Abuse survivors seek details

Group wants to know names of deceased priests
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Carla K. Johnson   October 25, 2002
Staff writer

A local support group for victims of clergy sexual abuse wants more information from Bishop William Skylstad.

Leaders of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests say they want the following: names of deceased priests accused of abuse; details of allegations; dates when complaints came to the diocese; and amounts of money paid in settlements with victims.

On Wednesday, Skylstad released the names of six Catholic priests accused of sexual abuse of minors, all more than 15 years ago. Four of the priests were removed from the ministry. James J. O'Malley was removed in 1989, Theodore F.X. Bradley this year, Arthur C. Mertens in 1989 and Reinard W. Beaver in 1983.

Two of the accused priests resigned: Patrick G. O'Donnell in 1985 and Bernard O. Oosterman in 1980.

Information about several deceased priests accused of abuse also was passed along to law-enforcement authorities by the Spokane Catholic Diocese on Wednesday. The deceased priests were not publicly identified.

"This is the first step in trying to reach reform," said Molly Harding, a co-founder of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP. "We're pleased with (Skylstad's) effort, but there's more to come."

The names of deceased priests are particularly important, Harding said.

"The victims are still alive, trying to heal and seeking accountability and justice," she said.

SNAP drew about 25 people to its most recent weekly meeting.

The group plans to draft legislation to extend the statute of limitations for both criminal and civil actions involving child sexual abuse, said Michael Ross, co-founder with Harding of the group.

Ross and Harding formed the group last month. They each spend about five hours a day working on SNAP issues, reading e-mails from people who want to join them and listening to the stories of victims.

They would like to see churchgoers join them in asking for more information from the diocese.

"This has to come from the parishioners in the pew," Ross said. "It has to go up through the church councils, to the priests, to the bishop and eventually possibly maybe to the Vatican."

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