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WHAT:
As parishioners leave mass, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hand out flyers about a recent molestation case in which Catholic leaders were found in contempt of court. The flyers urge Catholics to call their new bishop and insist that he turn over the records, stop playing legal hardball, help the victim heal, and reach out aggressively to others hurt by this particular cleric.
WHEN:
Sunday, July 3, 11:10 a.m.
WHERE:
On the sidewalk outside St. Peter's Cathedral, 200 West Harrison in Belleville
WHO:
The victim in this case, along with several men and women who were sexually abused by clerics and belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (including the group's national director from St. Louis)
WHY:
On April 7 of last year, the New York Times reported that then Belleville Bishop Wilton Gregory was fined $2,000 and found in contempt of court for refusing to turn over documents regarding a suspended priest, Fr. Raymond Kownacki. The cleric has been accused of molesting several youngsters and the diocese has paid at least one settlement to one of Kownacki's victims.
Earlier this week, a three judge appeals panel in Mt. Vernon again ruled that church officials must release Kownacki's personnel files to Belleville attorney Michael Weilmunster, who represents two Kownacki victims.
In this lawsuit, JIm Wisniewski of Champaign alleges that he was repeatedly abused in the 1970s by Father Raymond Kownacki. In 1995, Kownacki was suspended because of multiple credible allegations of abuse. Wisniewski filed his civil suit in October of 2002.
In a separate civil suit, Kownacki was accused of impregnating a teenager and then causing her to have an abortion.
Wisniewski and SNAP want Belleville's new bishop to NOT appeal this case and to take active steps to find and help heal others who have been molested by Kownacki.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_statements/2004_statements/040704_diocese_in_contempt.htm
CONTACT:
David Clohessy 314 566 9790
Barbara Dorris 314 862 7688
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