FL - Another Miami priest sued, SNAP responds
Another child abuse lawsuit has been filed against a priest from the Archdiocese of Miami, the second that the archdiocese has faced in a month.
Fr. Neil Doherty, a priest who is already in jail on unrelated charges, is accused of abusing a teenage boy in the 1980’s. According to the lawsuit, Fr. Doherty drugged and sexually molested the boy when he was 15, under the guise of blessing him and making him feel “special.”
We are proud of Dennis Montero for coming forward and breaking his silence. Given the Archdiocese of Miami’s recent tactics of attacking and trying to undermine the credibility of victims, this must have been a very difficult decision. We are glad that Montero was not shamed into silence.
We hope that this courage will prompt others who were abused in the Archdiocese of Miami to come forward and make a report to police. Considering that the most recent cases filed against the Archdiocese of Miami indicate that abusive priests were kept in ministry despite multiple allegations of abuse against them – as seen in this case and the Fr. Rolando Garcia case – we are sure there are other victims who are scared to come forward. Hopefully the example set by Montero will encourage others to speak up and join him in speaking out.
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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