MINNESOTA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Monday, May 2, 2016
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)
Another accused Crookston predator priest has been suspended because of credible reports of child sex crimes. That makes at least seven publicly accused Crookston area child molesting Catholic clerics (according to BishopAccountability.org)
Bishop Michael Hoeppner should spread the word about this move far and wide and aggressively seek out others who may have seen, suspected or suffered the cleric’s crimes.
Over the weekend, Fr. Pat Sullivan was temporarily suspended for abuse that happened eight or nine years ago. He recently worked in Dillworth and Hawley.
[KVRR]
As best we can tell, Bishop Hoeppner told the fewest people possible about this troubling new abuse report: just Fr. Sullivan’s current parishioners. That’s self-serving and irresponsible.
Bishop Hoeppner did not, as best we can tell, inform the public about it. But the US bishops’ national abuse policy purportedly mandates “openness” in clergy sex abuse and cover up cases. Why is Bishop Hoeppner being so secretive?
A genuinely compassionate leader would have held a news conference, so police, prosecutors, parishioners, parents and the public would and promptly know about Fr. Sullivan and could do what they can to keep him away from kids and from destroying evidence, intimidating victims, threatening witnesses, discrediting whistleblowers or fleeing the country.
Or, Bishop Hoeppner should have sent a news release to Minnesota media and posted a notice on his diocesan website.
Instead, he did the absolute bare minimum. Shame on him.
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