Bishops in California release names of accused predator priests, SNAP responds
Bishops from the Catholic dioceses in California have announced their intentions to release lists of names of priests accused of sexual abuse. So far, the Dioceses of Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose and San Bernardino have said they will be releasing names.
We’re glad that the bishops are releasing names but the fact remains that each one of these bishops have had the power to release these names for years. It is hard to believe that they are doing so now out of goodwill. We cannot help but feel that this is a belated move done in response to public pressure that has been rising since the bombshell Pennsylvania grand jury report.
Additionally, if these lists are to carry any weight, they should be determined by independent investigators, not by church staff. Trained law enforcement professionals should be in charge of investigating who knew what, when they knew it, and what a credible accusation of abuse looks like. As we have recently seen in Buffalo, we cannot count on church officials to release all records that they have.
When the bishops do release these names, we believe that each bishop should also put by each name the date when he or his staff first learned of the allegation against that priest. We strongly suspect most bishops have hidden these names for years. We also believe that these lists should be permanently and prominently posted on diocesan and parish websites and should include the current or last known address of each accused person – whether living or dead, religious order or diocesan, along with accused seminarians, bishops, nuns, brothers and lay employees.
CONTACT: Esther Hatfield Miller, SNAP Southern California Leader ([email protected], (562) 673-9442)
(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