GEORGIA
Surivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Friday, April 8, 2016
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell,bdorris@SNAPnetwork.org)
Atlanta’s top Catholic official is misleading his flock instead of protecting it.
He refuses to post predator priests’ names on church websites. He’s making deceptive claims about his dealings with pedophiles. And despite repeated pledges to be “open” about predator priests, he’s refusing to answer questions about six of them who were “outed” for abuse elsewhere but worked or spent time in his archdiocese.
Two days ago, in response to questions from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) Archbishop Wilton Gregory claimed “Our archdiocese has one of the most stringent safe environment policies in the country, including zero tolerance for abuse.” We challenge him to prove this. We strongly believe this isn’t true.
We’ve asked Gregory twice to protect kids by warning his flock about these predators and posting their names on church websites. We’ve asked him to aggressively reach out to anyone else they may have been hurt, because many victims are suicidal, agoraphobic, addicted, depressed and trapped in silence, shame and self-blame.
Gregory ignores us. And when the AJC asks him questions about these child molesting cleric, he rebuffs them.
And honestly, even if Gregory’s archdiocese does have stronger policies, that’s virtually meaningless. Church abuse policies are rarely followed. Bishops adopt them for selfish reasons, because church public relations staff and defense lawyers and insurers tell them they’ll look good with written abuse protocols on the books.
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