Victims Blast Archbishop on Abuse Decision

SNAP
July 12, 2015

http://www.snapnetwork.org/victims_blast_archbishop_on_abuse_decision

We have little faith in secretive church “investigations,” so we are worried that Fr. Riley has allegedly been “cleared” by his bishop of child sex abuse accusations. It seems obvious that Bishop Michael Jackels’ hand-picked panel did not even interview the accuser but instead relied on the second-hand report of a person hand-picked and paid by Jackels.

We hope parishioners, the press and the public will press Jackels to disclose more about his so-called “investigation” and how it was carried out, and about the claim that Fr. Riley was sent to Florida to allegedly be near family (see below).

We beg every single person who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Fr. Riley or cover ups by his supervisors to speak up now. It’s crucial to share what you may have seen, heard or suspected with secular autyhorities, not church officials.

Fr. Riley’s work history is, at best, odd, and at worst, highly suspicious and lend credibility to the accusations against him.

First, he apparently was sent to work in Florida during the year the church’s abuse and cover up scandal erupted (2002).

[bishop-accountability.org]

Second, in Florida he lived, in an unusual arrangement, in a rectory with two priests from Newark (Fr. Nicholas McLoughlin and Fr Jean-Marie 'Fritz' Ligonde) and one from Marquette (Fr. Thomas Wantland).

Fr. McLoughlin was named as a defendant in a clergy sex abuse and coverup lawsuit for allegedly concealing child sex crimes by his brother, also a priest.

[bishop-accountability.org]

Third, Fr. Riley was demoted while in Florida.

Fourth, Fr. Riley was transferred often during his Iowa years. He worked in churches in Cresco, Dubuque, Roseville, Buffalo Center, Woden, Forest City, Lake Mills, Clermont, Postville, Dougherty, Rockford, Rockwell, and Cartersville.

[snapnetwork.org]