Victims Urge Bishop to Act

SNAP
December 20, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/tx_victims_urge_bishop_to_act

For more information: David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP Director (314) 566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com

A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging a Texas bishop to warn his flock about an abusive priest who has reportedly moved to the Dallas area.

Last week, a Minnesota judge ordered the Winona diocese to release a list of credibly accused predator priests. One of them is Fr. Joseph C. Cashman.

It was the first time Fr. Cashman was publicly accused of molesting kids. Church officials are trying to defrock him.

“We believe that Fr. Cashman is still dangerous and belongs behind bars,” said Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, outreach director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “But this predator will probably continue to escape consequences for his crimes unless bishops in Dallas and Minnesota start acting with real compassion and decisiveness.”

“Bishops recruit, educate, ordain, hire, train, transfer and shield predator priests,” said David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP’s director. “So when credible abuse reports surface, they must warn the public and take active steps to help police investigate the allegations and help parents safeguard their kids.”

SNAP is calling on both Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Dallas and Bishop John M. Quinn of Winona to “use church websites and parish bulletins and pulpit announcements to warn parents about Fr. Cashman and beg those with knowledge or suspicions of his crimes to call law enforcement immediately.”

The Winona bishop’s main public relations staffer is Joel Hennessy (jhennessy@dow.org, 507.858.1249, cell 507.254.3948).

There are 16 publicly accused child molesting Catholic clerics in the Winona diocese and 20 in the Dallas diocese, according to BishopAccountability.org

Here is part of the Winona diocese’s information on Cashman:

[link]

Date of Birth: May 12, 1934

Date of Ordination: May 31, 1960

Assignments:

June 13, 1960 - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona, MN

August 20, 1963 -Saint John, Rochester, MN

August 20, 1963 - Lourdes High School, Rochester, MN

July 1, 1967 - Loyola High School, Mankato, MN

July 1, 1967 - Saint Joseph, Good Thunder, MN

June 24, 1970 - Lourdes High School, Rochester, MN

June 24, 1970 - Saint Margaret, Mantorville, MN

July 1, 1977 - Saint John the Baptist, Mankato, MN

July 2, 1985 - Saint Mary, Caledonia, MN

Ministerial Status: Ministerial privileges suspended September, 1992; laicization pending in Canonical Tribunal.

Current Address: Dallas, TX