Irish Catholic Officials Betray Their Flock Again

SNAP
October 24, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ire_irish_catholic_officials_betray_their_flock_again

[Irish Independent]

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

Irish Catholic religious orders are refusing to live up to promises they made years ago to help victims of abuse. Shame on them.

These selfish and cold-hearted church officials are victimizing the already-wounded for the third time. First, these innocent boys and girls were violated as kids. Second, they were violated again when a callous Catholic hierarchy ignored their pleas for help, openness and healing. Now, they are violating these still-suffering adults by breaking their promises of help.

Catholic officials are blaming the depressed property market for the shortfall." That's baloney. The Catholic church is a huge, wealthy monarchy. The hierarchy almost always seems to find money for its pet projects. When a pope visits a nation, all of that country's Catholic entities "chip in”, pool their funds to make sure they can capitalize on the energy and attention a papal visit brings.

When it's advantageous for them, they claim the church is a world-wide institution in which Catholic entities help one another financially. When it's advantageous to claim the reverse - that each Catholic entity is entirely separate - they claim the reverse. It's utterly deceitful.

We believe "Where there's a will, there's a way." In Boston, the now-disgraced Cardinal Bernard Law had the decency to at least borrow money (some $25 million) from the Knights of Columbus to help hundreds of victims. These religious orders can and should do the same if necessary.

If Catholic official refuse to honor pledges they've made in public, imagine how they lie and deceive victims, witnesses and whistleblowers they meet in private.

Contact - David Clohessy 314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com

Barbara Dorris 314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com

Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com