PA - Lawsuit brought against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, SNAP responds
We are saddened to hear of the abuse that this woman suffered at the hands of Fr. Mark Lacki. We hope that the lawsuit filed will bring her one step closer to justice and healing.
Sadly, it is not uncommon to hear reports of priests abusing women who come to them for counseling. Predators often prey on these vulnerable adults as they go through a time in their life full of uncertainty and doubt, which makes the abuse all the more damaging. We hope that Fr. Lacki is arrested soon and made to answer for his crimes.
What’s most despicable, however, is that the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Pauline Fathers allegedly allowed this priest to escape justice and flee to his native Poland. We hope that this irresponsible conduct is punished. Situations such as this are why we always call for victims and witnesses to come forward to police and not to church officials. Hopefully, anyone else who may have been hurt by Fr. Lacki will be moved by this story to make a report to law enforcement immediately.
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