BishopAccountability.org
	SNAP Event in Passaic, Nj, Monday, Sept. 15th, 11:00 Am Voice from the Desert September 14, 2008 http://reform-network.net/?p=2015 WHAT After a sidewalk news conference, child sex abuse victims will try to hand deliver a letter to hospital administrators about a recently-arrested pedophile priest. The letter asks them to – write former patients and staff and patients asking if he hurt them too, – put announcements about the pedophile in the hospital and on its website, – send out a news release to area media about him, and – do all they can to prod victims to come forward, get help and contact law enforcement, so that he can be successfully prosecuted and jailed for a long time. WHEN Monday, Sept.15, 11:00 a.m. WHERE Outside St. Mary's Hospital, 350 Boulevard (between Oak St. & Howe Ave.) in Passaic, N.J. WHO Three clergy molestation victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who is the group's long time national director and its North Carolina & New Jersey directors. WHY In April, while working at this hospital (973 365 4300), Fr. Robert Yurgel was arrested and charged with molesting a 14 year old boy in Charlotte , North Carolina in 1999. He worked as chaplain here starting in 1999. From 1993-96, he studied at Our Lady of Lourdes Friary in Paterson. He also worked at three area parishes: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Passaic, Our Lady of Lourdes in Patterson, and Conception in the Bronx . He sometimes also said mass at St. Francis Catholic Church in Hackensack. SNAP believes that there may be others with information about Yurgel's crimes. The group also contends that many pedophile priests hire top-notch defense lawyers, get off on technicalities or receive extremely light sentences, which often enables them to abuse more kids. So the organization feels that church officials in both North Carolina and New Jersey have a duty to help reach out to others who may be suffering in shame, silence and self-blame. They want hospital staff to aggressively contact former patients and staff, asking if they saw, suspected or suffered Yurgel's crimes and to call police immediately. Yurgel belongs to a Union City NJ-based religious order called the Capuchin Franciscan Friars (201 863 4036) which has admitted it is paying for his legal defense. The hospital is located within the Paterson Diocese (973 777 8818). A similar outreach event was held in June in North Carolina when Yurgel was arrested. The attorney who represents Yurgel's victim is Seth Langson (704 377 1504, 704 968 9529 cell). CONTACT David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director, 314 566 9790 cell Mark Crawford, of Woodbridge Township, SNAP New Jersey Director, 732 632 7687 cell David Fortwengler of Charlotte, SNAP North Carolina Director, 704 562 4529
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