New Orleans Archbishop ignored review board findings; SNAP not shocked at the revelation
For immediate release: August 8, 2023
In an explosive report from The Guardian, it was revealed that in six cases the Catholic Archbishop of New Orleans, Gregory Aymond, ignored the findings of his own review board. In each of those six cases, the review board found the clergymen to be "credibly accused," but Archbishop Aymond not only disregarded this finding, he also concealed this information from parishioners and the public, despite pledges of "transparency."
We wish we could say that we are surprised at this revelation, but we are not. All too often Catholic hierarchs wax eloquently on how clergy crimes and cover-ups are a thing of the past, only to have outside investigations reveal something entirely different. We applaud The Guardian for exposing this ugly truth in New Orleans. As long as bishops continue to conceal the crimes of clerics, no one should feel complacent that their parish and their priest is safe.
We hope that the faithful in New Orleans are watching and paying attention. We wonder how much longer they will continue to tolerate an institution that has time and again shown itself to be unworthy of their trust. Innocent lives will continue to be at risk as long as criminals continue to be concealed and protected. Children will continue to suffer unnecessarily as long as "zero tolerance" is nothing more than a myth.
What else can be said? The Archdiocese of New Orleans is indeed bankrupt, morally bankrupt.
Contact: Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Director ([email protected], 925-708-6175), Mike McDonnell, SNAP Iterim Executive Director ([email protected], 267-261-0578)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 35 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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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