Activists Protest near Church Meeting Alleged Victims of Abuse March outside Hotel, by Nicole C. Brambila, Desert Sun [Palm Springs CA], February 15, 2007

Activists Protest near Church Meeting
Alleged Victims of Abuse March outside Hotel

By Nicole C. Brambila
Desert Sun [Palm Springs CA]
February 15, 2007

http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070215/NEWS01/702150349/1006

Many times, it's the ordinary, everyday life things that trigger the memory - like brushing her teeth - Esther Miller told passers-by on Wednesday.

Esther Miller of Huntington Beach, an alleged victim of clergy sexual abuse, holds a quilt containing photos of other alleged victims in front of the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs on Wednesday, where the National Organization of Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy conference was held. Miller is part of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

She and five other members of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, carried quilts with the pictures of alleged clergy sex-abuse victims in downtown Palm Springs. All the 125 photos - about half female - were of Southern California residents.

Mary Grant, left, of Long Beach, an alleged victim of clergy sexual abuse, holds a quilt with photos of other alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse who are members of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests in front of the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs where a concurrent National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy was occuring February 14, 2007.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

"This is a crime that they committed against me," the 48-year-old Huntington Beach resident said. "He took my mind, my body and my soul.

David Guerrero of Newport Beach,an alleged victim of clergy sexual abuse, is a member of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, holds a quilt up with a photo of himself at age 8, in front of the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs. Concurrently the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy conference was occuring at the hotel February 14, 2007.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

"I am a survivor."

Miller has a pending lawsuit against St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, accusing former priest Michael Nocita of molesting her at 16.

David Guerrero of Newport Beach, a member of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, stands in front of the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs holding a quilt with the photos of alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse on it during the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy at the Hotel Zoso Februrary 14, 2007.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

Some of the demonstrators wore yellow crime scene tape like a beauty-pageant sash.

"Our bodies are the scene of the crime," said Mary Grant, SNAP's Western Regional Director.

Mary Grant, left of Long Beach, an alleged victim of clergy sexual abuse, hands out information on the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests to a passer by in front of the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs during a conference of the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy at the Hotel Zoso February 14, 2007.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

The group coordinated its demonstration with the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy conference held this week in Palm Springs. Members had hoped to provide sensitivity training for clergy participating.

David Guerrero, left, an alleged victim of clergy sexual abuse and member of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, stands in front of the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs during a conference at the hotel by the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy February 14, 2007.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

Jim Alphen, National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy executive director, did not immediately return phone calls on Wednesday.

Joelle Casteix, right of Newport Beach and Mary Grant, left of Long Beach, both members of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests and alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse, carry quilts with photos of members of their organization as they march in front of the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs during a conference of the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy at the hotel February 14, 2007.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

Organized in 1989, SNAP is a nonprofit networking and referral organization of 8,000 members nationwide - with 1,500 in California .

Local member David Guerrero said walking the one block between La Plaza and Tahquitz Canyon Way on Indian Canyon was about protecting children.

One of 125 photos displayed on 4 quilts made by the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests showing children and teens at the age they were allegedly abused. The quilts were displayed by members Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests outside the Hotel Zoso in Palm Springs February 14, 2007 during the conference of the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy at Hotel Zoso.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

"I'm not here to fight with the church," the 39-year-old said. "No amount of money can give you what's been lost."

The organization's last Coachella Valley visit occurred in September 2005, when they distributed flyers at several parishes warning the congregations about a priest who had recently retired in Palm Springs.

Esther Miller left of Huntington Beach, an alleged victim of clergy sexual abuse and member of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests and Minerva Guerrero, hold up a quilt with photos on it of other alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse in downtown Palm Springs in front of the Hotel Zoso. A conference of the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy was occuring at the Hotel Zoso February 14, 2007.
Photo by Wade Byars/The Desert Sun

SNAP members called the San Bernardino Diocese a "dumping ground" for larger dioceses dealing with sex abuse allegations. They estimated the Coachella Valley could have several hundred victims.

"It's my hope that we can get people the healing, hope and protection that they deserve," said Joelle Casteix, a SNAP regional director in Southern California. "If we can at least talk to one person, this trip is worth it."

Rev. Howard Lincoln, spokesman for the San Bernardino Diocese, said the only deliberate transfers of priests were those struggling with alcohol dependency.

"To assert 'dumping' is very unfair and insulting to our diocese, to all the excellent priests that serve here and the wonderful people to whom we serve," he said.