Abuse Victims Sought, by Brad Bauer, The Marietta Times, May 1, 2006

Abuse Victims Sought

By Brad Bauer bbauer@mariettatimes.com
The Marietta Times
May 1, 2006

http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/new11_51200682420.asp

Victims of clergy sex abuse urged others to come forward at nearly a dozen southeast Ohio churches on Sunday, including St. Mary's Catholic Church in Marietta.

As parishioners left churches, molestation victims and their families handed out flyers and leaflets detailing their stories of abuse. The literature also accuses Catholic churches in southeast Ohio of continuing to ignore reports of abuse.

"Victims should not be afraid to step out and voice their abuse — even if it has been many years since the abuse took place," said Helen Schoeppner, of Marietta, a member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "Stepping out can be a healing process and it exposes the molesters so that they can be taken out of the priesthood and no longer will be able to molest."

Judy Block-Jones, center, hands out leaflets to members of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Marietta on Sunday. The leaflet encourages victims of sexual abuse by clergy members to come forward. Jones and other members of her organization, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, distributed literature at about 10 churches in southeast Ohio during the weekend.
Photo by Brad Bauer The Marietta Times

Schoeppner said one of her children was abused as a child.

No specific abuse was being alleged at St. Mary's, Schoeppner said. The group was only encouraging people to step forward if any abuse had occurred.

Since the Catholic church sex scandal broke, 11 individuals in the Steubenville Diocese have come forward to report being victimized by clergy members, Schoeppner said.

The Steubenville Diocese includes 13 counties in southeast Ohio.

St. Mary's Monsignor John Michael Campbell told parishioners the group would be waiting outside at the conclusion of Sunday's 10 a.m. Mass. He encouraged church members to welcome the group, but maintained the church is addressing reports of past abuse appropriately.

"We, as a diocese, are very fortunate that we have not had many cases of sexual abuse by priests — however, even a few cases are too many cases," Campbell told his parish. "Bishop (Daniel) Conlon has dealt honestly and directly with every case reported to the diocese, and he will continue to do so ... As a church, we do not hide from this evil."

Conlon could not be reached for comment Sunday afternoon.

Most St. Mary's members politely declined to accept the literature when leaving the Fourth Street church. Those who did take the pamphlets and who were approached declined to comment.

"It is a hard subject for people to talk about," said Judy Block-Jones, co-director of SNAP, as she stood outside the church. "It doesn't mean it should be ignored though."

Jones, of St. Louis, said four of her family members were sexually abused as children by a clergy member in Monroe County.

"We want those still suffering in silence to know they are not alone and that they can call us," she said.

Jones said the crowd at St. Mary's was very accepting and in sharp contrast to how her group was met Saturday evening outside a church in Steubenville.

"People were shouting and saying we were trying to bring down the church and all kinds of things," Jones said. "That isn't it at all. We just want the truth to be known and for survivors to get help."

Jones said the group felt like it suffered a significant loss recently when Ohio legislatures amended a bill that would have enabled clergy members to be found liable for abuse even after statues of limitations had passed.

"We feel like we were sold out," Jones said. "What is left (in the bill) isn't going to do survivors any good."