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| Group Wants Investigation into Child Molesting Cleric
SNAP
June 1, 2016
http://www.snapnetwork.org/
For more information: Melanie Jula Sakoda 925-708-6175, melanie.sakoda@gmail.com
SNAP: “How did a convicted predator get a job in a parish?”
Priest hurt a Michigan child, then Boston bishop gave him posts in NH & Maine
A support group is calling for an investigation into how a priest convicted of a child sex crime got a job at a Maine church.
The New York-based Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) and its bishop in Boston are being sued by a young man who was molested in Maine as a 15 year old altar boy by a priest who is now behind bars. The newly filed civil lawsuit charges that church officials were negligent in supervising the cleric, who had been convicted of a child sexual crime before he was ordained.
[Bangor Daily News]
Members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, say they are “very grateful to the victim for having the courage to hold those who enabled his perpetrator accountable.”
Despite a 1983 conviction for child sexual abuse in Michigan, Father Adam Metropoulos was ordained a priest in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA), Metropolis of Boston. He worked at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Bangor, Maine, for more than a dozen years (from September of 2001 until his arrest on September 15, 2014).
[Bangor Daily News]
[Bangor Daily News]
The twice convicted priest was defrocked by church officials on July 13, 2015.
[Orthodox Observer]
(The announcement appeared in the October, 2015, Orthodox Observer, page 3)
The civil lawsuit was filed on May 20th. The victim is represented by Lewiston attorney Verne Paradies.
Melanie Jula Sakoda, one of the two Orthodox Christian Directors for SNAP, hopes that the lawsuit will get to the bottom of how a convicted pedophile was able become a Greek priest.
“I just don’t understand how church officials let this predator become a priest. If the Michigan conviction was uncovered, he shouldn’t have been ordained. If they didn’t check, shame on them!” she said.
Cappy Larson, the other Orthodox Christian Director for the survivors’ group, chimed in, “It breaks my heart that this young man was hurt when he didn’t have to be. Who know how many other victims Father Adam may have had! Not only was he in the Bangor parish for 13 years, but he also worked at the diocesan summer camp in New Hampshire!!”
[National Herald]
“We hope that this lawsuit encourages others who were hurt to come forward, report what they know, and start healing,” said Sakoda.
“We are very grateful to this brave victim for having the strength to hold those who enabled his perpetrator accountable,” added Larson.
Greek officials’ contact information:
Archbishop Demetrios Trakatellis, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (212-570-3511,12, archdiocese@goarch.org)
Metropolitan Methodios Tournas, Metropolis of Boston (617-277-4742, metropolis@boston.goarch.org)
Contact - Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, melanie.sakoda@gmail.com), Cappy Larson (415-637-2006, cappy@rlarson.com), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, davidgclohessy@gmail.com
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