'Spotlight' Win Renews Calls To Release Names Of Priests Accused Of Abuse
OAKLAND (KCBS) – After the movie "Spotlight" won the Academy Award for Best Picture, advocates for victims of clergy sexual abuse are renewing their call for local Catholic bishops to release the names of accused priests.
Tim Lennon of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) said there's no reason the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the Diocese of Oakland and the Diocese of San Jose should not release the names of those accused.
"What I'm saying is the church has a responsibility, not only to help survivors like me, but they have a responsibility to reach out to those children that are harmed, that are suffering in the dark," said Lennon, who said he was raped by a priest at the age of 12.
Melanie Sakoda of SNAP said the crisis is not over. She told KCBS of another member's experience.
"Her abuser was convicted in Minnesota of raping her, and he also abused another girl. And the Vatican just freed him up to return to ministry in India," Sakoda said.
The organization is asking Catholics to email church officials, urging them to post the names of accused priests on parish websites.
"Spotlight" tells the story of journalists of the Boston Globe who uncovered widespread priest sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston.