Former Catholic priest and serial abuser pleads guilty to federal charges in Philadelphia
A defrocked Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Robert Brennan, pleaded guilty today in federal court to four counts of making false statements to the FBI. The 84 year old former cleric now lives in Maryland. Brennan was arrested on these charges in September 2019.
SNAP’s Board President Shaun Dougherty and SNAP's Communications Manager Mike McDonnell were present in the courtroom in support of the McIlmail family. The McIlmails lost their son Sean just days before Brennan's preliminary hearing on charges that he sexually abused Sean as a child.
Brennan’s guilty plea came with an agreement that the former priest serve five years’ probation, two of which will be on home monitoring by federal officers. Judge Anita B. Brody set the sentencing date for March 2022.
We know that there is no magic age at which a child abuser stops. In fact, when perpetrators are older, parents or youth-serving professionals may view them as less dangerous and be less vigilant. We believe that communities are safer because of the outcome of this case.
We are also relieved for the McIlmail family, who are ardent supporters of SNAP and SOL reform. While the terms of the sentence may not be the outcome that was hoped for, some level of justice has been served. Mike McIlmail, Sean’s father, told reporters outside the courthouse that he’d "rather see Brennan rot away behind bars."
SNAP Communication Manager Mike McDonnell said, “On behalf of the many survivors in Pennsylvania and our fellow SNAP members, I'm in awe of Mike and Debbie McIlmail and their family for always being present to support SNAP and allies alike in seeking truth and justice."
We hope that this news will show survivors that their outcries matter and will encourage victims, whether abused by Brennan or any other bishop, priest, deacon, brother, nun, or church staffer, to come forward and make a report to law enforcement. We also hope that those survivors will find healing and support from trusted therapists, friends, family, and support groups like ours.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communication Manager ([email protected]), 267-261-0578), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
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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