmail.com