MASSACHUSETTS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Tuesday, March 29
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)
Catholic officials are disclosing that a clergy sex abuse and cover up case has settled. We hope that this resolution will prod others with information or suspicions about child sex crimes by Fr. Paul J. Archambault to come forward and get help from independent sources.
[MassLive]
He is the 48th publicly accused child molesting cleric in the relatively small Springfield diocese. (BishopAccountability.org)
We are grateful that Bishop Mitchell Rozanski took the initiative to announce the settlement. His colleague – Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley – often refuses to do this, and refused to do so yesterday in several cases.
[SNAP]
At the same time, however, we’re disappointed that Bishop Rozanski lists so few proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics on his website. And we’re disappointed the bishop uses lines and language designed to distance himself from this predator and that reveal more about the victim than he should (like disclosing that “Fr. Archambault knew the victim’s family personally for many years before ordination”). There’s nothing to be gained, save a little public relations advantage, by revealing such information.
We hope this settlement will bring some comfort and closure to the brave young man who had the wisdom to understand he’d been hurt, the courage to speak up, and the strength to seek justice in the courts. We commend him for his bravery and are confident he has done the right thing and will inspire others who are suffering to come forward.
We urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in Catholic churches or institutions – especially in Springfield – to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling journalists, get justice by calling attorneys, and get comfort by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.
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