There’s a change of address for a former Springfield Bishop who was indicted on child rape charges. Former Bishop Thomas Dupre has checked himself out of a medical facility in the Washington, D.C. area, and now abuse victims are worried about his whereabouts.
Former Bishop Thomas Dupre is no longer at St. Luke Institute, a psychiatric treatment facility in Maryland, but instead at the Bishop O'Boyle Residence, a D.C. retirement facility for priests.
This change of address is making some clergy abuse victims nervous about an apparent lack of supervision.
Bill Nash, SNAP member and clergy abuse victim, said, "We had a sense of some security that he was being monitored to one degree or another."
Dupre was indicted six years ago on child rape charges, but never prosecuted because the statute of limitations had expired.
The Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests, also known as SNAP, is making a demand of the Catholic Church.
Bill Nash said, "We are asking that we get some guarantee that he is in a secure facility where he is monitored.”
Springfield Diocese Spokesperson Mark Dupont told 22News that former Bishop Dupre does receive money from the Springfield Diocese for his retirement, but wouldn't comment on his whereabouts because Dupre reports to the Vatican.
"I can tell you they have no idea what the conditions he is living under. And I think it is dangerous for them to go public when they don't have all the facts available to them," Dupont said.
SNAP's Bill Nash claims the Springfield Diocese has not been very transparent with the clergy abuse scandal. However, 22News did speak exclusively with current Bishop Timothy McDonnell regarding past abuse and what he's done to help survivors.
Bishop McDonnell said, " I have met with over 80 victims in the diocese since the eight years I have been here. I have tried to work with them and help them."
Dupont did say that without being specific about any particular individual, that when someone is discharged from any type of treatment facility they normally are required to maintain some oversight.
Here’s the complete statement from the Springfield Diocese:
“As we have repeatedly stated in the past, these matters pertaining to Bishop Dupre do not come under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Springfield, who in fact has taken up permanent residence outside of this diocese. Under the rules of the Church, we are obliged to provide retirement benefits to all former bishops.
However releasing his or any retired persons personal financial information along with healthcare information for any individual would be a violation of that person’s reasonable expectation of privacy and in the case of healthcare issues a clear violation of H.I.P.A.A..
We would assert that SNAP’s allegations today are based on their speculation. We can say, without being specific to any particular individual, that persons who are discharged from any type of treatment facility are normally required to maintain some oversight. This would be the standard."
SIC: WWLP