MISSOURI
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, July 9
For more information:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, bblaine@snapnetwork.org)
Three predator priests “outed” for first time
All worked in the Springfield Catholic diocese
They’re “credibly accused child molesters,” church admits
Long secret records about them were just released this week
More hidden documents will be disclosed in the months ahead
Two of them were in St. Louis area as recently as three & six years ago
Three Catholic priests who worked in the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Catholic diocese have been publicly identified for the first time as “credibly accused” child molesters and a victims group wants local church officials to “aggressively seek out and help” others who have been hurt by them.
They are Fr. Thomas Meyer, Fr. James Vincent Fitzgerald and Fr. Michael Charland.
“It’s very likely others who were hurt by these priests are still suffering in shame, silence and self-blame,” said David Clohessy of St. Louis. A Drury University graduate, he heads an international support group called the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “Springfield’s bishop, other clerics and lay Catholics should do everything possible to find and console these wounded victims.”
According to the Official Catholic Directory, from 1998 to 1999, Fr. Meyer was pastor at St. Leo the Great Parish/IHM Parish in Mansfield. In 1987, Fr. Fitzgerald was pastor at St. William’s parish in Gainesville. From 1959-63, Fr. Charland attended seminary at Our Lady of the Ozarks in Carthage.
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