Guam--Archdiocese pledges to make amends, Victims respond
For immediate release, July 6, 2017
Statement by Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach, Volunteer Western Regional Leader for SNAP, the Survivors Network (949-322-7434, [email protected])
The laity of the Archdiocese of Agana has already showed tremendous solidarity with victims by standing with them, believing them, praying for them, protesting outside of the cathedral, and demanding transparency and accountability from Archdiocesan leadership and the Vatican.
The only way that the Archdiocese can now make amends is to stop fighting victims in the civil courts, cooperating completely with civil authorities, and turning over and making public all evidence of child sex abuse and cover-up in their secret personnel files.
Coadjutor Archbishop Byrnes must stop putting the burden of amends on the laity—that burden must sit squarely on the shoulders of church officials and their attorneys. Prayers are for those without the immediate power to enact change. Coadjutor Byrnes has the immediate power to enact change in the courts, open files, stop wrongdoing, and hold those who committed or covered up child sex abuse accountable.
(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 more than 20,000 members. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact – Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003, [email protected]), Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, [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