LA - New Child Sex Case Filed against Vatican & Priest

Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
February 20, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/la_new_child_sex_case_filed_against_vatican_priest

• New child sex case filed against Vatican & priest
• He’s currently facing at least seven criminal charges
• Cleric spent time in New Orleans and Lake Charles
• Support group urges bishops to “reach out to victims”

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will:

--Disclose a new lawsuit being filed against an accused predator priest, the Vatican, two Louisiana dioceses and two bishops,

--Urge victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers to call police, and

--Beg Louisiana Catholic officials to “aggressively seek out” other victims.

WHEN:

Wednesday, February 20 at 2:00 pm

WHERE:

Outside the chancery (aka archdiocesan headquarters) 7887 Walmsley Ave (corner of Fern) in New Orleans

WHO:

The victim’s attorney and a clergy sex abuse who is the outreach director for the international support group SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY:

A clergy sex abuse lawsuit is being filed against a Catholic priest who attended a New Orleans seminary and mostly worked in the Lake Charles diocese. The alleged victim was abused between 1985-88 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven parish in Lake Charles and in 1992 at St. Eugene’s parish in Grand Chenier.

The New Orleans archdiocese and the Lake Charles diocese (along with the prelates who head each of them), and the Vatican are named as defendants in the 40 page civil suit filed in US district court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

The priest, Fr. Mark A. Broussard, was arrested last April by the Calcasieu Parish sheriff’s office. He was indicted on two counts of aggravated sexual battery, two counts of oral sexual battery, two counts of aggravated rape, and one count of sexual battery. He is charged and indicted in both Calcacieu and Cameron parishes. (St. Eugene is in Cameron Parish.)

In 2011, Lake Charles Catholic officials reported to police that there was an abuse complaint about Fr. Broussard. That victim said Fr. Broussard abused him between 1986-1989 at St. Henry Parish in Lake Charles.

"My client thinks his story should be told to the public as a means of prevention and recovery,” said the victim’s attorney, Felecia Peavy of Houston (713-222-0205, felepeavy@me.com). "When these defendants considered Broussard's crimes in light of their reputations in the community, my client's safety and well-being registered as a zero."

Leaders of SNAP are applauding the victim for “doing his part to keep kids in Louisiana safer.”

“We are grateful to this courageous man for coming forward,” said Barbara Dorris, SNAP Outreach Director. “Publicly speaking up is the best way to inspire other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to get help, call police, protect kids and start healing.”

“We urge Bishop Glen John Provost to use all of his resources – his diocesan website, parish bulletins, and pulpit announcements – to find others in the Lake Charles area who may have been hurt by Fr. Broussard,” said Dorris. “Now is the time to shepherd his flock and do what he can to make kids safer and help victims heal.”

Fr. Broussard reportedly left the priesthood in 1994. He attended Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans.