New Child Sex Abuse Victim Lawsuit Filed Against Pedophile Priest

Convicted clergyman worked in more than 20 parishes in three states

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ --
WHAT:
At sidewalk news conferences in two cities, clergy sex abuse victims and
an attorney will -- discuss a new child molestation lawsuit against
Catholic officials by
a Nevada man,
-- disclose ten pages of once-secret church documents about a predator
priest,
-- beg victims and witnesses of the priest to speak up, call police and
get help, and
-- prod Catholic officials to use their resources (church newspapers,
websites and parish bulletins) to reach out to anyone else who may
have experienced, witnessed or suspected crimes by the priest.

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 15, 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: In front of St. Francis de Sales church, 1111 N. Michael Way (off
of W. Washington Ave.), in Las Vegas
WHO: Several clergy abuse victims who are members of a support group
called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
(SNAPnetwork.org)
WHY: Within the last few days, a Nevada man has reported being molested as
a boy in Las Vegas by Fr. John Patrick Feeney, who's now behind bars for
sexually assaulting Wisconsin boys. The crimes took place around 1984 at St.
Francis De Sales. In 1986, Feeney also worked with prison ministries through
St. Joan of Arc parish in Las Vegas.
Last week, SNAP released other documents that show that high ranking
Catholic officials had clear knowledge about a pedophile priest but kept
moving him, even out of state. According to the records, a now-deceased Green
Bay bishop admits that despite Feeney's history of molesting children in
Wisconsin, he would still write a good recommendation for Feeney to work
elsewhere. The documents also explicitly discuss the Catholic Officials policy
of destroying documents.
Also last week, SNAP urged Las Vegas church officials to aggressively
reach out to anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered Feeney's crimes.
SNAP has gotten no response.
Ordained in 1952, Feeney's been 'on leave' since 1986 and was sentenced in
2004 to 15 years in prison for molesting brothers Troy and Todd Merryfield in
Freedom WI in the late 1970s. Feeney worked in 18 Wisconsin parishes in 30
years.
After leaving Nevada, Feeney worked in California. A civil sex abuse case
against him there has also been settled.
A similar news conference is being held in Green Bay.
http://www.lvrj.com/news/13036387.html
SOURCE SNAP

Barbara Blaine, president, Chicago, cell, +1-312-399-4747, or Peter Isely,
national board member, Milwaukee, cell, +1-414-429-7259, or Barbara Dorris,
outreach director, St. Louis, cell, +1-314-503-0003, all of SNAP; or Jeff
Anderson, Attorney, St. Paul, cell, +1-612-817-8665