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The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

SNAP Press Release
Giving Voice to Victims

 

For Immediate Release:
Monday, April 19

For More Information:
Peter Isely, SNAP National Board, 414 429 7259
Barbara Blaine, SNAP President, 312 399 4747
Barbara Dorris, SNAP National Outreach Director 314 503 0003
David Clohessy, SNAP National Director, 314 566 9790
John Pilmaier, SNAP Midwest Representative 414 336 8575

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
Victims of clergy sexual abuse, after making brief sidewalk remarks, will distribute to parishioners leaving morning mass (and pedestrians walk by) a five point plan of action to build upon the historic and unprecedented global attention brought to the problem of clergy sex crimes brought about by the Papal visit to the United States.

WHEN
TODAY, Monday, April 21, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

WHERE
On sidewalk outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan

WHO
Several survivors who are members of a support group called SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a long time national board member and former national chair.

WHY
Victims around the country are hoping the unprecedented global attention given to clerical sex abuse by Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to the United States will result in five concrete child protection measures by the Pope over the next six months to a year.

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:
Peter Isely, SNAP National Board, 414 429 7259
Barbara Blaine, SNAP President, 312 399 4747
Barbara Dorris, SNAP National Outreach Director 314 503 0003
David Clohessy, SNAP National Director, 314 566 9790
John Pilmaier, SNAP Midwest Representative 414 336 8575


Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
www.snapnetwork.org