Bishop Paprocki Responds to SNAP

WICS
March 10, 2015

http://www.wics.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_21477.shtml

Bishop Thomas Paprocki is responding to calls from snap for greater transparency from the Springfield diocese about two predator priests the group alleges spent time here decades ago and six others who had Litchfield phone numbers dating back to the 1990s. The allegations came down from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).



“They did have contact with this diocese, yes. But Father Martinez as I mentioned served only very briefly as a hospital chaplain and that was before any known allegations about him,” said Paprocki. “And Father Fitzgerald was here before he was a priest.”



The diocese did release some of its findings, showing some of the 265 priests with the same Litchfield number. Paprocki said it belonged to the private home of another priest, who had no allegations against him, calling it a computer error.



“We did say repeatedly last week, there might be some innocent explanation for why these six Chicago priests had a 217 area code,” said David Clohessy, a SNAP spokesman. “I hope they didn't spend even a day in the Springfield diocese if that in fact is true.”



Even with these issues both men admitted they haven't even talked this week.



“So I think we could have tried to answer these questions that they've came out with last week and it would have been helpful if we had that opportunity,” said Paprocki.



“Paprocki has ignored letters and pleas time and time and time again in the past,” said Clohessy. And then when asked why he didn’t reach out this time, he responded. “Well we're a small non-profit organization and we do what works. And what works in our experience is making direct public appeals.”