SNAP Asks D.A. to Verify Reports on Abusive Clergy, by Emily Matesic, WBAY

SNAP Asks D.A. to Verify Reports on Abusive Clergy

By Emily Matesic
WBAY - ABC2
January 9, 2008

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=7593930

A national organization for victims of sexual abuse by clergy wants the names of priests investigated for sexual abuse in Brown County.

SNAP — Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests — wants the district attorney to release those names.

The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay says it turned over names of priests to district attorneys in 2004 for what it termed "substantiated allegations" of sexual abuse.

In a two-page letter to Brown County District Attorney John Zakowski, SNAP officials are asking for answers. SNAP is looking for confirmation from Zakowski that the diocese did in fact turn over the names of clergy it investigated, as the diocese has repeatedly claimed.

The Green Bay Catholic Diocese told Action 2 News Tuesday afternoon that in 2004 it turned over the names of 35 priests to various law enforcement agencies in Northeast Wisconsin.

It says 17 of those priests are still living.

The diocese released a statement in response to SNAP's claims, saying:

"In 2002, the bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay convened a task force which reviewed the personnel file of every priest of the diocese going back to 1859.

"The task force recorded every substantiated allegation of sexual abuse by a priest against a minor.

"Any substantiated allegation of a priest who was not deceased and any substantiated allegation that has been reported since 2002 have been turned over to the district attorney of the appropriate county in which the alleged abuse occurred."

"What did you do with the names? Did you investigate? Have you seen all the files? Because it's not just about handing over names, it's also about, as in the (John Patrick) Feeney case, the intentional obstruction in our mind and in the public's mind when you read the documents — justice," Peter Isely, SNAP's Midwest director, said.

"The diocese has been forthcoming, and they sent us information whenever there's been an allegation of sexual misconduct," D.A. John Zakowski said.

But since many of these alleged incidents took place decades ago and involved priests who are no longer living, Zakowski says in many cases the statute of limitations has expired.

SNAP officials say that's not a good enough reason to keep the names and locations of the clergy private.

"The only reason they weren't prosecuted within the statute of limitations is because the church officials didn't report them and covered it up," Isely said.

And SNAP officials believe because of that some children could still be at-risk.

"Sex offenders don't stop because the statute expires. Sex offenders don't stop because they can no longer say mass or hear confessions," Isely said.

Zakowski wasn't in his office when SNAP dropped off it request, but the D.A. says he is willing to meet with SNAP officials and answer their questions.