For immediate release:
Saturday night , July 14, 2007

Settlement apparently finalized, sex abuse victim reacts

Statement by Steve Sanchez, director of the Glendale chapter of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (818 262 6540)

My case was set for trial on Monday and I was really looking forward to finally forcing Mahony and other top church officials to face hard questions under oath about their role in Fr. Hagenbach's devastating crimes. On the other hand, hundreds of hurting men and women desperately need intense therapy, addictions counseling, drug rehab, in-patient treatment and medical help. They need and deserve some healing and closure, especially after years of public relations posturing and hardball legal maneuvering by this archdiocese.

My worry is that many victims won't adequately appreciate the huge achievements they've made - in their own healing, in protecting others, in prodding law enforcement and in alerting citizens about pedophile clergy and corrupt bishops. I also worry that Catholics may become somewhat complacent, when in fact, they should become even more diligent, so that more children don't suffer as we have suffered and are still suffering.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 17 years and have more than 7,000 members across the country. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact information:
David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, 314-645-5915 home), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688), Mary Grant (626-419-2930), Mark Serrano (703-727-4940)