Ex priest who worked in NE, TX and MO convicted of trying to hire hit man; SNAP responds
We are pleased that the jury has found Fr. John Fiala guilty. Considerable evidence showed that Fiala has committed several crimes. For the safety of kids, we hope he'll be locked up for a long time.
Fr. Fiala was ordained in Nebraska, but left the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1996 to join the Society of the Most Holy Trinity in Texas. Six years later, Omaha received an accusation that Fiala had made advances on a young boy in the 1980s. The Archdiocese reportedly referred this complaint to the Society, and to law enforcement officials in Texas.
According to a civil lawsuit filed by one accuser, who is now 20, Fiala repeatedly sexually assaulted the boy in 2007 and 2008. The suit alleges that Fiala twice forced the boy to have sex at gunpoint when Fiala was at the Sacred Heart of Mary Parish in Rocksprings, Texas.
We suspect he could still be prosecuted for other crimes and that church officials who ignored or concealed wrongdoing might also be prosecuted. So now is not the time for complacency. We hope every single person - especially current or former Catholic Church employees or members - who saw, suspected or suffered Fiala's crimes will call law enforcement immediately.
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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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