For Safety Reasons, Support Group Wants His Request To Be Denied

SNAP To Leaflet The Public Asking Them To Write State Officials

They Also Prod Archbishop To Defrock The Convicted Predator Quickly

Cleric Is Young And Will Likely Molest Again, Group Believes

WHAT:

Handing out flyers to passers-by, clergy sex abuse victims will prod citizens to write

• Missouri officials and urge them to deny parole to a convicted abusive Catholic priest,
  
• St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke and urge him to move to defrock the priest

A parole hearing for the cleric is set for later this week.

WHERE:

In downtown Clayton, outside the St. Louis County courthouse on the northeast side of the building near the government center plaza

WHEN:

Today, Tuesday, August 15 at 12:45 p.m.

WHO:

Several survivors of clergy sexual abuse and their supporters who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY:

Father Gary Wolken is petitioning to be released early from his 15 year prison sentence for multiple counts of statutory sodomy and child molestation. (He pled guilty in 2003.) Wolken is currently incarcerated at South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Mo. Missouri parole officials have scheduled a hearing on his request for tomorrow in Bonne Terre.

Wolken was an associate pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows parish in south St. Louis city. He sexually abused a young boy between August 1997 and July 2000, beginning when the boy was in kindergarten. In March 2002, the parents reported the abuse, Wolken was subsequently placed on administrative leave, and pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory sodomy and six counts of child molestation in December 2002. According to Missouri Lawyer, “On Feb. 28, 2003, St. Louis Circuit Judge John Kintz sentenced Wolken to concurrent 15-year sentences for each sodomy charge and concurrent 7-year sentences for the molestation charges. St. Louis County assistant prosecutor Rob Livergood had sought a 20-year sentence (saying that) Wolken had committed a similar but unprosecuted crime 22 years earlier.”

A civil child sex abuse lawsuit against Wolken was settled for $1.65 million.

SNAP leaders believe Wolken is young, a shrewd, charismatic and dangerous predator, easily able to gain the trust of youngsters and their parents. He has not been defrocked and SNAP is concerned that he will somehow function in some way as a member of the clergy or in a position where he will have access to children.

CONTACT:

David Clohessy, SNAP National Director 314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home

Barbara Dorris, Victims Outreach Director 314-862-7688