They urge Catholic parishioners to stop donating to Providence diocese

Bishop refuses to do ‘real outreach’ and warnings about known predators

One cleric was sued just weeks ago for molesting pre-school boys in 2005

The other has abused at least six kids, has been jailed, and is HIV positive

Both should be put in secure treatment center so kids are safe, group believes

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, clergy molestation victims will strongly urging Rhode Island Catholics to stop donating to the Providence diocese.
They will also blast Providence’s bishop for

• refusing to do outreach about two pedophile priests,
• not letting their support group by an ‘outreach’ ad in the diocesan paper, & They will also beg the bishop to visit parishes where the predators worked seeking out victims and witnesses, so that the two can be prosecuted and jailed.

WHEN
Wednesday, April 30 at 10:15 AM

WHERE
Outside the Providence Catholic chancery office, One Cathedral Square, Providence

WHO
Two-three sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who is the organization's national director

WHY
Both priests face multiple child sex abuse allegations, have had child molestation lawsuits against them settled, and now face on-going criminal investigations. Both were moved from state to state, despite reports of child sexual abuse and both men are still priests and still believed to be on the church payroll.

One is Fr. A. J. Cote, who worked in a Providence church as recently as 2005, even though church officials had been notified of his abusive and suspicious behavior repeatedly. Earlier this month, a Massachusetts family filed a lawsuit charging that Cote molested two pre-school boys later in 2005.

Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin has done ‘very little,’ SNAP maintains, to warn others about Cote or help with an on-going criminal probe into his alleged crimes.

The second priest is Fr. Philip Magaldi, who disclosed several weeks ago that he is HIV positive. He worked at three Providence parishes, did jail time for embezzling $200,000, has been sued for child sex crimes at least six times, and is being defrocked.

SNAP believes church officials should put Magaldi in a remote, secure treatment center, so Magaldi can get therapy and so that kids and adults will be safe. A month ago, SNAP tried to buy an ad in the Providence diocesan newspaper warning others about Magaldi but has gotten no answer from church authorities.

The group believes there's a chance Magaldi can still be criminally prosecuted and jailed, but only if witnesses and victims call law enforcement.

So SNAP will deliver a check and an ad to Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin for the diocesan newspaper urging anyone who saw, suspected or suffered Magaldi’s crimes to call police.

SNAP wants Tobin to personally visit the parisheswhere the two predators worked and aggressively prod victims and witnesses to step forward and get help.

Cote worked at St. Pius V Church on Elmhurst Avenue. Magaldi worked at Our Lady of Grace in Johnston (1961-65), Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Providence (1965-68), and St. Matthew's in Cranston (1969-76).

Cote now lives in New York City and Magaldi lives in Ft. Worth Texas.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-priest_15met.ART0.North.Edition1.45ef2ad.html

CONTACT
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director 314-566-9790 cell
Skip Shea of Uxbridge MA, 508 282 9847
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP National Outreach Director 314-862-7688 home 314-503-0003 cell