SNAP skeptical of Bishop da Cunha

By Ariel Wittenberg
SouthCoast Today
September 24, 2014

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140924/NEWS/409240380

Victims of abuse by priests have released a statement criticizing Bishop Edgar Moreira da Cunha, who will be installed as bishop of the Fall River Diocese at St. Mary's Cathedral today .

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) said it is "highly skeptical" about how da Cunha will "protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded."

Da Cunha comes to Fall River from the Archdiocese of Newark, where he served as auxiliary bishop. SNAP Director David Clohessy called Newark a "dreadfully scandal-ridden archdiocese" and noted that da Cunha was second in command there.

John Kearns, spokesman for the Fall River Diocese, called the criticism of da Cunha "unfair because he was not the archbishop in Newark.

"He has said many times that he will address any accusation of abuse by clergy or anyone working under the diocese seriously and responsibly following the law," Kearns said. "He has no interest in protecting or defending anyone who has abused children."

Clohessy said he is not accusing da Cunha of being involved in any abuse or cover-up, but that da Cunha "was part of a leadership team" that was.

"There is no evidence he did anything whatsoever to break from the irresponsible track the archbishop was following," Clohessy said. "There are dozens and dozens of Newark predators and nothing that we saw shows he ever took steps to protect kids."