The Problem with the Chilean Conduct Guidelines
Yesterday, the Catholic Church in Chile formally apologized for a set of published conduct guidelines for priests on interacting with children. Not only were the guidelines themselves tone-deaf at best – for example, by explaining that priests should not take naked pictures of children because “they could be misinterpreted” – but they were written and signed by Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, a man who is under investigation by Chilean prosecutors for his role in covering up sexual abuse.
We’re glad these guidelines were published, if only because they gave a window into the warped thinking that has allowed the abuse scandal in Chile to foment for years. By failing to even mention child sexual abuse, the very problem these guidelines are meant to prevent, the authors show that they are incapable of fully grasping the depth of the problem in the Chilean church.
It is a good thing that changes are finally happening thanks to the work of Chilean survivors and their government, but these guidelines are not the right step for the church to take. In addition to fully cooperating with independent investigators, we believe the church should hire outside experts in the field of child abuse prevention in order to create a true system of child protection. Based on these published guidelines, it is clear that church officials cannot do so alone.
(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