IN - Indianapolis gets new Archbishop, SNAP responds
Today, according to the Vatican Insider, the Pope appointed Archbishop Joseph Tobin, who currently heads the Congregation for religious in Rome, to be the new archbishop of Indianapolis.
As is so often the case, the church hierarchy is trading one callous official for another.
It's important to remember that in his work as head of the Congregation for Religious he had the opportunity to investigate abuse reports in the Legionaries of Christ, including those of its former leader Fr. Marcel Maciel. We see no evidence whatsoever that Tobin took any real steps or made any real efforts to bring real reform to this troubled, secretive cult.
Indianapolis archdiocese defense attorneys have long used every legal technique to shield predator priests, including the now-defrocked Harry Monroe, and to block victims of horrific clergy sex crimes from having their day in court. In 2011 diocesan officials slashed the therapy for a woman abused by a priest.
It is tempting to think that by changing leadership that the abuse crisis can be solved. It is tempting to believe the new archbishop will be better than the old. But we beg parishioners not to become complacent and to judge the new archbishop on his actions, and not his promises.
We hope that Tobin will post the names, whereabouts and work histories of every proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting cleric who lives or works (or lived or worked) in the archdiocese. Roughly 26 US bishops have taken this simple public safety step.
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