Il- Victims Push for More Predator Priest Files

Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
February 5, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/il_victims_push_for_more_predator_priest_files

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will push Chicago Catholic officials to

--release more records about predator priests, and

--ask a court to disclose files about Chicago's most notorious child molesting cleric, Fr. Daniel McCormack. 

They will also respond to a historic, just-released United Nations panel's report on how the Vatican is dealing with clergy sex crimes and cover ups.

WHEN

Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 1:00 pm

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the Chicago archdiocese chancery office, 835 N Rush, St, in Chicago

WHO

Four-five adults who belong to a self-help group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org). Some were molested as kids; others are concerned Catholics. One, SNAP's founder, has made two trips to Geneva in connection with the UN process and testified before the panel.

WHY

1) At 5:00 a.m. central time Wednesday, the Geneva-based United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child will issue a much-awaited report on whether Vatican officials are complying with a treaty on children's rights. ( It will likely be posted here:  http://ccrjustice.org/  and herehttp://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/CRCIndex.aspx   )

http://www.snapnetwork.org/second_united_nations_panel_to_question_vaticangy_abuse

US members of SNAP, including Chicago's Barbara Blaine, testified before the UN panel and were in Geneva last month when Vatican officials did the same. SNAP also submitted a lengthy report 

Both verbally and in writing, SNAP cited the troubling 2006 case of Chicago's Fr. Daniel McCormack as one of many examples showing that Catholic officials still endanger kids, protect predators and hide information about known and suspected child sex crimes from police and prosecutors. 

SNAP also cited a 2012 Chicago Tribune report about 32 proven, admitted or credibly accused US predator priests who have been sent or have gone overseas, sometimes to evade law enforcement.

http://media.apps.chicagotribune.com/fugitives/priests.html

No matter what the panel does, SNAP believes that this has already been a historic and helpful process for wounded victims and vulnerable kids “that will help “deter present and future callousness, recklessness and deceit”: by church and secular officials dealing with child sex crimes and cover ups.”

2) And two weeks ago, records about 30 Chicago archdiocesan predator priests were released by victims and their attorneys. At that time, Cardinal Francis George promised that he would release records on dozens of other child molesting clerics. He refused to say when, however, and has said nothing since making that pledge.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-01-25/news/ct-cardinal-legacy-20140126_1_holding-bishops-accountable-timothy-lytton-catholic-church

For the safety of kids, SNAP believes this process should start immediately and move quickly, focused first on those clerics who are still alive and not incarcerated.

Finally, the group also wants George to try to persuade a judge to unseal records in the McCormack case. Of all the 121 publicly accused Chicago area child molesting clerics, McCormack's records are the most important to disclose, SNAP believes, because those documents may well reveal names of current and/or recent church employees who acted irresponsibly. 

If George and his top aides have “improved” their handling of clergy sex abuse reports, SNAP says, they should not be keeping these records secret and should be glad to help persuade a judge to release them.