NEW MEXICO
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 9
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com, davidgclohessy@gmail.com )
Seven New Mexico clerics with a Catholic religious order called the Franciscans are accused of sexually abusing youngsters, according to the Gallup Independent newspaper and court documents.
(Full article is below.)
Five of them are believed to be publicly named as alleged perpetrators for the first time: Ephrem Beltramea (listed as Ephraim Beltremea), Eugene Botello, Crispin Butz, Finnian Connolly and Clementin (listed as Clemetine) Wottle.
Before this disclosure, an independent archive group that researches the church abuse scandal, BishopAccountability.org, said there are 12 Gallup area priests who are publicly accused of molesting children.
We urge the Franciscans and all three New Mexico bishops – especially Gallup Bishop James Wall – to reveal every church facility where these accused clerics worked – inside and outside the state – and aggressively seek out anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by them.
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