Media Statements

We are very disappointed in the 5-2 decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which ended plaintiff Renee Rice's pursuit of justice. Her strength and conviction to hold the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown responsible for covering up and enabling sexual abuse speaks volumes. It inspires others to continue their path to justice.  Rice alleges abuse at the hands of the alleged abuser, Fr. Charles F. Bodziak; in the 1970s, Rice was then the church organist at St. Leo's church in Altoona, Pa.

William R. Luckey was arrested on June 25 and charged with solicitation of a 10 year old girl and two counts of taking indecent liberties with the child. Professor Luckey taught for almost 30 years at Christendom College in Virginia, a Catholic institution recommended by the conservative Cardinal Newman Society.

A mere day after a Connecticut Catholic Diocese filed for bankruptcy protection as a result of lawsuits for child sexual abuse and cover-up, attorneys for the Church have gone even further and filed a motion to ensure that all information, financial and otherwise, in this case is sealed and redacted. To us, this motion is a clear and public example of Catholic officials using bankruptcy court as a means to protect their secrets, not just their money.

(Clarification Addendum added July 30, 2021  

First, let us clarify that we here at SNAP know that the clergy abuse scandal is not about "homosexuality," although there are some who hold that view. Abuse is not about sex, it is about power and control.

Priests, especially Catholic ones, are put on a pedestal. When a cleric has sex with a parishioner or someone they are counseling, even an adult, there is an imbalance of power and the sex cannot be considered truly consensual. We have seen how much damage this can do to the survivor, and we know of those who have taken their own life in their pain.

Moreover, and perhaps more relevant to this situation, when a Catholic cleric is not honoring his vow of celibacy, he has a secret that must remain hidden to protect his career. However, within the brotherhood of the priesthood, very little is truly secret. One of the systemic problems in the Church is that many clergy cannot report on the smaller number who are preying on children, because they risk their own failing being exposed and losing their vocation.

So, the question for us becomes, when someone is in a position such as Msgr. Jeffrey Burrill was, did he cover up for those who knew his secret? )

Archbishop Jose Gomez, President of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB), today announced the resignation of Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill from his post as the general secretary of the conference. The resignation came ahead of a media report alleging that Msgr. Burrill frequented gay bars and private homes using a popular “hookup” app on his mobile device.

In a letter to parishioners dated July 16th, 2021, Fr. Thomas Devery, Pastor of Our Lady of the Sea on Staten Island, informed the faithful that a second lawsuit under New York's Child Victim Act had been filed against him again alleging that he had sexually abused a minor decades ago. Fr. Devery further wrote that "in keeping with the policy" of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, he will be "stepping aside" from his assignment to the parish while this new accusation is investigated and resolved.

A resident of the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin at Mount Loretto in Staten Island three decades ago has accused three adults, including a priest, of sexually abusing him in a recently filed lawsuit. In the wake of the tragedies that have been uncovered in the past months in Canadian residential schools, we call for secular investigations in each state that had Catholic Church or government oversight at such institutions. Sadly, many children who were placed in such situations were orphaned, wards of the court, or from troubled families. They deserve justice!

A Catholic priest from the Diocese of Cleveland pleaded guilty to the sex trafficking of a minor and child pornography. He will be sentenced in November and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. However, his victims still need to be helped. SNAP calls on the Diocese to do outreach to parishioners.

A priest who was removed from his parish in 2019 following allegations of inappropriate behavior with another adult was in court this week in Houston, but a grand jury elected not to proceed with the criminal case against him. Our hearts ache for the victim who has been out and public about the abuse he suffered and we hope that he is getting the support and help that he needs.

Yet another Roman Catholic diocese has declared bankruptcy as a result of claims for child sexual abuse and cover-up. We believe that this move is more about protecting church secrets than it is about a lack of assets and we hope that parishioners and the public will demand better of their church leaders.

Following years at the helm of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, the nations oldest and largest support group for victims of clergy abuse, Tim Lennon has stepped down from his position as President of the Board of Directors. We are grateful to Tim for his years of service and can look back on his tenure as a time of growth and success.