BishopAccountability.org
	Group Says List of Sex Offender Priests Isn't Accurate By Natalie Tolomeo WSHM September 2, 2011 http://www.cbs3springfield.com/story/15379063/group-says-list-of-sex-offender-priests-isnt-accurate SPRINGFIELD, MA (WSHM) - For more than a year, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) have been asking the Springfield diocese to publish a list naming all accused sex offenders within Catholic churches of the diocese. Officials finally put that list on their website, but members of the group say it's not good enough. Sex abuse within the Catholic church is a sensitive topic but Springfield diocese officials list 15 members of the clergy who've either been removed from the church, are in administrative process with the Vatican or have been ordered to a "life of prayer and penance." But a member with SNAP says the number isn't 15, it's closer to 60. "(SNAP members) will claim, although I will say, they have very little evidence to back up this larger number they claim of names," says Mark Dupont, the spokesman for the Diocese of Springfield. Dupont and officials with the Catholic church are fed up with protests from SNAP. A year ago, the group asked the diocese to list all alleged sex offender priests and the diocese met their request, but SNAP says the list isn't good enough. "This is all about protecting children, not protecting these credibly accused child molesters," says Bill Nash, of SNAP. Nash was the only SNAP member at Thursday's scheduled protest in front of the diocese. He says even the diocese legal representation knows more names should be on the list. "The Diocesan Attorney, John Egan, had filed a report with the courts and identified 60 credibly accused individuals as alleged abusers," Nash says. "There's a huge difference between 15 and 60." Dupont disagrees. "They insist on listing the names of priests who've not only not had a credible allegation but have been proven innocent. (SNAP) lists the names of priests who were deceased when the allegation came forward. We will not list the name of priests that were deceased when that allegation is credible because they did not have the basic right to defend their good name." Dupont says the diocese continues to work with victims who were allegedly abused by members of the clergy. He says officials will never turn anyone away.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.