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	Group Targets Sisters of Mercy By Stephanie Gehring Southtown Star February 14, 2008 http://www.southtownstar.com/news/793642,021408nuns.article An organization for those sexually abused by clergy is calling for action to be taken against the Sisters of Mercy in Chicago. "The Sisters of Mercy are not doing the right thing," Barbara Blaine, president of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Wednesday after a news conference in Chicago's Mount Greenwood community. SNAP called upon the Sisters of Mercy to compensate the two men who were abused by Sister Norma Giannini during the 1960s while she was principal at a Catholic school in Milwaukee. Earlier this month, Giannini, 79, of Oak Lawn, was sentenced to a year in prison and 10 years probation for two counts of indecent behavior with a child in Milwaukee for those incidents. Blaine said the men should be compensated by the religious order for $28,000 in counseling fees. "The Sisters of Mercy run schools. They do all kinds of outreach to the poor. Why are these two victims any less worthy?" Blaine said. She said SNAP also wants the Sisters of Mercy to reach out to the public and law enforcement about Giannini and two other sisters accused of abuse. Jerry Kobs, 55, one of Giannini's victims, said he and another victim, Jim St. Patrick, 55, are aware of other victims in Milwaukee and believe there may be victims in Chicago. Giannini taught at Christ the King grade school in Chicago's Beverly community from 1969-972 and from 1972-76 at Mother McAuley High School in Mount Greenwood, serving as dean her final year. She returned to McAuley in a clerical role from 1982-83 before becoming principal of St. Clare de Montefalco grade school in the Gage Park community and in 1989 at Most Holy Redeemer grade school in Evergreen Park. "I hope other victims will come forward," Kobs said. SNAP also is calling for Sisters of Mercy to reveal the identities of the two other sisters accused of child molestation, Blaine said. SNAP sent a letter Wednesday to the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, a membership organization that exists as a support system and corporate voice for leaders of institutes of women religions in the U.S., Blaine said. The letter calls upon the LCWR to discipline the Sisters of Mercy. The executive director of the LCWR, Sister Carole Shinnick is out of the office through next week, Sister Annemarie Sanders said. Sanders said the letter was directed to Shinnick so she could not comment. A phone call to Sheila King, of Sheila King Public Relations, who represents the Sisters of Mercy was not returned. Stephanie Gehring may be reached at sgehring@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5971.
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