CHICAGO (IL)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Cardinal Francis George
Archdiocese of Chicago
835 N Rush St
Chicago IL 60611
October 3, 2013
Dear Cardinal George:
We belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our mission is to heal the wounded and protect the vulnerable.
As you know, one of your priests, Fr. Robert Stepek, now works for the Burbank police department.
At least three men say he molested them as children.
At least three men have filed civil child sex abuse lawsuits against the archdiocese because of him.
At least two of these cases have settled.
Your abuse panel determined that child sex abuse allegations against him are credible.
And this week, it was revealed that Vatican officials say he “engaged in behaviors inappropriate for a priest.”
And this week, you said you would not put him back in a parish.
So while you are protecting yourself and your archdiocese from legal liability (by not giving Fr. Stepek a church job), you’re doing little if anything to really protect others from him. You’re letting him work at the police department, refusing to put him in a treatment center, hiding records about his alleged crimes and sitting behind your desk instead of aggressively reaching out to other who might be able to help put Fr. Stepek in prison.
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