Advocates for abuse victims say priest names should be revealed

By Claire Taylor, Ken Stickney
Advertiser
August 16, 2014

http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/08/16/advocates-abuse-victims-say-priest-names-revealed/14171471/

Michael Jarrell Bishop Michael Jarrell of the Diocese of Lafayette prays during the blessing of the cornerstone at the Jesuit community of St. Charles College in Grand Coteau. Renovations of the facilities at the community were recently completed. Photos by Paul Kieu, The Advertiser Bishop Michael Jarrell of the Diocese of Lafayette prays during the dedication of the cornerstone at Jesuit community at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau, LA, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013. The facilities at the community recently completed renovations and include a seminary and a newly added assisted-living residence for senior Jesuits. Paul Kieu, The Advertiser

A survivors group for victims of pedophile priests has rejected as unsatisfactory Bishop Michael Jarrell’s decision to not identify the 15 accused Lafayette Diocese priests for whom the diocese has made financial payouts.

“Changing locations or jobs doesn’t cure a pedophile,” said Barbara Dorris, the outreach director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “So it’s incredibly disingenuous for Jarrell to imply that Lafayette police, parents and parishioners shouldn’t worry because some predator priests aren’t saying Mass now or have moved a few towns away.”

The bishop has turned away numerous requests to release the names of offenders. Late Thursday, he said of the 15, seven have died, five have moved away and none are involved in ministry.

In response to questions from The Daily Advertiser, the bishop conceded that the church is unable to account for the whereabouts of some offenders.

“Monitoring their activities is practically impossible,” he said.

But the diocese might be better able to monitor the activities of the offenders if it used the resources it has at hand, David Clohessy of SNAP said.

“It’s amazing how often bishops claim to be powerless about suspended priests,” Clohessy said, suggesting that bishops who release the names of offenders can use their information offices and parish media outlets, including church bulletins and publications, to warn their flocks about known pedophiles.

Clohessy said that more than two dozen U.S. dioceses have revealed the names of offenders in an effort to make the laity more aware of the possible danger. He said bishops have the “moral and civic responsibility” to do that.

The U.S. bishops in 2002 adopted a policy of being more transparent when dealing with cases of priest pedophiles.