SNAP urges diocesan officials to testify

A House panel is expected to vote on the bill in January.
YOUNGSTOWN -- A group of survivors who say they have been sexually abused by priests wants the head of the Diocese of Youngstown to testify in support of a bill that focuses on reforms to the state's child abuse sex laws and statutes of limitations concerning sexual predators.
SNAP -- Survivors Network of those Abused By Priests -- called attention to the fact the Ohio Senate unanimously passed Ohio Senate Bill 17 in March and the House Judiciary Committee hearing on that measure is planned Thursday.
SNAP representatives had a sidewalk news conference Monday outside the Diocese of Youngstown offices to bring attention to Senate Bill 17.
Committee Chairman John Willamowski, R-Lima, said he expects his panel will vote on the bill next month.
At Thursday's hearing, Bishop Frederick Campbell of Columbus will testify.
SNAP is encouraging the other five bishops in Ohio, including Monsignor Robert Siffrin, diocesan administrator for the Diocese of Youngstown, also to testify.
Unable to attend
Monsignor Siffrin won't be able to attend the hearing, but other Diocese of Youngstown representatives will.
SNAP wanted to hand deliver letters to the Ohio bishops. The letter, in part, read: "We know you and other bishops across Ohio have privately lobbied to kill the bill that will bring reform to Ohio's archaic and arbitrary statutes of limitations which allow sexual predators to get away with their crimes and leave victims with no recourse to expose our perpetrators.
"We ask that you stop using parishioners' donations to block the child sex abuse reforms that will protect Ohio's innocent children who may be risk of abuse right now."
Names on the letter are Claudia Vercellotti, SNAP Toledo director; Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP president; and David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP national director.