He shouted at and assaulted SNAP volunteer and took her leaflets

Priest also misled police by not giving his last name, SNAP says

In odd move, parishioners signed petitions urging SNAP to protest archbishop

Last year, two sexually troubled priests were quietly sent to that parish/school

WHAT:
A court hearing will be held for a Catholic priest who faces peace disturbance charges for grabbing, shouting at and taking leaflets from a clergy molestation victim who was offering fliers to parishioners. The leaflets gave information about two sexually troubled priests who’d been quietly assigned to work at the church in less than a year.

WHEN:
Tuesday, May 22, 8:00 a.m.

WHERE:
In the Court 2 of the City Courts, 1400 Olive street in downtown St. Louis

WHO:
Two members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) including the woman who was accosted by the assistant pastor

WHY:
Fr. Andrew Pinsent will be arraigned on ‘’disturbing the peace” charges in St. Louis city for grabbing and yelling at a clergy sex abuse victim in January and taking her leaflets. However, SNAP has recently been made aware that he gave police only his first and middle name, not his last name. His name has also been removed from the parish website, where he had been listed as “associate pastor.”

SNAP members handed out fliers outside St. Ambrose on the Hill about two sexually troubled out-of-state priests were sent to St. Louis for ‘treatment’ but quietly worked at this parish during the last year. Despite credible allegations against the clerics, parishioners were not warned about them.

Some parishioners signed petitions urging SNAP to avoid leafleting in the future. In response, SNAP asked that they be allowed to meet with church members and/or send a mailing to them, instead of leafleting. For now, SNAP will voluntarily refrain from leafleting while the pastor and his parish council consider SNAP’s compromise. Church officials, however, are apparently ignoring SNAP’s offer.

In December 2006, Father Darell Mitchell worked at St. Ambrose, even though a) photos of nude boys had been found on his computer and b) he had been accused of giving beer and gifts to a boy, holding boys-only dinners, taking a boy to Europe and letting a boy live at the rectory with him for weeks. (See Post-Dispatch, Yakima Herald Republic, KMOX.com)

In December 2005, Fr. Nicholas Voelker worked at St. Ambrose, even though

1. he was accused of assaulting an adult parishioners,
2. she had gotten an a court order of protection from him, and
3. the his home diocese had given her a substantial settlement. (See Wichita Eagle, KMOX.com)

Voelker has returned to the Wichita diocese. Mitchell resigned in January and has reportedly left the area.

CONTACT:
David Clohessy 566 9790
Barb Dorris 862 7688 home, 503 0003 cell