The Diocese of Syracuse Releases a List of Accused Priests, SNAP Responds
For immediate release, December 3 2018
Today, the Diocese of Syracuse in New York released a list of 57 priests that had been accused of abuse. We are grateful church officials in Syracuse have taken this first step and we hope that they will continue to take action to prevent future cases of abuse and to bring justice for past cases.
Releasing these names to the public is something that Bishop Robert Cunningham could have done long ago and we cannot help but wonder if the reason he is taking this belated step now is because of investigations into clergy sexual abuse by both New York state and federal law enforcement officials. Still, regardless of his reasons, we are glad that Bishop Cunningham has publicized these names and are equally glad that the full facts of this crisis will be examined by New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood.
We believe that Bishop Cunningham should now publicize this list permanently on his diocesan website and run it at least quarterly in every parish bulletin. It should include every single proven, admitted and credibly accused church employee: bishops, priests, seminarians, brothers, nuns and lay people, no matter who supervised or ordained them, and no matter where they originated. In this list, Bishop Cunningham should also put by each name the date when the diocese first learned of the allegation against that priest, as well as the date the cleric was finally removed from ministry. It is important for accountability to find out who knew what, when they knew it, and what they chose to do with that information.
Finally, we encourage anyone who may have seen, suspected, or suffered abuse at the hands of church officials in Syracuse to contact law enforcement to make a report and not the Diocese directly. Anyone with information can aid the attorney general investigation in New York by calling 1-800-771-7755 or by making a report on their confidential reporting website.
CONTACT: Tim Lennon, SNAP President ([email protected], 415-312-5820) Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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