Auxiliary Bishop in NYC Accused of Abuse in January
An auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of New York has been removed from his post following a credible allegation of abuse.
Yet despite decades of pledging "openness" in such cases, Cardinal Timothy Dolan has not shown such transparency in this case. According to the New York Times, Cardinal Dolan first learned of the allegations against Bishop John Jenik in January but waited ten months to take decisive action. It is likely that church officials would say that they were investigating these claims over the past ten months, but the fact is that it should be law enforcement, not church-appointed review boards, who investigate cases to determine when allegations are credible and whether a crime occurred. Instead of waiting until now, Dolan should have notified authorities in January.
It is notable, too, that Dolan defends himself and his colleague by writing that the allegation “concerns incidents from decades ago,” as if that somehow mitigates the pain the abuse caused. Rather than try to minimize what Jenik’s alleged victim experienced, we believe Dolan should focus on finding other victims now and should encourage anyone with information or suspicions to contact the police. He should share his announcement with every parish that Bishop Jenik spent time at and should use parish bulletins and websites to spread the word that anyone who may have seen or suspected abuse should make a report to independent authorities.
Cardinal Dolan wrote that Bishop Jenik will be stepping aside while the matter is investigated. Yet bishops have pledged to suspend clerics accused of abuse, not let them voluntarily resign. The difference is important, and Dolan should take steps to suspend Bishop Jenik immediately.
CONTACT: Tim Lennon, SNAP President ([email protected], 415-312-5820) 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