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).

A Call to Action for Cardinal-Elect McElroy of San Diego

(For Immediate Release August 26, 2022) 

In Rome, this weekend, the College of Cardinals will have an ‘ordinary’ consistory where Pope Francis will add 20 new Cardinals. Among them is Cardinal-Designate Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego. The election of Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, California, who is seen as progressive, is significant versus the Cardinal Elects from around the globe. Francis snubbed the conservative archbishops of San Francisco and Los Angeles by appointing San Diego's first cardinal. McElroy will be the 5th U.S. Cardinal appointed by Pope Francis.

We await a transition in the California Catholic landscape as an outcome of Bishop Robert McElroy's elevation to Cardinal. The new Cardinal has now assumed the authority of the incumbent archbishops of Los Angeles and San Francisco, who have resisted transparency on behalf of sexual abuse victims.

We hope that McElroy will work hard to achieve confidence as he ignored Richard Sipe's suggestions when they related to Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and refused Sipe's concerns concerning clerical sexual abuse. In the end, McElroy was inaccurate and Sipe was correct. The number of cases in San Diego is increasing, we expect to see the list of credibly accused increase as well.

The Vatican was given the first of Fr. Tom Doyle's warnings in 1985, but they were disregarded. While in San Francisco, McElroy served as the Vicar General and resided with priests who later emerged were molesting children. He undoubtedly dealt with allegations of sexual abuse by clergy while serving as Vicar General for Archbishop (and subsequently Cardinal) William Levada. Levada was a notorious truth-suppressor who later served as the director of the Vatican institution in charge of looking into abuse.

Given Cardinal-elect McElroy's direct experience, we believe and hope that as a Cardinal, a cleric with the authority to vote for the next Pope, he will use his enhanced power and position to fight for survivors, even if it means revealing earlier secrets that he may have guarded due to his obedience to more powerful bishops and cardinals. He is currently one of the most important voices in the global Catholic church. He should make use of this chance to right some wrongs, even those he caused. The continuous clerical sex abuse and cover-up scandal is the church's primary, ongoing crisis, not too many conservative or non-conservative prelates or too few prelates.

CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager([email protected], 267-261-0578), Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator ([email protected], 925-708-6175) 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)

                                                                                                              ###


SNAP sees more ahead as Diocese of Fall River priest is named in a lawsuit

(For Immediate Release August 25, 2022) 

A New Bedford priest is being sued by an Acushnet man who was once an altar boy at St. Anthony of Padua parish for alleged sexual abuse that allegedly took place more than 30 years ago. Father Richard Degagne is suspected of repeatedly sexually abusing Jason Medeiros in a lawsuit that was lodged to Bristol Superior Court in late July. When Medeiros was 12 years old, the claimed attack happened in or near New Bedford and while they were traveling to Maine for the night.

Degagne is one of the three priests whose "credible accusation" of child abuse was substantiated by the Fall River Diocese in December 2021. Degagne was removed in 2019 and will not be returning to work, according to the Diocese at the time, despite the former priest's repudiation of the allegations.

According to the complaint, Degagne, who was ordained in 1982 and is now in his late 60s, was working with St. Anthony of Padua Parish in New Bedford from around 1986 until 1991. Before being suspended from ministry, he worked in East Freetown, Attleboro, Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton. He presently resides in Brownfield, Maine but is still listed on the Diocese of Fall River website as ‘faculties removed’. The lawsuit claims that between the ages of 12 and 13 in the late 1980s, Degagne repeatedly sexually assaulted Medeiros in the rectory and in Degagne's automobile. The lawsuit claims that Degagne also took 12-year-old Medeiros on an overnight visit to Maine in or around 1988 when he allegedly assaulted him.

In our view, this is yet another illustration of how quickly time passes. Bishops and apologists would claim that abuse was historic during the Boston crisis in 2002 by citing the numerous incidents from the 1960s and 1970s and a few cases from the 1980s. The excuse is still used in 2022, but this time they cite "historic" abuse from the 1980s and 1990s.

The courageous victim who presented this case this year has finally "aged into" reporting. He had only turned 20 when the Boston scandal broke. Imagine the countless victims who were like him. By our accounting and since the year 2000, 350 priests have been charged, which represents for only 10% of the abuse. Arrests occurring after 2000 cannot yet be termed "historic." Still in their 20s and 30s, those victims. Reports from the 1990s will become prevalent in a few more years.

Despite the constant rhetoric from church officials that the sexual abuse scandal is a thing of the past, this recent case tells us it is very much a thing of the present and the future. Silence and secrecy are the norms among the church's hierarchs and it guarantees more abuse, more pain, and a greater cost to society.

CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager, ([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)


Fairfax County Public School was never informed about school counselor sex crime charge

 

(For Immediate Release August 23, 2022)

More information about the case of a former middle school guidance counselor who managed to keep his job despite being detained and later found guilty of having sex with a child was revealed on Monday.

Darren L. Thornton, 50, was twice arrested on suspicion of committing sex offenses, yet he maintained his employment with Fairfax County Public Schools for over two years following each arrest. According to court records, Thornton was charged with soliciting prostitution from a juvenile in Chesterfield County, Virginia police sting, in November 2020. In March 2022, he was found guilty and given a five-year suspended sentence.

According to Virginia state law, when a person who works for a public-school division is arrested for a crime or a Class 1 misdemeanor, law enforcement authorities are obligated to notify the superintendent of the school division where that person is employed "as soon as possible.

 In an email to Dr. Scott Brabrand, the former superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, on November 20, 2020, Chesterfield County Police said on Friday that they had intended to inform him of Thornton's arrest the following day. However, the police department now claims to have learned that the email message was never transmitted to FCPS.

We are very troubled about the developments in this case. Virginia SNAP Leader Becky Ianni shared her concerns and said, ‘This was a system-wide failure. It is horrifying to think of how many children were put in harm’s way because of the actions and inactions of all those involved.’

We feel the community should demand answers. Why did the police not investigate his work at the middle school? Is one email sufficient to notify the school about a very serious offense? He had a probation officer, right? If so, why weren't they aware of his workplace? What if this had happened to a kid instead of a policeman posing as a cop? He was fired from his position as a middle school counselor after two arrests and two years.

In our view, the reckless handling of this case deters victims of sexual assault crimes from stepping forward. Victims need to be able to trust law enforcement. We hope anyone who experienced, witnessed, or suspected abuse by Thornton finds the courage to call the police and prosecutors and seek counsel.

CONTACT: Becky Ianni, SNAP Virginia Leader ([email protected], 703-801-6044) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578

(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)


Former Winona-Rochester priest charged with sex crime

**Updated information from the Star Tribune as reported by Trey Mewes on August 19, 2022**

The Rev. Will Thompson, the diocese's vicar general, said Friday that Roque Huerta's 2019 removal from ministry was related to ecclesiastical matters and that diocesan officials were unaware of any civil or criminal incidents related to him aside from his recent charge. Roque Huerta had asked to be laicized by the Vatican, according to Thompson.

"We're working on being upfront about all of this," Thompson said. "As we've gone through the sexual abuse scandal, the church had a period of not always responding well, and we are trying to respond well and bring healing to people who do experience sexual misconduct, not only from priests, from laicized priests, but really anybody that comes through our doors."

But in a statement, SNAP officials said the diocese hadn't lived up to its promise in Roque Huerta's case.

They noted that the January 2020 issue of the Courier, the Winona-Rochester diocese's monthly newspaper, lists Roque Huerta as assigned in December 2019 to live at the Hermits of St. Mary of Carmel monastery in Houston, Minn., about 25 miles south of Winona.

"That is a very broad and a very vague term," Mike McDonnell, a spokesperson for SNAP, said Friday. "It really just leaves a lot of unanswered questions." McDonnell also questioned why Roque Huerta asked to leave the priesthood.

Diocesan officials could not be reached for further comment Friday.

 

(For Immediate Release August 19, 2022) 

A former priest of the Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester has been charged with 3rd Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with an adult. SNAP is concerned that the Diocese is not supplying the public with complete and pertinent information about this cleric.

According to the Diocesan Statement, Church officials only recently learned about the charges against Fr. Ubaldo Roque Huerta, and the alleged offense took place in Winona County in December of 2020. The clergyman, who was ordained for the Diocese on June 28, 2008, worked for Hispanic communities, including The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and Saint Casimir in Winona, Saint Charles Borromeo in Saint Charles, Saint Aloysius in Elba, Holy Redeemer in Eyota, and Saint Francis of Assisi in Rochester. The Diocese claimed that Fr. Huerta had not had an assignment within the Diocese since 2018, that his faculties were suspended in November of 2019, and that it was actively working toward his laicization.

However, SNAP has uncovered a publication from January 2020, that reported on page 2, "Rev. Ubaldo Roque Huerta: assigned to live at the Hermits of St. Mary of Carmel in Houston, effective December 4, 2019.  St. Mary of Carmel is a community of Carmelite nuns. In addition, to this omission from its statement, the Diocese has supplied absolutely no information about why the priest was suspended from ministry and was to be laicized, or even if the laicization process has been completed. Nor have the faithful and the public been told whether the victim in the criminal case was male or female, or even if they were Catholic. 

