SNAP Responds to Priest Removed in Greensburg Diocese
For immediate release, August 22, 2018
Statement by: Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Regional Leader: 636-433-2511, [email protected]
We have just learned that a priest in the Greensburg diocese has been accused of child sex abuse.
https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stories/pittsburgh-priest-abuse-pastor-removed-from-duty-after-child-sexual-assault-allegations/818356961
We urge anyone who may have knowledge or may have been harmed by Msgr Michael Matusak, who has been accused of child sex abuse, to report this abuse to law enforcement, not the church officials, they are not the proper officials to be investigating child sex crimes.
Although he has been removed from ministry we urge Bishop Edward C. Malesic to go to every parish in his diocese and reach out to anyone who may have been abused by Matusak to contact law enforcement.
And, as we have requested on Monday, we need for Bishop Malesic to put copies of the Greensburg diocese grand jury report in the back of churches in his diocese.
Everyone needs to read this report to learn how church officials have handled child sex crimes.
We also encourage anyone who may have been abused by Matusak to call the PA Attorney Generals hot line hotline at 888-538-8541.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world's oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has a network of more than 25,000 survivors and supporters. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org )
Contact - Judy Jones, (636-433-2511, [email protected]), Tim Lennon (415-312-5820, [email protected]), Becky Ianni (703-801-6044, [email protected])
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