Attorney urges author-priest to expose 'ring of predators'

Biloxi, Miss., Jul 27, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Attorney Sheila Schreiber-Parkhill has urged sociologist and author Fr. Andrew Greeley to expose priests who he knows to be abusing children and involved in illegal activity.

Fr. Greeley has written several books and stories about the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, especially in Chicago, namely "Confessions of a Parish Priest" and "Furthermore! Memories of a Parish Priest."

In a recent e-mail, Schreiber-Parkhill, who has been investigating the Boys Club in Chicago, asked the priest: "Isn't it time you do something about the Chicago Boys Club, including the priest, now bishop, whose name has been included with it?" The e-mail was circulated to the press by Matt Abbott, a Catholic  journalist and commentator.

The attorney from Bismarck, North Dakota, accused Fr. Greeley of holding onto information that would implicate members of the Boys Club and pointed out that he has clearly stated in his books that he knows the names of the perpetrators.

Schreiber-Parkhill quotes from Fr. Greeley's writings: "Even in Chicago, the ring of predators about whom I wrote in the paperback edition of 'Confessions' remains untouched. There is no evidence against them because no one has complained about them and none of their fellow priests have denounced them. …But should they slip, should they get caught, the previous scandals will seem trivial."

This ring, says Schreiber-Parkhill, is involved in the "ritualistic and satanic abuse of children … murder, and credit card theft and fraud."

In her letter, the attorney told Fr. Greeley that if doesn't expose the priests involved with in the ring, he is no better than the bishops he denounces in his books for being silent.

"Are you not even worse because you hide the proof of evil predators' guilt in safekeeping?" the attorney asked. "Do you not think about the potential for other victims, children whose violation you have the power to prevent?"

She urged Fr. Greeley to share the information with authorities rather than doing "nothing except brag" that he knows. 

Schreiber-Parkhill also alleges that Fr.Greeley knew that Frank Pellegrini, a 
church organist and professor, was murdered after writing a letter to Fr. Tom Ventura, vicar of priests. The letter allegedly revealed the sexual abuse and his plans to go to the authorities with the information. Fr. Ventura reportedly left the priesthood in 2002.