A murderer is "a priest in good standing"
Often headlines are a little misleading. The headline you just read is not. It's true.
On the very day that Pope Francis met with abuse victims, the Toledo Blade reported that a convicted murderer - who choked and stabbed a nun to death - would be buried with full priestly honors
By the time you read this that burial may have already happened. Still, it's worth noting, especially for the sake of those whose lives have been touched by violent crimes, especially murder and child sexual abuse.
Fr. Gerald Robinson died last week in prison. A jury found him guilty of brutally killing Sr. Margaret Ann Pahl.
(It would have happened sooner, but a top Toledo Catholic official interrupted police questioning of Fr. Robinson, resulting in years of delay and doubt.)
The Toledo diocese has no bishop right now. Fr. Charles Ritter heads the diocese now. He's announced that Fr. Robinson is still "a priest in good standing" and will be buried accordingly.
We begged Toledo Catholic officials to reconsider. So did the National Survivors Action Coalition. So did the Voice of the Faithful.
No dice. No response.
The Catholic hierarchy takes little action against predators who commit child sex crimes. It takes virtually no action against enablers who conceal these crimes. But one would think that Catholic officials would rally and act against a priest who was accused of molesting a child and found guilty of killing a nun.
Think again. Think again, and weep.
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
Showing 9 comments
As victims we have to get the DOJ, Government etc.etc. to open their eye’s and keep them open to help the Children ( Victims ) to get justice here and now" this is 2014 stand on & for No More Abuse on Children; White House site; sign and pass it on to all who care > The White House site http://wh.gov/lzySY
Will you sign my petition? Click here to add your name:
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/all-rapist-should-be?source=c.fwd&r_by=6107343
Stab a nun to death – Hey that’s cool, we’re all sinners.
Stab a nun to death – Hey that’s cool, we’re all sinners.
Grow up for once and read/listen to ‘God is NOT Great’ by Christopher Hitchens.
You did it with Santa Clause.
Now take the big and last step for the sake of humanity. Quit thinking about how much the church means to you. Think of all of the young people that you will be infecting by passing down such a barbaric and savage way of thinking.