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
We hope every single person who saw, suspected or suffered crimes, misdeeds or cover ups by Nienstedt or other church officials will find the strength to call police, expose wrongdoers and protect kids.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected], [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])
Controversial archbishop leaves Michigan parish
By Rosemary Parker | [email protected] on January 21, 2016 at 11:29 AM
BATTLE CREEK, MI -- Parishioners at St. Philip Catholic Church here learned Thursday morning that the controversial Archbishop John Nienstedt has left Battle Creek, just two weeks into what was to be a six-months-long stay.
Nienstedt resigned last summer from his archdiocese in Minneapolis-St. Paul after it was slapped with civil and criminal charges that church leaders had failed to protect children there by covering up and failing to report suspicions of sex abuse by clergy.
Nienstedt quiestly arrived in Michigan Jan. 6 to help St. Philip pastor Rev. John Fleckenstein, who has been ill, an arrangement made between the two of them, long-time friends.
The Diocese of Kalamazoo had OKed Nienstedt's work here, saying it . . .
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
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