Omaha SNAP news conference, Wednesday 7/31 @ 1:15 pm
Victims prod archbishop to resign
He was sued for child sex abuse last week
SNAP: “And he’s protecting at least 3 molesters”
They aren’t on Omaha church’s ‘credibly accused’ list
Two of them are publicly named as offenders by other dioceses
Group begs anyone who "saw, suspected or suffered" abuse to speak up
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will
--urge Catholic officials to suspend Omaha’s archbishop and/or
--urge the archbishop to voluntarily step down.
(The archbishop was accused of sexually abusing a child in a lawsuit filed last week in St. Louis.)
To “protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded,” the group will also
--disclose the names of three clerics who 1) are or were in the Omaha area, 2) are publicly listed as ‘credibly accused’ abusers by church officials elsewhere, but 3) are NOT on the Omaha archdiocese’s ‘credibly accused’ list,
--urge the archbishop to update and expand his public list of credibly accused predator priests, and
--beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes to call police, not priests.
WHEN
Wednesday, July 31 at 1:15 p.m.
WHERE
On the sidewalk outside St. Cecelia’s Catholic Cathedral, 701 N. 40th St (corner of Burt) in Omaha
WHO
Two-three clergy sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) including a Missouri man who was its long-time executive director
WHY
--1) In a lawsuit filed last week, Omaha Archbishop George Lucas was accused of repeatedly molesting a boy in St. Louis.
The plaintiff "was raised in a devout Catholic environment, was an altar boy, attended Catholic school and went to mass daily." He reportedly met Lucas around 1988 when he was about 16 and attending a seminary where Lucas was the dean. The abuse allegedly started when the boy was a junior in high school.
He reportedly witnessed Lucas receiving oral sex from another student underneath a drape. Days later, according to the suit, Lucas "performed oral copulation on (the boy)."
"On multiple occasions," the suit charges, Lucas "masturbated the teen and forced him to masturbate Lucas." In addition, Lucas "failed the boy on an assignment" and told him that he could “orally copulate” Lucas "for a better grade," according to the lawsuit.
David Clohessy of SNAP said “Most bishops routinely suspend alleged predator priest, as they should, while an investigation happens. To be prudent, fair and consistent, and to honor the US bishops’ 20+ year old national abuse policy, Vatical officials should suspend Lucas until the allegations against him are resolved. If they don’t, Lucas should voluntarily step aside – at least temporarily – for the same reason, in addition to helping to restore his flock’s trust.”
About 60 US bishops have been publicly accused of abuse. Of those who faced allegations while still in office, about a dozen resigned (permanently or temporarily) but more have not.
https://www.bishop-accountability.org/bishops/global-list-of-accused-bishops/#UnitedStates
Dozens of new St. Louis area pedophile priest cases filed: SNAP responds — David Clohessy
--2) SNAP will disclose information about three alleged child molesting clerics who are or were in the Omaha archdiocese, are NOT on the Omaha archdiocese’s ‘credibly accused’ abusers list and to this day remain essentially ‘under the radar’ across Nebraska.
“We call on Lucas to come clean, stop protecting predators, and post the names of every abusive priest, nun, seminarian, deacon, monk, teacher or other Catholic staffer,” said Mike McDonnell of SNAP. “When Lucas conceals the identities of abusers, he is violating the most important pledge he’s made to his flock. And he makes us wonder ‘What and who else is he hiding?’ How can we trust them anymore after what church officials have showed us for decades”
--Deacon William R. Emerson, who worked at Boys Town U.S.A. In 2021, a lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing a boy settled “in the high five figures.” The child was 8-13 and the abuse reportedly happened more than 100 times. In 2012, Emerson admitted to smuggling drugs into a Massachusetts jail where he was chaplain.
https://www.bishop-accountability.org/accused/deacon-william-r-emerson/
--Fr. William C. Wehrle, who worked at St. Joseph Hospital in Omaha from 1973-1974. He is NOT on the Omaha archdiocese’s list of ‘credibly accused’ abusers, even though two other church entities publicly name him as ‘credibly accused’ (the Baltimore Archdiocese in 2002 and the Jesuits Maryland Province in 2018, which notes “multiple allegations of abuse in Denver and Washington DC).
Last year, he was detailed in a Maryland attorney general's report on clergy sex crimes and cover ups.
https://www.bishop-accountability.org/accused/wehrle-william-c-1950/
--Fr. Patrick Hagarty, who was publicly named as accused by the Fargo diocese on its list in 2020. Church officials determined that the child sex abuse allegations against him were substantiated and noted that he was “from the Omaha archdiocese.”
https://www.bishop-accountability.org/accused/hagarty-patrick-1941/
(Deacon Emerson also worked in Boston MA and St. Louis MO. Fr. Wehrle also worked in New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Washington DC. Fr. Patrick Hagarty also worked in Fargo ND. All of them are deceased and their photos are available at BishopAccountability.org.)
CONTACT
David Clohessy 314 566 9790 cell, davidgclohessy@gmail.com