The Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) Will speak about the upcoming activation of the Child Victim’s Act (CVA) and the possible bankruptcy declaration by the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
For Immediate Release September 27, 2023
WHAT: A sidewalk news conference, abuse survivors and advocates who are part of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, will encourage survivors to come forward and seek help while updating them on the upcoming change in Maryland law on 10/1/23. The CVA will take effect.
WHEN: Thursday 9/28/23 11:00 am
WHERE: In front of the Baltimore Basilica, 409 Cathedral St. Baltimore, MD 21201
WHO: 7-10 abuse survivors and advocates, including the Maryland SNAP Leader David Lorenz, who wants to reach out to adult survivors of sexual abuse and make them aware of the changes in Maryland law known as the Child Victim’s Act that will take effect on Sunday. They will also call attention to the fact that the Archdiocese of Baltimore is floating the idea of declaring bankruptcy even before the first case is filed
WHY: Specifically, SNAP is requesting the following:
Reach out to survivors who have previously been barred from filing a civil case against their abuser and let them know about the changes in the law.
Reach out to survivors and let them know that they are not alone and that there is support available to them
Address the issue that the AOB is considering bankruptcy which could effectively eliminate many of the provisions of the CVA and thereby short-circuit the intent of the Maryland legislature.
Once again call on Archbishop Lori to be transparent and open about the abusers within the Catholic Church as well as those officials who knowingly enabled and protected those abusers
CONTACT: Dave Lorenz, SNAP Maryland [email protected], 301-906-9161, Teresa Lancaster, SNAP Advocate 410- 703- 9122. [email protected] Mike McDonnell, SNAP Interim Executive Director [email protected], 267-261-0578
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org.)
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Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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