Supreme Court snubs priest defamation suit against Diocese
Without comment, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his contention that the diocese shouldn’t be allowed to use the First Amendment as a shield to avoid his claims that it defamed him by calling him a mentally unstable liar.
Nearly four years after Rev. John Gallagher insisted he was removed from a parish for reporting a pedophile priest, his lawsuit against the Diocese of Palm Beach on Monday came to an abrupt and unemotional end.
Without comment, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear his contention that the diocese shouldn’t be allowed to use the First Amendment as a shield to avoid his claims that it defamed him by calling him a mentally unstable liar.
“It’s all over,” said attorney Ted Babbitt, who represented Gallagher. “We have nowhere else to go. I don’t think The Hague will hear it.”
While Gallagher is still a priest, his status with the diocese is unclear, Babbitt said. Gallagher has been on sick leave since he suffered a heart attack that he blames on the stress of being publicly maligned for reporting what he believed was a concerted effort to hide illicit activity by a visiting priest.
“It’s now up to the church,” Babbitt said. “I fear further retribution within the church. I don’t think suing the church constitutes a sin, but it will be up to the bishop and their own internal rules to decide what to do.”
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the diocese said officials were pleased by the Supreme Court’s decision.
“We have made clear throughout this unfortunate litigati...
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