AZ- Priest accused of abusing mentally disabled man, SNAP responds
For immediate release: Friday, June 06, 2014
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314-503-0003, [email protected])
An Arizona priest is facing a civil complaint over allegations that he abused a mentally disabled person. We are grateful to the brave victim for stepping forward and working to expose the truth.
The complaint also alleges that the Diocese of Tucson and the Diocese of El Paso were aware of the risk the priest posed and did nothing. We hope church officials come clean about what they knew about this dangerous priest.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/06/06/68511.htm
Fr. Richard Zamorano, a former teacher at Salpointe Catholic High School in Tucson, allegedly befriended the victim and then sexually assaulted him. We want church officials in Tucson and El Paso to come clean about everything they know about this priest. It is not enough to simply suspend him.
Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson and Bishop Mark Seitz should visit every parish Zamorano worked and beg witnesses, whistleblowers, and victims to come forward and report to secular officials. They should post Zamorano’s name, photo, and work history on parish bulletins and websites.
Children and vulnerable persons are kept safe when officials are open and honest about sex crimes.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years and have more than 18,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-474, [email protected])
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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