Who are we?
We are clergy sex abuse victims. We want to be healed of our pain and protect kids in the church from abuse.
Why are we here?
We fear that children may have been sexually molested at your church.
Father Joseph Monahan worked in many Saint Louis parishes, including this one.
Monahan was named as a child molester in a recent Philadelphia grand jury report (see Post Dispatch 9/22/05).
Church officials claim Monahan came here for "alcohol treatment" in 1975, but frankly we doubt they're telling the truth. (Alcohol facilities can be found all over the country. Only a handful of centers, however, treat abusive clergy. Two of them are in this area, and dozens of proven, admitted and credibly accused child-molesting priests have been sent here from across the US. Several of them - including Fr. Romano Ferraro and Fr. Mark Roberts - sexually abused St. Louis area kids after coming here from elsewhere for "treatment.")
What do we want?
We want to prevent abuse and help victims heal through informing church members and neighbors of accused and admitted molesters to whom they may have been exposed.
What can you do to help protect kids?
Demand that St. Louis Catholic officials
- permanently post the names of and histories all known and suspected molesters on the archdiocesan website and in church bulletins urging victims and witnesses to contact criminal authorities,
- publicly urge victims and witnesses to come forward, get help, and call police,
- ask your children and family members if they were abused,
- nvite clergy abuse victims to tell their stories at your church,
- post contact information for independent self-help support groups like SNAP in your church bulletin and website.
We urge you to contact SNAP if you know anyone who was hurt by Monahan or by any clergy.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED
Call the police at 314-444-5817 or prosecutors at 314-622-4941
Call SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)
(314 566 9790 or e-mail: SNAPclohessy@aol.com, Website: SNAPnetwork.org
We are a confidential self-help support group for people victimized by clergy.
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