Diocese of San Bernardino Quietly Adds Name to List of Accused Clergy, SNAP Calls for Public Outreach
Catholic officials in San Bernardino have quietly added another abuser to their list of accused clergy, apparently without notifying the public. We call on diocesan leaders to use all of the resources at their disposal to share this information and encourage other survivors to come forward and get help.
Fr. Rodrigo Marciel Garcia was added to the Diocese of San Bernardino’s list of “credibly accused” clergy on March 4, 2021. This is the 6th name to be added to the list since it was released in October of 2018. To the best of our knowledge, no public notice of this addition or any of the others was made. It is difficult to reconcile the stated purpose of abuser lists – transparency and a commitment to openness and honesty – with the choice to add this information without telling anyone. We call on Catholic officials in San Bernardino to use both the secular press and internal tools like parish bulletins and websites to ensure parents and parishioners throughout the diocese, as well as the public, are aware of this information.
This notification should include information about each of Fr. Garcia’s assignments within the diocese as well as information on how other victims and witnesses can make reports to local law enforcement and the California Attorney General’s office. If diocesan leaders in San Bernardino can release a press release about schools reopening, we are sure they can issue one encouraging other survivors to come forward, make a report, and get the help they need.
CONTACT: Dan McNevin, SNAP Treasurer ([email protected], 415-341-6417), Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Coordinator ([email protected], 925-708-6175) Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 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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