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Abuse group protests diocese appointments

Youngstown, OH, Tribune Chronicle, Colin Harris, June 18, 2014. 

Advocates for clergy sex abuse victims gathered Tuesday outside St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown to protest, among other things, the Youngstown Diocese's recent decision to name Msgr. John Zuraw as its new chancellor.

Zuraw will replace the retiring Nancy Yuhasz, who has served in the capacity since 1996, effective July 1. In addition to her duties as chancellor, Yuhasz was also responsible for administration of the Child Protect Policy.

Zuraw is currently the director of the Permanent Diaconate program with the diocese.

It is Zuraw's position as leader of the diocese's deacons that raised the ire of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which organized Tuesday's conference. SNAP officials invited Jerry Arnal, a Youngstown area victim of abuse, to speak at the conference.

It was Arnal last year who said he was abused in 1976 by a teacher and deacon while he was an eighth-grade student at St. Christine School in Youngstown.

The identity of the deacon has not been revealed by the diocese and no public discipline has been revealed, two facts that SNAP officials say should be held against Zuraw and his office.

"Next to the bishop, Msgr. Zuraw is the one person in the entire diocese who should have taken the allegations against the deacon most seriously," SNAP official David Clohessy said. "And because he's cooperating in Bishop Murry's secrecy ... he wins a promotion. That's just wrong."

The fact that the diocese is replacing Yuhasz, one of the few lay women in her position in the United States, with a cleric also has been criticized by SNAP. Officials stated that they believe "it's rarely good for victims when a male cleric replaces a lay woman in a top church job."

Yuhasz answers those criticisms, however, pointing out that the responsibilities of the chancellor's office will be different when Zuraw takes over in July. Specifically, Zuraw will not take over Yuhasz's duties as the diocese's child protection director.

"I understand that SNAP was concerned that Msgr. Zuraw was (in charge of the deacons) and that he should not be the child protection director," Yuhasz said. "But the duties of my office have already been divvied up among other staff members before I am retiring."

Dr. Thomas Sauline was appointed today as administrator of the Diocese of Youngstown Child Protection Policy, which includes safe environment coordinator and victim assistance coordinator duties. Sauline's appointment will be effective July 1.

As for why a man was chosen to replace Yuhasz as the diocese's child protection director, Yuhasz said that gender very much played a role in Sauline's appointment.

"We thought that (Sauline) was the logical person to take over the role because he had already been working with the child protection program for years, but we also thought that it might work better if a man took over the program," Yuhasz said.

"More (abuse) victims seem to be men, so we felt it would make them more comfortable talking to another man. But if a victim would prefer to talk to a woman, we will always offer them a chance to talk to a female board member," she said.

SNAP officials additionally criticized the diocese for the recent decision to name Joseph Kenneally as principal of John F. Kennedy High School. Kenneally had previously been principal at John F. Kennedy Lower Campus since 2011.

SNAP claimed that Kenneally's appointment is problematic because the school did not choose someone from outside the district. In the light of the accusation that former JFK teacher and coach Brother Stephen Baker sexually abused 11 former students, SNAP officials claim that the appointment of a current member of the JFK system does not show concern for former or future victims.

"If the diocese were to bring in someone new from the outside, the school would be able to have a fresh start with someone committed to watching and protecting the kids," SNAP official Judy Block Jones said.

Yuhasz countered that Kenneally has only been with the JFK system for four years. Before coming to the Lower Campus, Kenneally served as principal at Sharon Kennedy Catholic High School in Hermitage, Pa.

Baker taught and coached at JFK from 1986 to 1990 before leaving the JFK system.

"There is no connection between Mr. Kenneally and anything that (Baker was accused of)," Yuhasz said. "It seems like SNAP is trying to make a connection when there is none there."

Diocese of Youngstown Catholic Schools Superintendent Dr. Nicholas Wolsonovich was unavailable for comment.

charris@tribtoday.com


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