Federal prosecutors find a way to revive abuse-related case against defrocked Philly priest
Six years ago, prosecutors in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office filed child-abuse charges against a Catholic priest, Robert L. Brennan, only to see their case collapse in less than a month after his accuser was found dead from an accidental drug overdose.
The collapse hit especially hard because a pair of grand jury reports said Brennan had victimized as many as 20 youngsters, making him one of the region’s worst abusers. Yet case after case had been ruled out as too stale under Pennsylvania’s tough statute-of-limitations rules — until Sean McIlmail leveled his accusations.
Now, six years after McIlmail’s death, Brennan, who was defrocked in 2017, faces a new set of criminal charges from a new set of prosecutors.
Pursuing a novel legal strategy, federal authorities on Thursday charged Brennan with a fresh crime. Rather than indicting him for allegedly abusing McIlmail two decades ago, they charged him with four counts of lying to the FBI this year, saying he falsely denied knowing McIlmail or his brother and his churchgoing parents.
The case is the first brought since Philadelphia’s U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced a year ago that he had launched an investigation into clergy abuse across Pennsylvania, an unprecedented move for a federal prosecutor.
Zach Hiner, executive director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), praised McSwain for finding a creative way to charge Brennan with a federal crime.
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