NY ALERT: Demonstration This Morning on 83rd Street 11am

/in /by
Road to Recovery, Inc.
Livingston, NJ 07039
MEDIA RELEASE
JANUARY 14, 2014
New York Province of the Jesuits tells a clergy sexual abuse survivor of a famous Jesuit teacher, writer, and sexual abuser, Fr. James Di Giacomo, to take a hike
 
Survivor of sexual abuse by Fr. James Di Giacomo attended Brooklyn Prep where Di Giacomo was a young teacher and mentor.  Fr. James Di Giacomo was a Brooklyn Prep and Regis High School teacher for decades and a writer of books about ministry to youth
 
Survivor of sexual abuse by Fr. James Di Giacomo completed a career in NYC law enforcement and now wants the criminal who sexually abused him and those who enabled him to be held accountable.
 
What:               A media event featuring a sexual abuse survivor of a Jesuit priest from Brooklyn
Prep School.  The sexual abuse survivor reported the abuse to the New York Province of the Jesuits, and leaders of the Jesuits told him to take a hike.  He refuses to take no for an answer and will speak about the sexual abuse he endured at the hands of Fr. James Di Giacomo, SJ, a sexual abuser.
When:              Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at 11:00 A.M.
Where:             On the sidewalk in front of the headquarters of the New York Province of the
Society of Jesus (Jesuits), 39 East 83rd Street, New York, NY 10028.
Who:                Frank O’Rourke was a high school student of Fr. James Di Giacomo in the
1950’s at Brooklyn Prep School.  He will report that the Jesuits have told him to
take a hike after he reported the sexual abuse he endured by Fr. Di Giacomo.  He will be joined by his advocate, Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., the co-founder and President of Road to Recovery, Inc., his fellow survivors, and supporters.
Why:                Frank O’Rourke’s father was a supporter of Jesuit priests because they taught him that “veritas” (truth) was the hallmark of the Christian life during his days as a law student at Fordham University.  Young Frank O’Rourke entered Brooklyn Prep, a Jesuit high school, in the 1950’s as a freshman.  Within approximately a year of his being enrolled, he met Fr. James Di Giacomo, a young Jesuit priest who also taught him about “veritas” (truth) – while he sexually abused him.  Unfortunately, when Frank O’Rourke told the NY Jesuits about his sexual abuse by Fr. Di Giacomo as a high school student, the New York Jesuits didn’t thank him for telling the truth – they rejected him outright.  Frank O’Rourke, a career law enforcement official in New York City, will tell his story to the media with the hope that other victims of Fr. Di Giacomo will come forward and begin the healing process.  He will also demand that his claims of sexual abuse by Fr. James Di Giacomo be found credible by the NY Jesuits and that their response be one of fairness, justice, and compassion.
Contacts:          Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D. – Road to Recovery, Inc. – 862-368-2800
                        Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, Boston, MA – 617-523-6250