IL - Springfield Bishop Both Likes and Shuns Limelight, SNAP Says

The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
November 20, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/il_springfield_bishop_both_likes_and_shuns_limelight_snap_says

For immediate release: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013

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

Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki often seeks the media limelight to trumpet his views loudly (like with today’s exorcism). But he still quietly sits on child sex abuse allegations for weeks.

In September, Paprocki let a priest who’s accused of child sex crimes temporarily resign, instead of suspending him. Before that, however, Paprocki kept the allegations secret for weeks, giving the accused predator plenty of time to destroy evidence, intimidate victims, threaten witnesses, discredit whistleblowers, fabricate alibis and even flee the country. 

[State Journal-Register]

Weeks ago, Paprocki temporarily let Fr. Robert “Bud” DeGrand resign from his posts at Catholic parishes in Sigel, Neoga, Green Creek and Lillyville.

First, Paprocki should have suspended Fr. DeGrand. That’s what the US bishops pledged to do when credible child sex abuse reports surfaced. That’s what the US bishops’ official sex abuse policy mandates. There’s a difference between someone stepping aside and someone being TOLD to step aside. To let a credibly accused child molesting cleric decide whether to temporarily step down minimizes the horror he or she allegedly committed.

Second, Paprocki admits his hand-picked abuse panel quietly urged him to oust Fr. DeGrand almost a week before he acted. But he kept silent and delayed. Worse, Paprocki admits getting the allegation ten days before that. In that time, he again kept silent and delayed.

Remember: Every day a child sex abuse report is kept hidden, a child sex abuser is free to keep abusing. Every day of secrecy and delay makes it harder for police and prosecutors to pursue child predators.

Third, Paprocki should stop using vague, misleading language. These are alleged child sex crimes. They are not “misconduct.” The word “misconduct” is intended to soften the horror of sexual assaults on children by clergy.

It’s “misconduct” when a priest shouts or curses or insults an adult. When a priest sexually victimizes a child, however, it’s not “misconduct.” It’s child rape or child sodomy or child sex crimes. Paprocki is a lawyer. He has a public relations team. He knows words can clarify or obscure. And he chooses to protect himself, his reputation and his priests by deliberately using misleading and mischaracterizing words like “misconduct.” Shame on him.

Fourth, Fr. DeGrand reportedly molested a child – either a boy or a girl. Again, Paprocki chooses to use the vague and sanitized term “minor.”

If Paprocki really “takes such allegations seriously” (as he claims), he’ll personally go to parishes in Jacksonville, Winchester, Bluffs, Granite City, and other places where Fr. DeGrand worked. He’ll beg victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to call police immediately.

We hope every single person who saw, suspected or suffered crimes by DeGrand or cover ups by Paprocki will step forward, protect kids, call police, expose wrongdoers, deter wrongdoing and start healing.

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)