Ft. Wayne Priest Removed from Ministry Following Allegation of Abuse
A Ft. Wayne Priest has been removed from ministry after the abuse allegation against him was deemed “credible” by local Catholic officials. Yesterday the diocese apparently reached out to their flock, informing them of this development.
Father Joseph Gaughan has been accused of abusing a minor over 20 years ago when he was working at Saint Anthony de Padua Parish in South Bend. We applaud Bishop Kevin Rhoades and other Church leaders for ensuring that this information was circulated throughout his see. We hope additional efforts were made to inform the faithful in those towns and parishes where Fr. Gaughan had been stationed.
Catholic officials can and should use their church announcements, websites, and diocesan bulletins to not only share this information but also to encourage other victims or witnesses to come forward and make a report to law enforcement.
CONTACT: Jim Brigl, SNAP Indiana ([email protected], 260-446-8869), 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