Diocese of Harrisburg Washes Hands of Laicized Priests instead of Protecting the Public
In August, the Diocese of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania told the public that they knew where accused predator priests were and that they had given that information they had to law enforcement officials. Today it appears that the information they had was actually precious little information since Diocesan officials have now come out and said they don’t actually know where all of their accused priests are.
Not only is this wholly irresponsible but also another indication of why independent investigations are so critical when trying to get to the bottom of an institutional sexual scandal. It is clear that institutions like the Diocese of Harrisburg cannot be trusted to police themselves or protect the public so we must rely on elected officials like Attorneys General and the justice system can do it instead. This has clearly been successful in Pennsylvania and as of today 13 total states have begun their own investigations. We urge Attorneys General in the remaining 37 states to immediately begin investigations of their own.
As to the situation in the Diocese of Harrisburg, the idea that churches have no information on priests that have been laicized is difficult to believe given the thorough personnel records that are typically kept. Regardless, we believe that when priests have been credibly accused of abuse and then defrocked by their diocese, it behooves those Diocesan officials to share all the information they have with police immediately. This will help ensure that there is a record of the allegations and will allow law enforcement to better protect the communities they serve.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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
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Rich, MSW