EDITORIAL: Painful similarities between Archdiocese, PSU
Since the sickening news broke last November of alleged sexual abuse of minors by Penn State University ex-assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, the similarities with the clerical sexual abuse cases in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been painfully apparent.
Sandusky, who recently was convicted of sexually assaulting 10 boys over a period of 15 years, continued to have access to boys on campus even after Penn State officials were informed of suspected assaults. More than 60 priests in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia allegedly assaulted children over six decades and were reported to church officials who, in many cases, gave them continued access to children by simply moving them from parish to unsuspecting parish.
In both instances, it took grand jury investigations to bring these disturbing allegations and subsequent cover-ups to light.
But in recent weeks what some have dismissed as mere speculation has been confirmed in both the archdiocesan and Penn State sex abuse scandals.
On June 22, a Philadelphia jury found the Rev. Monsignor William Lynn guilty of one felony count of endangering the welfare of children. His conviction was connected to a victim of former Haverford resident Edward Avery, a priest who was defrocked in 2006 because church offic...
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