NORTH DAKOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Victims to hold 2 ND events about pedophile
Convicted predator will soon be back on the job
Despite priest’s guilt, Vatican officials have lifted his suspension
In 2 weeks, Catholic supervisors will give him a new assignment
So group wants to find other “victims, witnesses or whistleblowers”
SNAP: “Another criminal case is our only chance to protect children”
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at two events, clergy sex abuse victims will
–prod anyone who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes or cover ups to call law enforcement immediately, (especially by a convicted priest who molested kids in northwestern Minnesota but is being put back on the job),
–urge parishioners to insist that Crookston Catholic officials help with this “outreach effort,” and
–call on “Vatican bureaucrats” to “reverse their decision, re-instate the predator priest’s suspension, and help law enforcement charge and convict him again.”
DATE
Monday, April 18
TIME/PLACE
-IN GRAND FORKS, at 11:00 a.m. – outside two churches: St. Michael’s (524 5th Ave. N. near 6th Street, 701-772-2624, http://www.stmichaelsgf.com/parish/) and St. Mary’s (216 Belmont Road near Second, 701-775-9318, http://www.stmarysgfnd.com/)
–IN FARGO, at 1:45 p.m. – outside the diocesan headquarters (5201 Bishops Blvd., near 52nd Ave. South, 701) 235-6429)
WHO
Two-three members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including a Minnesota woman who was raped as a child by a Crookston area priest and a Missouri woman who is the organization’s long time outreach director.
WHY
Weeks ago, Vatican officials lifted the suspension of a Catholic priest who pled guilty to child sex crimes last year in northwestern Minnesota. That move is prompting SNAP to aggressively seek out other victims in seven ND/MN towns hoping that cleric can be prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned again.
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