IL- A letter to Mr. Skogsbergh of Advocate Health Care
Mr. James H. Skogsbergh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Advocate Health Care
2025 Windsor Drive
Oak Brook, Il 60523
Dear Mr. Skogsbergh:
On behalf of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), we are writing to you about the employment of Russell L. Romano. He is a counselor for Advocate Health Care in the Illinois Professional Health Program (IPHP) at your Des Plaines location.
Mr. Romano is a former priest who was determined by the Archdiocese of Chicago to be a perpetrator of sexual abuse of minors. SNAP has learned that both the Archdiocese of Chicago and Advocate Health Care were made aware of this grave situation and we are saddened to learn that a pedophile has been allowed to continue to be employed by Advocate.
We are asking you to immediately terminate his employment; investigate the circumstances that allowed him to be hired; and determine why he remained employed once Advocate learned of his past.
We also urge you to aggressively seek out – through public announcements, internal newsletters and other means - anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes or misdeeds by him during his time with Advocate.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
David Clohessy, Director, SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), 7234 Arsenal Street, St. Louis MO 63143), 314 566 9790 cell ([email protected])
Barbara Blaine, President, SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), PO Box 6416, Chicago IL 60680 (312 399 4747, [email protected])
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