Priest convicted of child sex abuse volunteered in Dutch church; SNAP responds

For immediate release: Monday, April 26, 2010

Statement by Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach, CA, SNAP Western Regional Director (949) 322-7434 cell

After a conviction and prison sentence, a now-defrocked, notorious predator priest (who assaulted boys, girls and at least one infant), has re-surfaced helping at a Rotterdam Catholic church under another name.

Dutch Catholic officials should be severely disciplined for failing to do even the most simple background check on this dangerous predator.

It's irresponsible for Catholic officials to recruit, educate, ordain, hire, train, transfer and shield predators, then 'cut them loose' when the heat gets too intense, letting them walk free and molest again. Church hierarchy must, at an absolute bare minimum, promptly take three steps. First, it must do everything possible to make sure that pedophile priests, nuns, brothers, bishops and seminarians get prosecuted effectively and imprisoned for as long as possible. (This means voluntarily turning over to law enforcement all files relating to accused predators and aggressively using church websites, pulpit announcements, diocesan newspapers, and parish bulletins to beg victims and witnesses to call law enforcement when accusations against a cleric surface.) Second, the hierarchy must create and maintain an easy-to-use international, on-line directory of proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics so that this doesn’t keep happening again and again and again. Third, church employees who recklessly let proven predators back around kids must be fired, so that other church employees get the message that endangering kids means you'll lose your job.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 22 years and have more than 9,000 members across the globe. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contacts: David Clohessy (314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915 home), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940), Peter Isely (414-429-7259), Barbara Dorris (314 503 0003)

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/priest-convicted-child-sex-abuse-volunteered-dutch-church

By Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests | April 26, 2010 5:08 PM

Let’s hope every single person who saw, suspected or suffered O’Grady’s crimes and misdeeds will come forward, call police, get help, protect others, expose wrongdoers and start healing.

- David Clohessy, National Director, SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, 7234 Arsenal Street, St. Louis MO 63143, 314 566 9790 cell, SNAPnetwork.org, SNAPclohessy@aol.com

By David Clohessy | April 26, 2010 5:11 PM

Jesus, now all Rotterdam's Catholic expats are infected with the paedophilic virus. Serve 'em right!

By Vogon Poet | April 26, 2010 5:26 PM

We had 5 pedophile priests in our church of St. Maria Goretti in Scottsdale , Az. Not all there at the same time but being 80 yr. olds we were there a long time and knew them all and would have vouched for all but one.We left the RCC in 2001 on our 50th wedding anniv.

By glorybe1929 | April 26, 2010 7:10 PM

The Catholic Church is even more dangerous than the Church of Scientology. It should be banned.

By Gary Green | April 27, 2010 11:26 AM

2 gary green. don't go too far talking about ban on Catholic Church. According to SNAP it happens in all denominations. Unfortunatelly. There is majority of good Catholics. We have to pray for the victims of these crimes and also (maybe you won't like it) for penitence of the people who committed them.

By lisa | April 28, 2010 10:01 AM

Just the fact that the Catholic church's doctrine concerning priests,abstention from sex, is abnormal and against the laws of nature made by their God is ridiculous, need we say more? Why would their God want people to go against his own law?

Unless this doctrine is scrapped, the pedophilia will continue, but even more under ground than it already is...

The best way to control people is through religion. Ignorance, fear, hatred & war...

By stevie | April 28, 2010 11:17 AM

Stevie, the abuse has nothing to do with abstinence, (although I agree that it is an outdated doctrine) it does not matter how desperate you are for sex the only way you are going to turn to a child is if you are a paedophile to begin with.
These are just clever predators who chose a profession where they would be least suspected. It is not the fault of the religion and its followers, but those who committed the acts and those who covered it up. Like any business, corp. society etc accountability lies with the top man, thats part of the responsibilty of any leadership position, unless the pope takes action it will continue. the church will lose members over time purely due to lack of action and acknowledgement.

By jen | April 28, 2010 8:13 PM