Local Philadelphia Abuse Survivor Calls for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to “Correct Misinformation”
For immediate release: January 15, 2019
On Sunday, January 13, 2018, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia released a statement regarding the removal of three priests, Fr Raymond W. Smart, Msgr. Joseph Logrip, and Fr. John F. Meyers.
However, clear and concise information is not being relayed to the faith community concerning these “loose ends,” according to SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
In its statement, the Archdiocese said that Fr. Smart "has not served in any parish or school since 1995 due to poor health. He has been retired and living in a private residence since 2002.”
However, volunteer Philadelphia SNAP leader Michael McDonnell, along with Catholics 4 Change (C4C) co-founder, Kathy O'Neill Kane, have identified this as a very misleading statement. Thorough research shows that Fr. Smart was, in fact, not always living in a private residence, but resided in a parish setting for many years following 2002, and as recently as 2015. In addition, several parishioners from neighboring parishes informed Mike and C4C that Fr. Smart often assisted at masses for Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, Limerick, Pa. and St. Eleanors, Collegeville, Pa.
In addition, the Archdiocese fails to report where Msgr. Logrip resided between 1983-1990. The release also fails to mention that during the 1980s and 1990s, Fr. Logrip voluntarily served as a chaplain to St. Aloysius Academy. While the Academy is technically not an “Archdiocesan” assignment, not sharing the information shows a lack of transparency and accountability.
It should also be noted that this is the second removal from ministry for Fr. Logrip. He was previously placed on administrative leave and had his priestly faculties restricted by the Archdiocese following the March 2011 Philadelphia Grand Jury Report, based on an allegation that he had sexually abused a minor over two decades before that time.
“The Archdiocese of Philadelphia continues to fail to relay accurate, transparent information to the public, the Church’s faith community, and to victims who have carried the burden of pain for decades," McDonnell said to local news outlets.
The SNAP leader is calling on the Communications Dept. and Office of Investigation for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to correct the information in their recent press release and to do a better job at being “transparent” in the future.
Anyone who has been victimized by any of the priests named in the Archdiocesan statement is encouraged to reach out to law enforcement and to the Office of Attorney General in Pennsylvania at 1-888-538-8541. For peer to peer support, survivors should contact SNAP.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, Volunteer Philadelphia Area SNAP Leader ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Zach Hiner, SNAP 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