McCarrick to Face Discipline Soon, Yet Other Cases Languish Behind the Scenes
We are grateful that McCarrick will soon face justice for the abuse he is alleged to have committed and we hope this long over due move will bring a measure of validation to all the vulnerable boys and young men McCarrick so deeply hurt. At the same time, we believe that every Catholic official who knew of or suspected his crimes and misdeeds should also be exposed and punished. That’s the only way to stop the cover ups.
This case remains a painful reminder of a dangerous reality that persists in the church today: a willingness to act on abuse only when forced to do so by external pressure. Our hearts ache, not only for McCarrick's victims, but for the thousands of victims of less prominent but equally devastating predators, whose cases languish for years in chancery offices and Vatican bureaucracies.
One example: In November, Jefferson City, MO Bishop Shawn McKnight disclosed that there are 18 pending abuse reports his staff is looking into. Six months have gone by but there's been no update on those cases. Surely, some of those cases have been substantiated by now and should be disclosed.
We call on Catholic officials at all levels to move quickly in abuse cases, erring on the side of protecting kids, regardless of whether the accused is a cardinal or a custodian.
Contact: Zach Hiner, Executive Director (zhiner@snapnetwork.org, 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)
Barbara Blaine, founder of SNAP, passed away on Sunday, September 24th, 2017. Her dying was sudden and completely unexpected. Words cannot express our sorrow nor are there words to express our gratitude for her relentless advocacy. She truly was a hero. There is an old saying, “well behaved women seldom make history”. Barbara made history and the world is a better place.
We have put together a tribute for Barbara Blaine to honor her memory. If you would like to contribute a memory, please send your favorite memory of Barbara to admin@snapnetwork.org
SNAP will be Representing Clergy Abuse Survivors in Rome!
SNAP will be Representing Clergy Abuse Survivors in Rome!
We are taking the fight to Rome and are standing up for all survivors on a world stage! From February 19-25, Board President Tim Lennon, Seattle Leader Mary Dispenza, Los Angeles Leader Esther Hatfield Miller and Austin Leader Carol Midboe will be traveling to Rome for Pope Francis' Papal Abuse Summit.
If you are a member of the media and looking to get in touch with these survivors while in Rome, click here for our media advisory and contact information. If you are interested in connecting with a survivor in the US from your area of coverage, please contact one of the SNAP leaders in the US listed below:
- East Coast/DC: Becky Ianni (SNAPvirginia@cox.net, 703-801-6044)
- Midwest/Chicago: Zach Hiner (zhiner@snapnetwork.org, 517-974-9009)
- Midwest/St. Louis: David Clohessy (davidgclohessy@gmail.com, 314314-566-9790)
- West Coast / San Francisco: Melanie Sakoda (melanie.sakoda@gmail.com, 925-708-6175)
If you are looking to help spread the word about the importance of this summit and for survivors to be heard, add your voice to the conversation on social media using the hashtag #PBC2019. Be sure to follow SNAP on twitter and Facebook and share our posts, add your comments, and let the world know that we are watching!
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