Abusive Priest Became School Teacher
We call on law enforcement officials to use every possible method to prod anyone with information or suspicions about this abuser’s crimes to come forward. We call on school and state education officials to take his license. And we call on Catholic officials – especially in the Omaha archdiocese - to do more to warn the public about him.
In November, Fr. Andrew Syring resigned from the archdiocese “after a review of allegations that included inappropriate conversations with teens and kissing them on the cheeks,” according to the AP.
Dan Hoesing, the superintendent of the Schuyler Independent School DIstrict in Nebraska, says “he could not disqualify Syring when he applied to be a substitute teacher because the former priest had not been accused of outright abuse or criminally charged,” according to the AP. “But Hoesing instituted strict rules requiring Syring to be supervised by another adult at all times, even while teaching, and banning him from student bathrooms or locker rooms.”
But that is not good enough. We call on Hoesing and the Schuyler school board to do all they can to alert students and staff about Fr. Syring’s past. We call on state lawmakers to remedy this loophole if need be. And we call on Omaha Archbishop George Lucas and his extensive staff to use church bulletins, pulpit announcements and parish websites to prod others with information or suspicions about Fr. Syring to call law enforcement immediately AND to turn over to school officials his entire personnel file.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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