SAN ANTONIO (TX)
Express-News
J. Michael Parker
Express-News Religion Writer
A support group for clergy sexual abuse survivors is demanding that Archbishop José Gomez publicly name all San Antonio priests with sexual abuse allegations against them.
Barbara Garcia Boehland and two fellow members of the San Antonio Chapter of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests demonstrated quietly Wednesday morning in front of the Catholic Chancery with a sign picturing her son, Eduardo Ramon, and two victims from other states. All had committed suicide after being molested by priests.
Garcia Boehland complained that Gomez has refused to meet with survivors.
A spokesman said Gomez has indicated no plans to name accused priests who are elderly or dead but invited two SNAP members to meet with him, without success.
"We want (Gomez) to meet with all of us. It's not just about me; it's about everybody in this community who wants answers," Garcia Boehland said. "They're still reassigning abusive priests. They're not obeying the Dallas charter, which says they'll clean up past cases."
The U.S. Catholic bishops approved a national Charter for Protection of Children and Young People in Dallas in June 2002. Archdiocese leaders later said they received 12 new credible allegations against area priests. Six were dead and six retired from ministry.
Posted by kshaw at April 15, 2005 03:03 AM