SNAP objects to 2 appointments in Youngstown Diocese

By LINDA M. LINONIS

linonis@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

On the day two appointments drew objections by the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, Bishop George V. Murry named someone to oversee child protection in the Youngstown Diocese.

Judy Jones, Midwest associate director of SNAP, along with Jerry Arnal, SNAP Youngstown leader, and Steven Spaner, SNAP Australia coordinator, talked to the media Tuesday afternoon near the diocesan office at 144 W. Wood St.

SNAP criticized the appointments of Monsignor John Zuraw as chancellor, replacing Nancy Yuhasz, who is retiring; and Joseph Kenneally, who was principal of John F. Kennedy High School Lower Campus in Warren, to principal of the high school.

Jones claimed Monsignor Zuraw, director of the Permanent Diaconate program in the diocese, had to know about allegations of sexual abuse against a teacher who became a deacon and previously was at Cardinal Mooney High School. Arnal asserted last August he had been abused by this deacon, who has since left the school. SNAP also said another person has accused the deacon of abuse.

Jones said Monsignor Zuraw, in the role of chancellor, should not be the one who oversees the diocese’s Child Protection Policy.

And he won’t be. The diocese announced the appointment of Dr. Thomas Sauline as policy administrator, who also is safe environment and victim assistance coordinator. He is catechetical consultant in the diocese.

As for Kenneally, Jones said the diocese should have found “someone not in the [diocese] system” for the principal’s position. Kenneally was named principal of JFK Lower Campus in 2011.

Yuhasz said Kenneally was not at the school when Stephen Baker, a Franciscan friar accused of molesting multiple students, was. Baker was at JFK from 1986 to 1991.

Speaking to reporters after the SNAP event, Yuhasz said the diocese received no notification of SNAP’s press conference or its concerns about the appointments.

“Anytime the diocese receives an allegation of abuse, the information goes to the bishop, the diocesan review board [whose members are not diocese employees] and are referred to children’s services,” Yuhasz said.

Jones said SNAP believes it is the responsibility of the diocese to release or post on its website the names of abusers.

Yuhasz said the diocese must be careful in releasing the names of any alleged abusers before charges are proved.

For information on SNAP, visit www.snapnetwork.org. For details on the diocese’s Child Protection Policy, visit www.doy.org.