MI-- Archbishop must reach out to other victims, group says
For immediate release: Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Detroit Catholic officials must do aggressive outreach – to 20 parishes and across the entire archdiocese – to seek out and help others who were hurt by a just-accused predator priest.
Only the most ignorant and callous would assume that over decades, Fr. David West just molested one child. In fact, we strongly suspect that Fr. West’s frequent transfers stem, at least in part, from reports of his abuse to church officials.
We also call on Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron to disclose when the credible report was made. We suspect it took months, instead of days, for church staff to respond to, investigate, reach a decision and disclose that decision. If so, that’s wrong. Delays like this are hurtful to victims.
We urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes by Fr. West or cover ups by Catholic officials to speak up, protect others, expose wrongdoers, and start healing.
Fr. West has worked in these communities: Farmington, Troy, Harper Woods, Rochester, Royal Oak, St. Clair Shores, Detroit, Grosse Pointe Woods, Redford, Ferndale, Warren, Temperance, Livonia, Eastpointe, Maybee, Dearborn Heights, Livonia, and Rockwood.
(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])
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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