There are so many questions that should be answered! Where exactly did the criminal act that is the subject of the current charges take place? Why was Fr. Huerta suspended from ministry in November of 2019, and why was the Diocese pursuing his laicization if the alleged crime only took place in December of 2020? We can only suspect that there were other accusations against the cleric that prompted those actions. But probably the most important question is where has the former priest been living?

We call on Bishop Robert Barron to provide these answers to the Catholic community and to the people of Minnesota.  

By our accounting, there has been a consistent dribble of arrests at a rate of about two Catholic clergy or laypersons per month for the past decade. Many, like Fr. Huerta, were ordained after the 2002 Dallas Charter. This would indicate that there has in fact been no change in the culture of sexual abuse in the Church. It also reinforces, sadly, our belief that more victims from the 1990s and 2000s can be expected to come forward in the future.

We encourage anyone who may have suffered, witnessed, or suspected the sexual abuse of children or adults within their faith community to report the information to law enforcement. Fr. Ubaldo Roque Huerta may have other victims, and investigators can help. 

CONTACT: Frank Meuers, SNAP Leader Southern Minnesota, (952-334-5180, [email protected]) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager, (267-261-0578, [email protected]) Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected]) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President (814-341-8386, [email protected])

(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)

                                                                                                     ###

 

SNAP applauds Arizona Judge's ruling on clergy-penitent privilege in high profile case

(For Immediate Release August 19, 2022) 

An Arizona judge, overseeing a high-profile lawsuit accusing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of conspiring to cover up child sex abuse, has ruled that the church may not refuse to answer questions or turn over documents under the state’s “clergy-penitent privilege.” We applaud the court’s decision and stand proud to support the tireless efforts of victims and advocates alike who are seeking justice.

The story out of Brisbee, Arizona, is heartbreaking. A man named Paul Douglas Adams physically and sexually abused his children for years while their mother Leizza Adams knew and did nothing, The fact that the father confessed his crime to church officials at the Mormon congregation to which he belonged, only for them to refuse to report the crimes to police and keep the information internal, makes the situation even more disturbing.

The lawsuit was filed by three of Paul and Leizza Adams' six children, and was featured in a recent Associated Press story. The AP reported that bishops John Herrod and Robert “Kim” Mauzy contacted a Mormon "abuse help line" for advice in the case. The AP concluded that the "help line" was part of a system that diverted accusations away from law enforcement and to church attorneys, placing victims in jeopardy.

It is extremely upsetting to us that people who were aware of the abuse opted to remain silent rather than intervene to prevent these youngsters from further pain. Who is left to safeguard the children when adults opt to protect themselves and their reputations?

This disturbing case of child sexual abuse and cover-up is now drawing attention to the need to reform mandatory reporting laws in Utah. Rep. Angela Romero, a Democrat from Salt Lake City, informed FOX 13 News that she was reintroducing a measure that she had first introduced in 2020. Religion-based organizations vigorously opposed the bill. She is not the only one championing the cause this year. Rep. Phil Lyman, a Republican from Blanding, said he was also preparing legislation along the same lines.

According to Judy Larson, SNAP Board Member, and Utah SNAP Leader, a rally will take place on the evening of Friday, August 19th at Utah’s State Capitol. “The rally was organized by a group of women in a book club who decided they had to support the legislation.”

As we see it, the clergy-penitent privilege can be equivalent to a get-out-of-jail-free card. We hope that politicians in every state will be motivated to establish new legislation that will safeguard children in their state from unnecessary damage, rather than merely being appalled by the Adams' case. Repealing the priest-penitent privilege and mandating clergy to disclose abuse is one modest step that will help save future children in dangerous situations.

Contact: Utah SNAP Leader, Judy Klapperich-Larson, (801- 831-5277  [email protected]), Mary O'Day, Phoenix Arizona SNAP Leader, ([email protected]) Charlene Black, Phoenix SNAP Leader, ([email protected]) SNAP Tucson, Tim Lennon (415-312-5820, [email protected]) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communication Manager, ([email protected], 267-261-0578)

(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)

                                                                                                              ###


The Pope has decided there are insufficient grounds for a canonical investigation into accusations against Cardinal Ouellet

(For Immediate Release August 18, 2022) 

According to a statement released by the Vatican today, Pope Francis has concluded that there are insufficient grounds for a canonical investigation into the accusations of sexual assault against Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet. The Vatican statement noted that the Pope consulted with Father Jacques Servais, who confirmed that position with these words: “There are no grounds to open an investigation into the sexual assault undergone by person ‘F.’ by Cardinal M. Ouellet. Neither in the written report sent to the Holy Father nor in the testimony via Zoom that I subsequently gathered in the presence of a member of the Diocesan Ad Hoc Committee, did this person make any accusation that would provide grounds for such an investigation.”

