SNAP STATEMENT
First, we want to thank Linda Burke for her courage and her compassion today. It's never easy to acknowledge having been abused. It's even harder when there are several predators involved. And it's harder when none of them have been publicly disclosed before as predators.
We believe Linda's brave action today will help protect kids and help heal victims.
We hope Linda's brave action today will inspire other victims to speak up and expose their predators. Who knows how many more child molesting Chicago clergy are still shielded in secrecy because of church gag orders and cowardice?
Finally, we have three questions for Cardinal George:
Why must the burden of exposing dangerous sex offenders fall on the wounded? Why won't you show courage and concern and warn families about these potential threats?
And when will this Chinese water torture of disclosure after disclosure ever end?
Barbara Blaine
President and Founder, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
700 N. Green, Suite 504
Chicago, IL 60622
312 399 4747
SNAPnetwork.org
STATEMENT BY FLORIDA WOMAN ABUSED BY CHICAGO PRIESTS
February 11, 2006
It has been disconcerting to hear about the recent events in Chicago related to clergy sexual abuse and how the Archdiocese has responded or rather failed to respond immediately to protect the children. I have been struggling to understand how such a failure can occur given all the efforts that have been made to change how the Archdiocese responds to allegations of clergy sexual abuse of minors. Instead of focusing on protecting the priests, every effort must be made to protect the children. This most recent situation has helped me realize that I too must stop protecting the priests who abused, used, and exploited me when I was a teen and young adult. I therefore have decided to name the priests in hopes that others who may have been abused too and are still struggling to come forward, will be encouraged to do so.
Linda Burke
WHAT:
Holding posters, clergy molestation victims will hand out copies of a legal settlement agreement between a Florida woman and the Chicago archdiocese for the molestation she suffered from two former and one current Chicago priests
They want to urge other victims of the abusive clerics to come forward and get help, and anyone who witnessed or suspected the crimes to call the police
WHEN:
Saturday, February 11, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE:
Outside St. James Catholic church, 2942 S. Wabash in Maywood (where one of the perpetrators worked)
WHO:
Two – three clergy molestation victims and supporters who are members of a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) including the organization’s founder and president
WHY:
A former Chicago area resident was abused in the 1960s & 1970s when she was 16-21 by four priests.
In 2004, she reached a $125,000 settlement with the Chicago archdiocese, with the help of Schaumburg area attorney Joseph Klest
(847)69.9510, (312)527.2779, (630)529.7848, (847)969.9510
Three priests named in the settlement agreement are Paul L. O'Toole (ordained in 1967) John J. Rohrick (ordained in 1965), and Howard J. Sturm (ordained in 1950). The fourth was not named in the settlement, and he retired as a priest in good standing. Two of the priests left the priesthood to marry (O’Toole & Rohrick) and one (Strum) is deceased. Before today, none of the men have been identified as an accused abuser.
O’Toole abused her at St. James parish and the other three abused her at St. Eulalia’s parish, 1845 S. 9th St. also in Maywood.
The victim, Linda Burke, is now in her 50s and is a social worker.
SNAP feels that Chicago Catholic officials should “emphatically remind Catholics that they have a moral and civic duty to disclose anything they know about these allegations to law enforcement.”
The culture of shame and secrecy around child molestation in the church is long-standing and deeply-rooted, SNAP says. It won’t be reversed by words alone and parishioners need to understand that keeping silent about sex abuse charges hurts their church and their kids.
Last week SNAP sent Cardinal George a letter saying “Church officials insist they’ve ‘reformed’ and handle abuse cases differently these days. If that’s true, the best way to show a change of heart is with a change of behavior. Jesus didn’t lead by sending press releases or letters or surrogates to the wounded. He went himself.”
SNAP is a self-help group working to protect those who are vulnerable and to heal those who are wounded.
CONTACT:
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP President (312) 399-4747 cell
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566-9790 cell |
