Media Statements
We are SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. We are the largest, oldest and most active support group for women and men wounded by religious authority figures (priests, ministers, bishops, deacons, nuns and others).
PA-- Joe Paterno Nike shoes? Nope. “Thanks,” victims say
For immediate release: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP outreach director (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])
New court records show that Nike dropped a plan to possibly produce shoes honoring Joe Paterno. We're grateful for this decision. But we hope no other profit-seekers are considering similar projects. Honoring Paterno rubs salt into the already-deep and often still-fresh wounds of child sex abuse victims, especially those hurt by Paterno's long-time colleague Jerry Sandusky.
http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/01/joepa_shoes_court_document_ask.html
MN & NC--Secret records about ex-NC abusive cleric are released
For immediate release: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Long-secret records about a child molesting cleric who worked in Raleigh and abused two North Carolina brothers have been released because abuse victims insisted on the disclosure as part of a legal settlement. North Carolina Catholic officials should tell parents, parishioners and the public about him.
He’s Father Raymond Francisco Schulte. (His photo is at BishopAccountability.org)
MN--Secret records about abusive Duluth cleric are released
For immediate release: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016
Statement by Verne Wagner of Duluth, SNAP director Northern Minnesota (218-340-1277, [email protected])
More than 900 pages of long-secret records about a child molesting cleric who worked in Duluth have been released and are now on-line, because abuse victims insisted on the disclosure as part of a legal settlement. Duluth Catholic officials should tell parents, parishioners and the public about him and his crimes. Duluth parents and parishioners should read up about him and tell others about him. If he hurt even one child during his six years in northern Minnesota, we want that suffering person to know that he or she is not alone.
He’s Father Brennan Maiers. (His photo is at BishopAccountability.org) In the 1990s, he worked as a chaplain at three places in Duluth: St. Scholastica Monastery, St. Mary’s Medical Center and the Duluth Federal prison camp. He now lives at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville.
MI--Accused archbishop leaves new Michigan post; Victims respond
For immediate release: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016
Statement by Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP president (312-399-4747, [email protected])
Accused Archbishop John Nienstedt is leaving his Battle Creek Michigan post. But Catholic officials in Rome, Kalamazoo and St. Paul should have ordered him to leave. For the safety of the parishioners and the public, he should not ever be put back into ministry. Doing so would be a risky, callous move that would reward and encourage more recklessness and deceit.
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2016/01/controversial_archbishop_leave.html
OR--Secret records about ex-OR abusive cleric are released
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Long-secret records about a child molesting Catholic cleric who worked in Oregon have been released because abuse victims insisted on the disclosure as part of a legal settlement. Oregon church officials should tell parents, parishioners and the public about him.
He’s Father Raymond Francisco Schulte. (His photo is at BishopAccountability.org) As recently as 2010, he was living in Rome. But around 1998, he worked at three missions of the Parish of St. Patrick in Madras, Oregon (in the Baker diocese).
http://www.andersonadvocates.com/Posts/News-or-Event/62/St-Johns-Abbey-faces-new-abuse-suit.aspx
AZ & UT--Victims applaud unusual trial involving Mormon sect
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
We applaud the US Justice Department for its unusual civil rights case, going to trial now in Phoenix, against two towns on the Arizona-Utah line “that authorities say were acting as agents of a corrupt polygamist regime,” according to the Associated Press. We hope federal authorities prevail over officials with Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona, who are accused of showing favoritism to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, helping sect leader Warren Jeffs while he was a fugitive, and discriminating against adherents of other faith groups.
PA--Molesting minister is arrested; Now, investigate his colleagues
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
We are thrilled that Rev. Jacob Malone has been arrested but we hope law enforcement officials will investigate and perhaps charge others at his churches – in Minnesota, Pennsylvania or Arizona - who may have ignored or concealed his child sex crimes.
MA--Accused Boston area predator priest won’t be charged; Victims respond
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 19
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Just because a prosecutor isn’t filing charges now against an accused predator priest does not mean that the cleric is innocent.
http://www.itemlive.com/news/da-not-prosecuting-lynn-priest/
MI--Detroit bishop brings controversy to Michigan
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
A Detroit priest who rose to become an archbishop but resigned amid controversy is back in Michigan and generating more controversy. He’s accused of sexual impropriety with several Detroit area seminarians, retaliating against one who rebuffed his advances, concealing clergy sex crimes, and interfering with an investigation into his alleged sexual misdeeds.
For seven years, Archbishop John Nienstedt headed the Catholic church in St. Paul Minnesota. But he stepped down last year ten days after prosecutors filed criminal charges against Nienstedt’s archdiocese, becoming “the nation's first (to be) charged with failure to protect children,” according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
NH--Victims prod AG to go after predator priest
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016
For more information: David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), David Ouellette, NH SNAP Leader (603-833-0391, [email protected])
Victims urge prosecutors to pursue predator priest
He admitted abuse and pledged to stay away from kids
But he’s worked for years at two more NH churches
SNAP to AG: “Investigate whether he violated plea deal”
Group also prods Hillsborough County Attorney to act
A victims’ support group is urging New Hampshire prosecutors to investigate whether an admitted predator priest broke a legal agreement that he stay away from children.
Fr. Mark Fleming, who now lives in Manchester, “admitted molesting three boys” and “signed an agreement that forbade him from ‘participating in any future religious, educational, or organized social programs which involve children,’” according to legal documents and news accounts.
“The Hillsborough County Attorney’s office agreed not to seek indictments if Fleming stuck to the deal,” the Concord Monitor reported yesterday.
But until recently, Fr. Fleming worked at South Parish Unitarian in Charlestown, NH (603 826 3418) and before that at the First Universalist Church of West Chesterfield(603-256-6193, [email protected], [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