Former Cardinal McCarrick Accused Again of Abuse, SNAP Reacts
A now-disgraced cardinal who has been accused of abuse at least a dozen times has been named in a newly filed lawsuit in New Jersey. We applaud the survivor in this case for coming forward and hope that his example will encourage other survivors to come forward and get the help and support that they need.
The now-defrocked Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has been named as an abuser again, this time by a New Jersey man named John Bellocchio who alleges that McCarrick abused him while McCarrick was on a visit to his parish in the 1990s. Our hearts ache for this victim and we hope that this new allegation will lead to renewed outreach to victims by church officials in both Newark – where McCarrick was working as Archbishop at the time of the allegations – and every other diocese where McCarrick worked.
This story is further proof that it is impossible to fully know the depth of abuse and perpetrated by religious figures like McCarrick. That this survivor has come forward now is exactly why we constantly ask church officials to do outreach to victims and survivors regularly, not simply make a simple public statement after abuse allegations are revealed. We hope that this latest case will encourage other victims who may still be suffering in silence to come forward and get help.
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, Washington D.C. Leader and Board Treasurer ([email protected], 703-801-6044), Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(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