News Story of the Day
Former priest, Navy chaplain to be sentenced in child porn case
Associated Press, October 2, 2016, Crux
WILMINGTON, Del. - A former Navy chaplain and Catholic priest who sexually assaulted a Naval Academy midshipman years ago is facing sentencing on federal child pornography charges.
Sentencing for John Thomas Matthew Lee of Millsboro, which has been postponed several times, is now set for Wednesday, Oct. 5.
Former altar-boy coordinator at St. Brendan arraigned on child-rape charges
By
Michael Walsh, 80, was arraigned Wednesday on charges he raped and indecently attacked a Dorchester boy more than two decades ago, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, Walsh was an altar-boy coordinator at St. Brendan Church and a coach in the Cedar Grove Baseball League.
Should Pennsylvania sex abuse survivors accept half loaf of justice?
Bill White, Contact Reporter, The Morning Call, September 26, 2016
Is half a loaf better than none?
Not when it comes to this year's emotional and contentious effort to offer justice to many victims of child sex abuse in Pennsylvania by extending or eliminating statutes of limitations, according to the Legislature's most visible advocate for changing the law.
State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, told me last week that he has consulted with survivors, advocacy groups and other House members over the question of whether the House should accept the watered down version of House Bill 1947 that passed the Senate in June.
Lawyers have new tool in clergy abuse cases
By Olivier Uyttebrouck, Albuqerque Journal Staff Writer, Thursday, September 22nd, 2016 at 11:43pm
Lawyers representing alleged victims of clerical sexual abuse told a judge last week that the Archdiocese of Santa Fe is liable for the actions of its priests because it provides them with “extraordinary power” over parishioners, comparable to that of police and corrections officers.
The legal theory, called “aided-in-agency,” is becoming more common in civil cases and gives attorneys a potent new tool in clerical abuse cases, attorneys in the case said.
Former Director of Recently Suspended Priest Program in Chicago Arrested on Child Porn Charges
The priest who once led a prominent vocational program for Latino men interested in the priesthood has been arrested on child pornography charges, NBC 5 has learned.
Father Octavio Munoz, of Casa Jesus, will appear in bond court at noon in Chicago, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and Chicago police.
Disgraced Catholic bishop's estate to go to victims of abuse
By nine.com.au staff, September 6, 2016
The family of a Catholic bishop blamed for allowing the sexual abuse of hundreds of children say they support his decision to leave $2.1m to the church.
Bishop Rodney Mulkearns died in April aged 85 and left almost his entire estate to the Catholic diocese of Ballarat, including a $2m house in Fairhaven.
Women abused by priest Brendan Smyth took own lives, says cleric D'Arcy
By Allan Preston, September 1, 2016, Belfast Telegraph
Outspoken priest Brian D'Arcy has claimed a number of women committed suicide after suffering abuse at the hands of paedophile priest Brendan Smyth.
Fr D'Arcy made the comments in an interview with Hot Press magazine published today.
"There have been people, young women, who took their own lives because of what Brendan Smyth did to them," the Enniskillen priest said. "I know this personally. They took their own lives because of what Brendan Smyth did to them."
Pressure Mounts on Jewish Groups to Change Course in Sexual Abuse Cases
JOSEPH TREITOVSKY, 31 AUGUST 2016, The Jewish Voice
Is there a divide in the Orthodox Rabbinate regarding preventing child sexual abuse?
In an unprecedented and crucially positive step forward, 300 Orthodox Rabbis from across the nation signed a proclamation regarding child safety in the Orthodox Jewish community. Synagogues and schools are called upon to adopt certain preventative measures outlined in the document to deter child abuse and child sexual abuse.
Norwich Diocese, retired bishop sued in priest sex abuse case
By Karen Florin, Day staff writer, August 29, 2016, theDay
A 37-year-old Woodstock man who says he was sexually assaulted hundreds of times by a Catholic priest while serving as an altar boy at the Holy Trinity Church in Pomfret in the 1990s has filed a lawsuit against the Diocese of Norwich, retired Bishop Daniel P. Reilly and the church.
The Norwich Diocese previously settled two lawsuits brought by boys who were molested by the priest, Paul Hebert, when he served at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Pawcatuck from 1971 to 1981.
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