Act 24

This Act ended on July 17th. Thank you to all who participated!

What: Beginning with the diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana in the 1980s, journalist Jason Berry has continued to report and investigate sex abuse and cover-up in the Catholic church. He recently wrote in the National Catholic Reporter about how impactful this reporting was for him and how important it is that the press and others speak up about abuse.

Why: The work of journalists like Berry is such a big part of fighting this injustice. There is power in silence, secrecy, and invisibility, but the media can play a very important role in countering the silence by uncovering the truth and exposing perpetrators. In showing our support for journalists like Berry and others, we help promote a message to the media and to the larger community that uncovering abuse and speaking truth to power is a big way that we can stand up to injustice, hold perpetrators accountable, and prevent future abuse.

How to complete Act 24: Write a comment of support on the following article: A strong press is the Lafayette lesson

As you plan your comment, consider these key points:

Thank Jason Berry for his important work in uncovering sex abuse in Lafayette and beyond.
Support Berry and other journalists who investigate sex abuse in the Catholic church and challenge the power of silence.
Encourage other journalists and community members to speak out about abuse and cover-ups so that we can work to prevent more sexual violence from occurring.

When: Please take action by next Friday, July 17.

Wait - you're not finished yet! Once you've completed the action, in order to get credit for this Act, you must do two things:

1) Check the box below that says "I Completed Act 24."

2) Show the team what you did! Copy and paste your comment into the blue section marked COMMENTS.

And let us know if you have questions - we're here to help! Email us at [email protected] with questions or concerns.

Remember – your voice counts! When we expose the lies, we stand up for victims and take power away from the abusers. When we all speak out together, we create a movement that the world cannot ignore.

So let’s SNAP into action!

SNAP Action Team

[email protected]

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Showing 3 comments

Barbra Graber commented 2015-07-10 23:03:13 -0500
There is so much power in silence, secrecy and invisibility. Thank you, Jason Berry, for challenging each one of those powers in the journalistic advocacy work you do. May other journalists and community members be inspired to speak out about abuse and cover-ups.
Kate Bochte commented 2015-07-09 20:09:36 -0500
In 2002, as a naive Catholic in shock over a constant stream of news reports of accused priests including the arrest of a priest from my parish, I searched on the Internet “clergy sex abuse”.

Jason’s book, Lead Us Not Into Temptation, appeared on the screen. I ordered it, read it, and I’ve never been the same.

Thank you, Jason, for daring to take on Goliath and never giving up. I am sorry Richard Baudouin lost his life. Y’all are heroes.
Melanie Sakoda commented 2015-07-09 18:25:09 -0500
I want to thank Jason Berry and his paper for having the courage to report the truth at a time when most other media outlets allowed themselves to be part of the coverup. Their bravery gave abuse survivors a place to share their truth and make churches a safer place for children.