MN - Nienstedt hires another Catholic figure; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])
Embattled Twin Cities Archbishop John Nienstedt has hand-picked another bureaucrat to help him cling to and repair his damaged reputation. She’s Kathleen McChesney, who was hired by America’s bishops to head their new Office of Child Protection a decade ago.
McChesney is the quintessential bureaucrat, unwilling to challenge corruption and anxious to please her bosses. She was no ‘profile in courage’ when she helped US bishops out of a jam a decade ago. We doubt she will be now.
Whether Nienstedt shares a few carefully selected records with one retired bureaucrat or ten, or with one lay catholic or a dozen, it won’t matter.
Neither McChesney nor anyone else Nienstedt pays will have subpoena power or real independence.
Catholic officials can scream 'independent' over and over. But if they pick and pay the people they'll consult with, no one can truly believe those new 'hired hands' will be unbiased.
It's very smart and safe for Nienstedt to hire McChesney. She did the bidding for bishops a decade ago and she'll do this bishop's bidding now.
This is another in a carefully choreographed string of tiny moves and tiny gestures that Nienstedt and his public relations team believe will eventually fool many into thinking real changes are afoot when in fact they are not.
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Bob Schwiderski(952 471 3422, [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
Showing 3 comments
As evidenced by the past few years of proceedings here in the City of Brotherly Love (the legal, genuine variety), local archdiocesan Catholic leadership have begun to realize just how serious their predicament really is, i.e., investigating legitimate abuse allegations, failing to act on the danger to children and subsequently moving (or hiding) the offender to another location, whether inside the archdiocese or elsewhere, where other children are placed at risk due to the CRIMINAL CONDUCT of both the abuser as well as leadership co-conspirators.
Michael Skiendzielewski
Captain (retired)
Philadelphia Police Dept.