To us, it appears that the Pope has passed up a perfect chance to demonstrate that even those closest to him, such as Cardinal Ouellet, are not immune to investigation. Person ‘F’ recently came forward as a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Quebec, alleging that she was inappropriately touched by the Cardinal. We simply do not understand why this uninvited action by a high-ranking Catholic official that is the subject of a current lawsuit can be so easily -- and quickly -- dismissed by the Church.

It is disheartening that the Pope continues to refuse to take concrete and meaningful measures to safeguard Catholic children and adults. Dismissing the need for a canonical investigation in this case and concluding that there are "no grounds" for a probe, when the legal case is still in its infancy, belies the claims that the Church will seriously look into accusations against high-ranking Catholic officials.

This announcement, just two days after the allegations were made public, shows the superficiality of the Church's promises to handle such accusations competently. We hope that secular authorities will pick up where the Church has failed and bring justice to all involved in this class action suit. 

CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager, (267-261-0578, [email protected]) Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected]) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President (814-341-8386, [email protected])

(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)

                                                                                                           ###

 


High Ranking Cardinal in Canada Named in Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

 

(For Immediate Release August 16, 2022) 

According to news sources in Canada, the name of a senior Vatican cardinal appears on a list of clerics accused of sexual abuse that has been made public as part of a new class action against the Diocese of Quebec. In a class action case representing more than 100 victims, Cardinal Marc Ouellet has been accused of sexual abuse of a vulnerable adult.

Viewed as a potential successor to Pope Francis, Cardinal Ouellet was the Archbishop of Quebec during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and now is one of 88 clergy members facing sexual assault claims in a lawsuit filed against the Archdiocese of Quebec. This class action case in which Cardinal Ouellet has been named is comprised of more than 100 victims who were allegedly sexually abused, most as kids, by priests and other diocesan employees in Quebec beginning as early as 1940.

We applaud the bravery of all of the victims who are involved in this case for coming forward and hope they are able to receive the justice and healing they deserve. We especially recognize that given the prominence of the man who she has accused, the alleged victim of Cardinal Ouellet will no doubt receive intense public scrutiny, and we recognize that for her to have come forward has taken considerable courage.

“Ouellet oversees the Dicastery of Bishops, meaning he’s the guy picking new Bishops. What hope do we have for leadership in the church?” said Leona Huggins, leader of SNAP Vancouver. “We also must question who among the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops knew of his behavior and said nothing? Did some of them want to, but were afraid it would have repercussions on their career? Imagine then what it would be like for victims to step forward.”

Cardinal Ouellet, who was elevated to his title by Pope John Paul II in 2003, has long held powerful positions within the Roman Catholic Church, including as head of the Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. From 2003 to 2010, he was Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada. In addition to being considered a potential successor to Pope Francis, Cardinal Ouellet was considered a probable contender for Pope in both 2005 and 2013.

We hope that each case that is included within this class action is adjudicated fairly and that victims and survivors are able to get the healing and justice they deserve. We also encourage other survivors of abuse – whether by clergy, family, or any other perpetrator – who may read this story while suffering in silence, to find a trusted friend or loved one to come forward to and share the burden of their trauma from sexual violence.

Finally, we hope that by sharing this story, others may be inspired to learn about the realities of child sexual abuse, the myths, and facts regarding why and when survivors disclose, and what type of change they can make locally to encourage survivors to come forward rather than suffer alone and in silence.

CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager, (267-261-0578, [email protected]) Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected]) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President (814-341-8386, [email protected])

(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)

 

###

 


Department of Justice Announces Investigation Into The Southern Baptist Convention

(For Immediate Release August 12, 2022) 

According to an Aug. 12 statement from all SBC entity leaders and SBC President Bart Barber, the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has been told that the US Department of Justice has launched an investigation against the SBC that would cover "many SBC institutions."

We welcome this news, it is something SNAP has long called for. The Department of Justice has given survivors around the nation hope with today's news. Too frequently, institutions are able to avoid accountability through a combination of antiquated legislation like statutes of limitations, coercive agreements to silence survivors, and fostering a culture that prevents survivors from speaking out. This is undoubtedly a positive development.

