Nebraska bishop is only US prelate refusing to participate in child molestation policy

National support group and Catholic lay group ask bishops to prod him this week

Five years ago this month, church hierarchy adopted first-ever national abuse plan

Cardinal George is targeted because he’ll be the next Bishops Conference president

WHAT
At a sidewalk news conference, as America’s Catholic prelates meet this week in New Mexico, two national organizations are asking Chicago’s Catholic Cardinal and other top church officials to prod one a fellow bishop to honor the church’s national sex abuse policy or rebuke him.

Immediately after the event, the groups will try to hand-deliver a letter to church authorities.

WHEN
Today, Wednesday, June 20th, 2:00 p.m.

WHERE
Holy Name Catholic Cathedral, 735 N. State Street, Chicago (then some will walk to the Archdiocesan Chancery Office, 155 E. Superior St.)

WHO
Several national and local leaders of a Catholic reform group called CTA (Call To Action) a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).

WHY
Cardinal Francis George of Chicago and Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane are the vice-president and president, respectively, of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. In those roles, the prelates have a duty to make sure their colleagues comply with the church’s nationwide child sex abuse policies, which were adopted five years ago last week.

However, both have stayed silent in the face of clear and repeated violations of those policies by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln Nebraska. He is the only one of 194 bishops who refuses to comply with that policy. Part of that policy calls for bishops to “fraternally correct” peers who violate it.

Earlier this month, Nebraska CTA members tried to present Bruskewitz with the petitions signed by 1,000 parishioners from across the US urging him to comply with the Dallas Charter. Bruskewitz threatened to have them arrested if they stepped foot on church property. See Lincoln Journal Star newspaper for story: http://www.journalstar.com
SNAP is a support group for clergy molestation victims with 8,000 members. CTA is a Catholic reform organization with a membership of 25,000. Both organizations’ national headquarters are based in Chicago.

CONTACT
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director 314 566 9790 cell
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP outreach director 314 862 7688
Nicole Sotelo of Chicago, CTA USA Acting Co-Director 773 404 0004, ext 285
Linda Pieczynski of Chicago, CTA/USA Spokesperson and Attorney 630.323.6924