Victims “not Impressed” with Catholic Official’s Resignation

SNAP
October 4, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_victims_not_impressed_with_catholic_official_s_resignation

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com)

The resignation of the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocesan vicar general is pure public relations. It’s a desperate move to reassure justifiably outraged Catholics. But it’s not real reform.

The problem starts at the top and is rampant throughout the archdiocesan hierarchy – a long-standing, deeply -rooted and on-going obsession with preserving the reputations of clerics, not the safety of kids.

We are convinced that everything the vicar general did in the Fr. Curtis Wehmeyer case was done with the archbishop’s input and approval.

So this is not progress. If Archbishop Nienstadt fired Msgr. Laird - or clearly demoted or disciplined him – that might be progress. But church officials have long resigned when the heat becomes too intense and their successors have acted in the same irresponsible ways in clergy sex abuse and cover up cases.

This might make a few adults feel better. It will make no children be safer. It’s essentially putting a band aid on stage four cancer.