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  Church Admits Priest Ousted Because of Abuse Allegations

Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
May 26, 2011

http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_statements/2011_statements/052611_church_admits_priest_ousted_because_of_abuse_allegations.htm

[Letter to National Review Board]

[Letter to Archbishop Mansell]

[Letter to Connecticut Department of Public Health]

[Email from CT state agency to SNAP]

[McGann work history]

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

For the first time, Hartford Catholic church officials are admitting that a priest was suspended in 2005 because of child sex abuse allegations. It's a shame that it took six years and two protests by our group to finally prod reckless, callous and deceitful archdiocesan staff to reveal this simple but crucial fact.

Also for the first time, Hartford's archbishop is announcing their refusal to do what 24 bishops in the US have done: post names of proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics on their website.

The admission and the refusal were made by archdiocesan public relations staffer Maria Zone in today's Bristol Press.

The admission is significant because now, finally, it will be harder for McGann to be around kids. We hope parents, parishioners and the public spread the word about this disclosure and keep their children away from McGann.

The refusal is significant for two reasons. First, it puts kids at risk. When parents know who proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics are, they can better safeguard their children. Second, it keeps a cloud of doubt over innocent priests (especially those who retired early or suddenly or left under unusual circumstances) who some may wrongly assume to be child molesters.

Candor by Mansell would help parents, kids, victims, priests and the public. But apparently for the sake of his own comfort and reputation, Mansell prefers secrecy over openness and potential danger over public safety.

It seems clear that without external pressure, Mansell would have made neither announcement. This re-enforces the old adage that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." But sadly, it also re-enforces the reputation of Catholic officials as being timid and self-serving when it comes to child sex cases. And it shows that despite a decade of bishops' pledging to be "open" about pedophile priests, these remain just hollow promises.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com), Peter Isely (414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

Survivors' network wants accused priests' names revealed

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 10:21 PM EDT

By Jackie Majerus, Staff Writer

HARTFORD — The Archdiocese of Hartford should make public the names of priests or any other employee who is a proven or "credibly accused" child molester, a victims' advocacy group said Wednesday.

Activists from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests stood in front of the Cathedral of St. Joseph asking that the archdiocese disclose the names and other information of current or former church workers, living or dead, as a way to protect children.

"We have no plans to do this," said Maria Zone, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese.

The Rev. Richard McGann, a former Bristol priest who served at St. Gregory Church, Our Lady of Mercy in Plainville and at St. Paul Catholic High School, was the focal point of SNAP's attention Wednesday.

Zone said McGann has been on administrative leave since 2005. A priest on administrative leave cannot perform any of the duties of a priest, including performing sacraments such as Communion, she said, or wear the trademark collar or clothes of a priest.

Although Zone said that priests on administrative leave are generally paid and continue to receive benefits such as health care, she said there are exceptions and she could not speak to McGann's case specifically.

A priest can be on administrative leave "indefinitely," Zone said.

McGann was put on administrative leave because of claims of sexual abuse made by Jeffrey Libby, she said.

Libby and the archdiocese reached a settlement in September 2009. Libby is in prison in Maine for the 1986 drowning death of his grandfather and was behind bars when the settlement was reached two years ago. He alleged the abuse occurred between 1975 and 1977.

"The settlement was based on these allegations, which have never been proven," said Zone. She said she's never heard of any other complaints against McGann, but added, "I can't say that there never have been."

David Clohessy, director of SNAP, said members of the organization believe McGann had other victims and made an appeal for them to come forward.

"He's walking free," Clohessy said. "We believe that he is dangerous."

McGann is believed to be living in the area, but could not be reached for comment.

Clohessy and others with SNAP and the group Voice of the Faithful said Archbishop Henry Mansell and other church leaders should "come clean" and say where McGann is living and name other priests who have been placed on leave.

The group tried to hand deliver a letter to Mansell on Wednesday but weren't able to speak with him.

"Maybe next time," said Christopher Matt of Plainville, who is a member of SNAP. He said he knew McGann when he was a member of Our Lady of Mercy but wasn't aware at the time of any wrongdoing there.

"I saw the good side of him," Matt said.

Jayne O'Donnell of Voice of the Faithful and a member of St. Timothy Church in West Hartford, said the church pays out hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements and keeps the names of the priests out of the public eye — and off the list of sex offenders.

There hasn't been a public report on the finances of the archdiocese since 1985, said O'Donnell, who said the church has lost credibility among believers.

"Their trust has eroded," O'Donnell said. "They're not looked up to the way they used to be by the faithful."

Clohessy alleged that McGann had been staying with a Bristol day-care operator. He said SNAP received calls from several people in town who said they saw him among the children, but none were with him at the cathedral Wednesday.

"People prefer not to get involved," Clohessy said.

The licensed day-care operator, Debra Zakrzewski, has said McGann does not live with her and that state investigators have checked into SNAP's claims and cleared her.

Attempts to reach Diana Reyes, a state public health investigator, by e-mail and phone Wednesday to confirm the conclusion of the probe were not successful.

Zone said the archdiocese has instituted a background check and sexual awareness training program for all employees.

"We are doing everything we can to keep children safe," Zone said.

http://www.bristolpress.com/articles/2011/05/26/news/doc4dddb1fb38737714550506.txt

 
 

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