SNAP Leader Bobby Sas commented,’ As a survivor of abuse within the SBC, it was concerning to see the list of abusers and alleged abusers because it does not tell the true scope and length of time these abuses have been going on. This announcement by the DOJ may give us the justice we deserve.’

We encourage anyone who has suffered traumatic harm at the hands of trusted faith leaders, laypersons, or volunteers from the SBC to report their information to the Department of Justice or local law enforcement. We know it is difficult to revisit the horror, and so we hope victims have support in place and seek counsel.

CONTACTS: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267-261-0578), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009) Bobby Sas, SNAP Leader, ([email protected]), Dave Brown, SNAP Leader Tennessee (901-569-4500)

(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

 


Accused Priest Stands To Inherit $2 Million; SNAP Responds

(For Immediate Release August 11, 2022) 

Despite the protests of her relatives, an Erie County court has decided that David W. Bialkowski, a Catholic priest suspected of sexually assaulting minors, can spend a dead parishioner's $2 million fortune as he pleases.

We echo the statement of counsel representing the family, "Just as he apparently 'groomed' young boys, he has become the sole beneficiary under the will of a wealthy elderly widow," attorney Sean A. Fitzgerald, a court-appointed guardian representing relatives of Peters, said of Bialkowski in court records. “The methods of grooming (a) boy or teenager are the same as the methods of exercising undue influence over a person.”

As we see it, Bialkowski does not deserve stability in his life, and yet, he barricades what he believes is rightfully his, adding a grieving family to his list of alleged victims. We also applaud the attorney representing two men who claim Bialkowski abused them as children. A motion has been filed asking the court to freeze the funds until their Child Victims Act lawsuits are resolved, which are stayed by a state judge while the Diocese of Buffalo is in bankruptcy proceedings.

It is no surprise to us to learn of Bialkowski’s greed. He denied accusations that date back to 2011, quiet and content on his leave of absence until he found his pearl. It takes a morally bankrupt person to befriend a parishioner in hopes of monetary gain. If he had any ounce of decency, he would relinquish all rights to the $2 million.

We hope the Judge hearing the motion to place these funds in escrow can see the greed and dirty hands in this case and makes the right decision to not allow Bialkowski these funds.

CONTACTS: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([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 more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)


Diocese of Harrisburg reaches an agreement in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

(For Immediate Release August 5, 2022) 

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg and the Tort Claimants Committee for Sexual Abuse Survivors struck an agreement to possibly resolve the Diocese's Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring lawsuit. The Diocese hailed the proposed plan's child safety measures as "the most thorough and in-depth child protection protocols of any Diocese in the United States" in a statement. Once finalized, the deal will be filed to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for approval "as soon as practicable."

The diocese issued this in a statement, ‘The agreement between the Diocese and the Committee will be incorporated into a plan of reorganization and that plan will be voted upon and submitted to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for approval. Of greatest importance, the plan will seek to establish the most comprehensive and in-depth child protection protocols of any Diocese in the United States.’

In addition to the above, the RCDH and related entities will establish a Survivor Compensation Trust and provide funding to the trust in an amount equal to $7.5 million to provide financial restitution for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The Survivor Compensation Trust may also be funded through additional settlements with the RCDH’s current and legacy insurance carriers. The details of this settlement will be embodied in the joint plan of reorganization referenced above, which will be co-drafted by the RCDH and the Committee and filed with the Bankruptcy Court as soon as possible. Once established, a Trust administrator, and not the Diocese, will determine compensation amounts and claim eligibility for abuse survivors.

We thank the survivors of sexual assault from the Diocese of Harrisburg for standing out for their rights and the rights of other victims. Given the church's wealth, it is a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things. No amount of money will compensate for the lifetime of pain caused by sexual assault. Furthermore, we know that these approaches are intended to maintain the impression of assistance for survivors, but no actual action has been taken by church leaders to ensure justice for victims.

If Harrisburg church authorities want to assist survivors and establish safer settings within their congregations, they must be open and honest with their congregations. They should promptly update their list of abusers to incorporate the new names discovered during the bankruptcy process, and then utilize every resource available to guarantee parishioners and parents that children and adults are safe. Similarly, they should be turning over all information regarding sex crimes, regardless of the status of the abuser, to local law enforcement.

We know that no institution can police itself and so we hope that police and prosecutors in Pennsylvania are looking long and hard to find creative pathways toward justice for survivors and to prevent more cases of abuse in the future. A critical step in preventing abuse is ensuring that those who covered up and enabled abuse are prosecuted.

CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected]267) 261-0578 ), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386 ), 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)

###


SNAP Network is a GuideStar Gold Participant