BishopAccountability.org
	Advocates for Victims of Sexual Abuse Are Looking for Changes WABI June 3, 2008 http://www.wabi.tv/index.php?cat_id=4109&url_news4109=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wabi.tv%2 Fmodules%2FNews%2FdisplayNews.php%3Fid%3D3151&formFocus=news4109 [with video] Changes to the name of a bridge and two scholarships honoring an Augusta priest who sexually assaulted a child while serving in the Catholic church. Some say it would help all victims of abuse to have the honors revoked. IT WAS HERE AT THE ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH IN AUGUSTA WHERE REVEREND JOHN CURRAN SERVED AS A PRIEST FOR TEN YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH IN 1976. ALLEGATIONS THAT CURRAN SEXUALLY ABUSED MINORS LINGERED AFTER HIS DEATH AS VICTIMS SPOKE OUT...ONE CASE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. THIS AUGUSTA BRIDGE BEARS CURRANS NAME...TWO SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS HONOR HIM TOO. VICTIM ADVOCATE, PAUL KENDRICK SAYS THE NAME NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. "It's a slap in the face at least now the community knows we've tried to bring it to their attention and when we hear excuses as to why we can't talk about this it's another slap in the face to those who are abused." THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT AUGUSTA AND THE Calumet Educational and Literary Foundation OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS IN CURRAN'S NAME. UMAINE PRESIDENT ALLYSON HUGHES HANDLEY WASN'T AVAILABLE FOR AN ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW BUT SHE TOLD TV5, QUOTE, "A REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE INTO THE NAMING OF THE SCHOLARSHIP AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE." JAN MICHAUD, PRESIDENT OF THE CALUMET FOUNDATION DECLINED AN ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW BUT SAYS, QUOTE, "THE SCHOLARSHIP NAME CHANGE IS BEING CONSIDERED, BUT NOT BECAUSE OF ANY ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CURRAN." "the church has become offensive in some cases misleading instead of opening their arms so Ms. Michaud's comments quite frankly are not unexpected." AS FOR THE FATHER CURRAN BRIDGE WHICH IS STATE OWNED, LAWMAKERS WOULD NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGE IF THERE IS ENOUGH COMMUNITY SUPPORT. SUPPORT KENDRICK WILL ASK FOR IN THE NAMES OF EVERY PERSON WHO HAS SUFFERED FROM ABUSE.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.