NY--Dolan quietly removes abusive priest; SNAP responds

By David Clohessy
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
May 3, 2015

http://www.snapnetwork.org/ny_dolan_quietly_removes_abusive_priest_snap_responds

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

Trying to avoid bad publicity, NYC Cardinal Timothy Dolan has quietly suspended a priest accused of abusing a teenaged parishioner and giving him money to buy drugs.

http://www.recordonline.com/article/20150502/NEWS/150509868/101008

In February, Dolan’s second-in-command (Bishop Gerald Walsh) wrote to parishioners of Pine Bush’s Church of the Infant Saviour telling them that Fr. Kevin Gallagher had been suspended. A criminal investigation is on-going.

Dolan should have told the public. He should have put notices on the archdiocesan website and in all parish bulletins. He should have personally visited the parish. He should have gone to other parishes where Fr. Gallagher worked. He should be actively begging anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Fr. Gallagher to call police.

Instead, Dolan does the absolute bare minimum: writing one letter to the priest’s current parishioners.

Mikey Kyles says that as an addicted 19 year old, Gallagher sexually abused him in the rectory “after giving him hundreds and hundreds of dollars over a few years to buy drugs for a heroin habit,” according to The Times Herald-Record.

This is a heinous betrayal. Dolan should be outraged. Dolan should be taking decisive action. Instead, Dolan’s doing what bishops have done for decades: telling as few people as possible and doing as little to help as possible.

Our hearts go out to Mikey Kyles and his family. What terrible suffering he has endured: losing his twin brother at an early age, becoming addicted, and then being emotionally manipulated and sexually exploited by an purportedly celibate spiritual guide and now, being essentially ignored by Dolan, Walsh and other top Catholic officials who are choosing to protect their reputations and careers instead of protecting their flock from a predator.

We hope every single person who has information or suspicions about Fr. Gallagher – or any New York archdiocesan child molesting cleric (priest, nun, brother, bishop, seminarian or lay employee) – will find the courage that Mikey Kyles is showing and will call law enforcement immediately. That’s the best way to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded and expose the truth.