PRESS RELEASE – Advisory – 01/03/09
January 3, 2009
Press Advisory
•Bishop Malone’s Police and Canonical Actions Against Advocate Sparks National Coalition to Check the Facts
•Portland Bishop’s Half Truths, Exaggerations, False Representations Revealed
•Catholics Urged to Seek the Truth
•Call to Catholics to Cast Off Inertia, Get the Facts
When: Sunday, January 4 from 9:30 AM to 10:15 AM
Where: Outside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress St., Portland, ME
Who: National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC), including the advocate who is Bishop Malone’s target, with assistance from local survivors and family members
What: Press Conference, 9:30 AM
Distribution of Fact Sheet to Mass goers 9:30 AM to 10:15 AM
Why: To get out the truth. For society’s good, moral and spiritual leaders must be held accountable.
Bishop Richard J. Malone, Diocese of Portland, ME, filed a Notice of Criminal Trespass against survivor advocate Paul Kendrick to bar him from attending Christmas Midnight Mass at the Portland Cathedral. The bishop went further and took Church legal action against Kendrick that could keep him from receiving Communion.
Coalition members say Bishop Malone is using heavy handed civil and Church actions to silence victim advocates. The coalition says threatening to use the Sacrament which Catholics hold as the most sacred as a weapon against anyone who speaks out is a dangerous path for believers and harms the Church’s position as a moral voice in society.
The coalition urges Bishop Malone to stop, reflect, and hold reasonable discussions with survivors, family members and advocates.
In addition, the coalition is calling for the bishop to post the names of priests who have abused children on the diocesan website to provide knowledge for the protection of children.
Bishop Malone has the rank of high Church office, diocesan staff, a website, diocesan newspaper, parish bulletins at his disposal. This level of power requires an equal level of accountable responsibility.
National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) is distributing the fact sheet in an attempt to make sure false statements, half truths and exaggerations do not continue to exist. The coalition hopes to bring awareness to Catholics and urges them to get the facts about what happening in their Church.
Contacts for additional information:
Kristine Ward, National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC)-OH (937-272-0308)
Michael Sweatt, NSAC-ME (207-831-3791)
Marge Bean, NSAC-MA (617-851-6536)
Tom Byrne, NSAC-OH (216-337-4017)
Mike Coode, NSAC-TN (615-364-2334)
Carolyn Disco, NSAC-NH (603-424-3120)
Ed Friedl, NSAC-OH (330-289-8430)
Bob Hoatson, NSAC-NJ (862-368-2800)
Jim Jenkins, NSAC-CA (510-599-5173)
Paul Kellen, NSAC-MA (781-395-3628)
Lisa Kendzior, NSAC-TX (817-773-5907)
Chuck Miller, NSAC-DE (240-481-0003)
Judy Miller, NSAC-DE (302-234-1519)
Ruth Moore, NSAC-MA (781-925-3080)
Bob Schwiderski, NSAC-MN (952-471-3422)
Steve Sheehan, NSAC-MA (617-319-0477)
Sister Maureen Turlish, NSAC-DE (610-212-2770)
Frank Douglas, NSAC-AZ