BishopAccountability.org
	Statement Regarding Philadelphia Archbishop Regali SNAP April 15, 2011 http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_statements/2011_statements/041511_statement_regarding_philadelphia_archbishop_regali.htm Statement by Peter Isely of Milwaukee, national board member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com What possible good can come of letting credibly accused sex offender clerics dress in public like priests? Almost no bishop in America does this. But Rigali does. (Similarly, almost no bishop in America suspends credibly accused sex offender clerics but refuses to name them. Rigali does however.) To rob a ban, you need a ski mask and a weapon. To molest a kid, you need to seem trustworthy and honest. Clerical garb helps predators look honorable and win the trust of unsuspecting parents and vulnerable kids. So by this callous move, Rigali is actually increasing the chances that one of these suspended clerics may molest again. It's ludicrous. And it's wrong for the archdiocese to pay Lynn's legal fees. His interests and the archdiocese's interests are different. Lynn wants to preserve his freedom. Rigali wants to preserve his secrets. This is an inherent conflict. By paying for Lynn's lawyers, Rigali is once again showing that his primary goal is to preserve the church hierarchy's reputations and secrets above all else. (SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org) Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com), Peter Isely (414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)
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