Florida priest Fr. John Gallagher, whistleblower, mistreated by Diocese of Palm Beach, FL, Catholic Whistleblowers (January 26, 2016)

Florida priest Fr. John Gallagher, whistleblower, mistreated by Diocese of Palm Beach, FL

Catholic Whistleblowers
January 26, 2016

http://www.catholicwhistleblowers.com/

Catholic Whistleblowers Steering Committee – c/o P.O. Box 279, Livingston, NJ 07039 – 862-368-2800

MEDIA RELEASE – JANUARY 26, 2016

Catholic whistleblowers should be hailed as heroes and protectors of children, not villains

The Catholic Whistleblowers Steering Committee, comprised of lay men and women, religious sisters, priests, and former religious brothers and priests, is outraged that a fellow whistleblower, Fr. John Gallagher, formerly assigned to Holy Name of Jesus Parish in West Palm Beach, Florida, has been treated shabbily by officials of the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida.

Instead of hailing Fr. Gallagher as a hero for holding a fellow priest accountable for alleged sexual misdeeds against a minor child, the Diocese of Palm Beach in essence fired Fr. Gallagher from his priestly ministry at Holy Name of Jesus Parish, purportedly changed the locks on his home, and prevented him from ministering to the people of Holy Name Parish – all because he wasn’t silent about alleged sexual abuse of minor children. Fr. John Gallagher has suffered bodily, spiritually, and psychologically as a result, and the Catholic Whistleblowers Steering Committee demands that officials of the Catholic Church, including Pope Francis, intervene justly in this matter.

It is outrageous that Fr. John Gallagher, who has been complimented and lauded by law enforcement officials for contacting them about alleged sexual abuse of a minor child by a priest, is not being treated as a hero by Catholic Church officials, including his bishop. The Catholic Whistleblowers Steering Committee demands that Fr. John Gallagher be restored immediately to priestly ministry with all related faculties, benefits, and apologies. In addition, Bishop Gerald Barbarito should be fired immediately by Pope Francis for his mishandling of the Fr. John Gallagher matter.

Signed by Catholic Whistleblowers Steering Committee Members:

Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., West Orange, NJ Sr. Sally Butler, OP, Brooklyn, NY Rev. James E. Connell, J.C.D., Milwaukee, WI Sr. Maureen Paul Turlish, SNDdeN, New Castle, DE Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, OP, J.C.D., Vienna, VA