SNAP_Press_Release

SNAP Press Release, February 23, 2010.

For immediate release: Tuesday, Feb. 23

For more information: Judy Jones 636-433-2511, David Clohessy 314-566-9790

Clergy sex victims blast Pittsburgh bishop

"Put predator in treatment center," they argue

"And aggressively reach out to others he has hurt," SNAP urges

A suspended predator priest should be put in a secure, independent treatment center and Catholic authorities should work to get him criminally charged, according to clergy sex abuse victims who are highly critical of Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik.

Leaders of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (www.snapnetwork.org), are concerned about Fr. Alvin Adams, who is accused of molesting at least three girls. Last week, Pittsburgh church officials announced that a child sex allegation against him is "credible" and that Adams would live in a convent with nuns.

On Saturday, however, the diocese reversed itself because of concerns by parents about a day care center on the property.

But SNAP believes he should be put in "a remote, secure, independently-run treatment center so he can get help and so kids can be safer." The group expressed its dismay in a letter sent today by fax and e mail to Zubik.

"How can church officials, in 2010, believe it's safe to put a predator near a day care center?" asked Judy Jones, SNAP's Midwest Associate Director. "History, psychology and common sense all tell us this is naive at best and dangerous at worst."

The group also suspects that Adams could still face criminal prosecution, especially if church authorities beg others he may have hurt to come forward.

"Victims and witnesses often stay silent unless encouraged by authorities to speak up," said Barbara Dorris of SNAP. "Since predators rarely stop, it's likely that Adams has molested others who could still bring criminal charges. It's Zubik's job and moral duty to seek out others who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes and beg them to call law enforcement."

Specifically, SNAP wants Zubik to personally visit parishes where Adams worked and beg victims and witnesses to call law enforcement with any information they may have about the priest.

"Any details – however old, small or seemingly insignificant, might help criminal authorities charge and convict this predator," said Jones. "Zubik should be begging current and former church members and employees to call 911 with anything they know about Adams."

SNAP is also writing Adam's attorney, Paul Titus, urging that the priest speak publicly about the allegations.

"It's cowardly and disingenuous for an accused predator priest to profess his innocence through a defense lawyer but refuse to publicly and openly address the allegations," SNAP's letter maintains. "If he acts guilty, and dodges the public and the press, and hides behind his lawyer, he shouldn't complain that many will believe he's guilty."

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SNAP's letters, sent today by fax and e mail, are below:

Dear Bishop Zubik,

We are writing for two reasons: what you have done, and haven't done, regarding Fr. Alvin Adams.

We are members of a support group. Our mission is simple: to protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded. We'll use any means possible to find and help those who've been molested and need support. We also do all we can to protect kids by exposing their predators.

You have done the absolute bare minimum: you've disclosed that you are taking some action against a credibly accused child molesting cleric. You of course deserve no praise you for keeping Fr. Adams out of parish ministry, since it's what you're required to do under the church's national child sex abuse policy and since it's a smart public relations and legal defense move.

We call on you to do more, however, for the safety of children and the healing of his victims.

First, it appears (based on news accounts) that you have not sought Vatican approval to permanently oust Adams from the priesthood. If that is in fact the case, we strongly urge you to try and take that step. It's possible that you are correct, and the church's archaic internal rules don't allow for Adams to be defrocked. Still, we believe you should seek his permanent ouster, and let the Vatican decide whether his crimes merit such a consequence.

Second, it also is unclear (based on news accounts) whether you have turned these allegations over to secular criminal authorities. If you have not, it is arrogant and dismissive for you to claim "the only case against (Adams) was in church law, because the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution or a lawsuit had expired."

With all due respect, Bishop, you do not have the education or the expertise to make such an assumption. Police and prosecutors across the US have become and are becoming much more savvy and aggressive about pursuing even decades-old child sex crimes, using increasingly sophisticated methods. And even if it's too late for him to be prosecuted for molesting a girl or these girls, Adams may well have molested others more recently or be vulnerable to other kinds of charges (child porn, intimidating a witness, tampering with evidence, child endangerment, etc.)

If you haven't already turned over Adam's personnel files, and information about these allegations, to local law enforcement, we urge you to do so immediately.

Regardless of what the Vatican or the police or prosecutor do or don't do, however, you have immense power as Pittsburgh's bishop. You control your diocesan website, weekly diocesan newspaper, and dozens of parish bulletins and websites. You could, and should, aggressively use these resources, and others, to sensitively but firmly and repeatedly prod others who may have seen, suspected or suffered Adam's crimes to come forward, get help, call police, protect others and start healing.

We beg you to take this simple step to safeguard children.

Kids are safest, you surely realize, when child predators are jailed. That happens best when those with knowledge of a predator's crimes do more than the bare minimum. It often happens when someone in authority takes the initiative and reaches out to those in pain, those who have been sexually assaulted by that predator. Please, do this now, Bishop. Please show by your deeds, not your words, that you care about the well being of both already-wounded adults and still-vulnerable youngsters.

Even more effective, however, than bulletin announcements and news releases is your presence in parishes where Fr. Adams has worked. Imagine the impact it would have if you would look at his former parishioners, face-to-face and tell them it's your Christian and your civic duty to call police with any information you may have about Fr. Adams. For centuries, our church has had a culture of secrecy regarding child sex crimes. That must end. You must speak up.

Sadly, even now, we believe many Catholics know about child sex cases, but keep silent because they worry about bringing shame on their parish, their diocese, and their church. Bishop, it's your obligation to help them understand how hurtful and short-sighted this view is. Teach them that withholding information about such crimes actually hurts their parish and diocese and church, and even perhaps their own children. Help your flock realize that disclosing clergy sex crimes makes the church a safer, healthier place for all.

Finally, as long as Adams walks free (allegedly monitored by his brother priests, a notion we find laughable), kids are at risk. So rather than taking the cheap and easy way out, and putting him in another church facility, we urge you to put him in a remote, secure, independent, and professionally-run treatment center so he can get therapy and so that kids can be safer. That's the only truly responsible course of action, Bishop. It's what Pittsburgh Catholics, and his victim or victims, deserve and what children need.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Judy Jones
SNAP Midwest Associate Director
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
17170 Deer Mountain Rd.
Marthasville, Mo. 63357
636 433 2511

David Clohessy
National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
7234 Arsenal Street
St. Louis MO 63143
314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915

Barbara Dorris
Outreach Coordinator, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
6245 Westminster
St. Louis MO 63130
314 862 7688

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Feb. 23. 2010

Dear Mr. Titus

We urge you to urge your client, Fr. Alvin Adams, to speak publicly about the allegations that he has molested girls.

It's cowardly and disingenuous for an accused predator priest to profess his innocence through a defense lawyer but refuse to publicly and openly address the allegations.

If he acts guilty, and dodges the public and the press, and hides behind his lawyer, he shouldn't complain that many will believe he's guilty.

Your client is a well-educated, presumably bright and well-spoken man who has, by virtue of his role as a priest, had considerable experience in speaking publicly. If he's innocent, he has little to fear by defending himself in public. We hope you will encourage him to do so.

Judy Jones
SNAP Midwest Associate Director
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
17170 Deer Mountain Rd.
Marthasville, Mo. 63357
636 433 2511

David Clohessy
National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
7234 Arsenal Street
St. Louis MO 63143
314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915

Barbara Dorris
Outreach Coordinator, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
6245 Westminster
St. Louis MO 63130
314 862 7688

SNAPnetwork.org

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