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The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests SNAP
Press Release
For Immediate Release: For More Information: Morning after US Visit, Clergy Abuse Victims Announce Papal Benchmarks Victims want Pope’s strong words to be followed by even stronger actions Group lays out timetable, actions to measure Vatican’s success in combating clergy sex crimes Victims to flyer parishioners asking to help Pope achieve these goals WHAT WHEN WHERE WHO WHY Victims believe that only these steps – simple, clear, measurable – will guarantee that the Pope’s US visit will have a lasting, historic and deep impact on the welfare of children around the world. Each day of the Papal visit leaders from SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, the nations oldest and largest self help organization of clergy sex abuse survivors, focused on one of these measures. Victims are urging Catholics to measure the success of Benedict’s words by his completion of the following 5 benchmarks: -he ensures that the Vatican is in compliance with the UN Charter on the Protection of the Rights of Children -he closes the dangerous loophole in church law that allows priests around the globe who have abused children to remain in ministry -he sanctions, reprimands or publicly disciplines at least a handful of bishops who have transferred known sex offenders -he orders US bishops to cease opposing US state and local legislative efforts, like the Child Victims Act, that reform child sex abuse statutes -he orders bishops around the world to turn over all sex offender clerics and evidence related to child sex crimes in their dioceses to local and international law enforcement officials Victims believe that the true meaning of the Pope’s visit will only be known by the actions that are taken or not taken by him with bishops, Catholic laity, lawmakers, law enforcement officers, survivors and others in the next several months. Strong words must be followed by strong actions that have measurable results. Contact: |
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Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests www.snapnetwork.org | ||