SURVIVOR
Community News
Long Island VOTF – Witness
to survivors: On Sunday,
October 1, we held a vigil at St. Agnes Cathedral asking
again for accountability and a pastoral
response to those abused by clergy.
Dick Regan was one of six family members abused by the same priest. Bishop
Murphy was asked to meet with Dick’s family months ago. The bishop said
no - he would only meet with him individually because, "that's my style." Now,
Dick has tried to arrange a one-on-one meeting with the bishop. He has been
told by the diocese that his lawyer must arrange the meeting with the diocesan
lawyer!
We encourage support for Dick Regan and others in the diocese who have filed
allegations of abuse, as we remind Bishop Murphy of his promise to provide
a pastoral response to the abused.
The gathering began with prayer and handouts distributed to those leaving
the 9:30 Mass. We invited all to attend the 11:00 Mass, wearing red as a symbol
of solidarity. After Mass, we continued to distribute information. We provided
Vigil Committee contact information and included in the flyers distributed
the VOTF “What We Believe” statement.
The documentary film “Deliver Us From Evil” will open in theaters
across the nation, premiering in New York, Boston and Los Angeles on October
13 and in numerous other cities shortly afterwards. VOTF will have special
screenings of the film in Boston (October 9), New York (October 11), Chicago
(October 19) and San Francisco (tbd) with a Q&A after the screening. If
you are in any of those areas watch for an email from your local VOTF. The
National schedule for the film has not yet been announced. Also, watch your
local newspaper for dates and times.
The film depicts a serial abuser priest in the diocese of Sacramento, CA who
was transferred from parish to parish by then Bishop Roger Mahony. It is a
striking expose of the clergy abuse scandal and won the Best Picture Award
at the Los Angeles Film Festival last June.
For a synopsis of the film click
here and click on “Fact Sheet”.
For the film trailer click
here.
Where Is Fr. Buongirno?
VOTF member Casey Serra has written an open letter to the people of
Connecticut, but the audience should be far greater. Casey is asking where
a credibly
accused priest is and whether or not those in the priest’s neighborhood
and/or workplace know what they need to know in order to protect children
in their
care.
WHERE IS BUONGIRNO? This question has bothered me for quite some time.
Father Richard T. Buongirno was the very popular pastor of St. Mathias in
East Lyme. One weekend, he announced that the bishop had a new task for him
and that he would be leaving immediately for St. John’s parish in Old
Saybrook. The parishioners in St. Mathias were saddened because Father Richard
was a very likeable man and they wondered why the bishop was transferring him.
Shortly thereafter, they found out.
Richard T. Buongirno was a pedophile. He had worked himself into the confidence
of a family and conned them into letting their young son stay overnight in
the rectory. He then proceeded to sexually abuse this boy. The bishop covered
up and sent him to St. John’s WITHOUT TELLING THE PARISHIONERS OF EITHER
PARISH THAT BUONGIRNO WAS A PEDOPHILE!
The Norwich Diocese paid a substantial, but confidential, settlement to the
boy and Buongirno dropped out of sight. He has not been “de-frocked” and
is still a priest but not engaged in any ministry. He is still subject to the
bishop. He has been turned loose on an unsuspecting public. I think the public
have a right to know if this pedophile lurks in their neighborhood.
For the protection of your children, demand an answer to the question:
BISHOP COTE, WHERE IS BUONGIRNO?
LETTER from a pastor
Fr. Van Sloun of St. Stephen’s Church in Anoka, MN recently
went out of his way to support the efforts of survivor, VOTF and SNAP MN
Director Bob
Schwiderski. The story appeared in the 9/21 issue of In the Vineyard. Fr.
Van Sloun posted the following letter on the parish web site:
You may or may not have encountered some representatives from SNAP on the
sidewalk near the entrances to the church. SNAP stands for “Survivors Network
of those Abused by Priests.” Most of their members were violated by a
clergy person at some point in the past, and for this, we as a faith community,
are truly sorry. We at St. Stephen’s and the wider Archdiocese as well,
are deeply committed to responsible ministry, and the safety of all, particularly
our children.
SNAP is here because it wants to break the cycle of abuse, and it wants to
raise awareness in churches, families, schools, law enforcement, health care,
and other areas of society, and this is a worthy and noble purpose. SNAP is
also passing out leaflets regarding a certain Mr. Michael Bik, a former lay
teacher in our school during the 1970s,
who allegedly was guilty of misconduct. To our knowledge, no complaint was
ever made to our school, this parish, or local law enforcement. He was a layman
at the time, not a priest. Abbott John Clausen, O.S.B., the religious superior
of the Abbey at St. John’s in Collegeville, called me two weeks ago to
notify the parish. Mr. Bik joined the Abbey in the mid 1980s, and was eventually
ordained a priest. The victims courageously came forward in the mid 1990s,
and now Fr. Bik has been living under restrictions in the Abbey ever since.
We are deeply sorry for the pain and suffering that has been endured by the
victims and their families. The Abbey has pledged to be open and to support
all victims. So do we as a parish. We, as a faith community, promise once again
to operate under the highest standards of responsibility and accountability,
and to honor the integrity and beauty of every person who is created in the
image and likeness of God.
____________________
The Baptist
Standard reports: “Members
of the coalition that fought the Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy over
sexual abuse by priests are asking the Southern Baptist Convention to prevent
similar clergy abuse in the denomination’s churches. SNAP recently delivered
a letter to the SBC Executive Committee at its Nashville headquarters.”
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