BishopAccountability.org
	Group Asks Diocese of Youngstown to Seek out Abuse Victims vaticancrimes.us June 25, 2009 http://vaticancrimesarchive.blogspot.com/2009/06/group-asks-diocese-of-youngstown-to.html A support group for clergy sex-abuse victims published a letter Wednesday publicly urging the Diocese of Youngstown to send a second, more emphatic and explicit letter to hundreds of Catholics who attended a school where a now-suspended priest worked. SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy-abuse victims. Earlier this month, the Rev. Thomas Crum admitted sexually abusing a child and was suspended from his pulpit at Our Lady of Peace Church in Canton. Youngstown diocesan staff sent a letter about the situation to hundreds of former students of Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, where Crum once worked. SNAP members say the letter was vague and didn’t vigorously prod victims and witnesses to call police. “Alums, parishioners and parents need to know the full truth, and be urged to talk with their kids and colleagues who might have been hurt but be too afraid to speak up,” said SNAP spokeswoman Christy Miller of Cincinnati. “Even bringing up this topic in conversation is hard. So the bishop must lead by example and personally break the church’s long-standing culture of silence around clergy sex crimes.” SNAP also wants Bishop George V. Murry to hold an open, public meeting about the recent accusations and personally visit each parish where Crum worked. “We fear there are many victims of this priest," says Judy Jones, SNAP Southeastern Ohio Director. “We are also concerned that the Youngstown Diocese is not disclosing all that they know about this priest’s behavior during the past 30-plus years.” Diocesan Chancellor Nancy Yuhasz said Murry’s office did not receive SNAP’s letter until late Wednesday and that the bishop has not had a chance to respond to it. The diocese encourages anyone who has experienced abuse at the hand of a church employee or official to contact the diocesan victims’ assistance coordinator at (330) 744-8451, and to notify authorities.
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