Dear Archbishop Dolan; 

We are clergy sex abuse victims and supporters. We belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Our mission is to protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded.

We are saddened that the Fort Wayne – South Bend Diocese did not disclose all the information they had regarding Fr. Thomas Lombardi’s crimes when they announced his removal. In an effort to live up to their pledge to be open and honest about clergy sex cases, the Diocese should have revealed when and where the abuse took place. 

Whatever became of all those promises by Catholic officials to be 'open' about pedophile priests? And that 'one strike and you're out' pledge?

We’re very upset by reports that the Maricopa County sheriff has failed to follow through on child sex abuse reports and investigations. Every single man, woman and child who finds the courage to call law enforcement about a known or suspected child predator deserves a prompt and thorough response from officials.

A Catholic priest who spent nearly a decade in Oregon was arrested late last week in California on child sex charges. He attended Mount Angel Seminary in St. Benedict, Ore., from 1998 to 2007.

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church will be a more healthy institution without Rev. Eddie Long. He’s clearly a self-aggrandizing egomaniac who abuses his power to gain financial and sexual pleasure.

Fr. Kelleher’s admission of guilt brings some comfort to his victims. It also shows, however, the continuing callousness, recklessness and secrecy of North Carolina Catholic officials.

We applaud the brave young man who came forward and spoke out against Martin Weiss and the sexual violence that he committed for years. To come forward at such a young age is impressive and courageous, and likely has saved many other children from more exploitation and abuse by Weiss.

There are lots of excuses the Springfield’s Catholic bishop could use for doing nothing:

“O’Brien’s not a Springfield diocesan priest.” “He hasn’t worked here for years.” “He hasn’t been convicted of anything.” “He’s never been sued for molesting kids in southwestern Missouri.” “We do enough outreach to child sex abuse victims.”

Shame on San Angelo’s Catholic bishop. He’s trying to have his cake and eat it too – paying a settlement to make a clergy sex abuse and cover up case go away while suggesting no one did anything wrong. And he’s basically trying to bully other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers into keeping silent, by talking tough about going to trial.

No! Bishops did NOT make judgment errors in clergy child sexual abuse and cover up cases. These are smart, well-educated men surrounded by bevies of smart, well-educated advisors. They repeatedly made self-serving, callous decisions, not judgment errors.

We’re pleased but not surprised that a judge has found Philadelphia Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua competent to testify. Time and time again, we see Catholic officials feigning ill health or poor memories when they’re really only suffering from a desperate desire to evade tough questions about their complicity in child sex abuse and cover up cases.