Vatican - In stunning move, Pope meets with Mahony; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014
Statement by Peter Isely of Milwaukee, national board member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (414-429-7259, [email protected])
Today, as Catholic officials told a United Nations panel that the Vatican is 'reforming' on abuse, Pope Francis held a private meeting with retired Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, a prelate so corrupt that his successor denied him the right to exercise public ministry in his own archdiocese.
http://cardinalrogermahonyblogsla.blogspot.com/
We are stunned and deeply disappointed.
Within hours of taking office earlier this year, Pope Francis went to Cardinal Bernard Law's church in Rome and spoke briefly with him.
The pope could not have picked more discredited and complicit US church officials to meet with than these two. Pope Francis is a very smart man. He understands symbolism. He must know how hurtful it is to thousands of wounded US victims and millions of betrayed US Catholics for him to spend time with disgraced clerics who recklessly, callously and deceitfully protected hundreds of predators and endangered thousands of kids.
So like his predecessors, Pope Francis sends clear signs to complicit prelates that helping predators and endangering kids won’t hurt their clerical careers.
Hundreds of US bishops have concealed and enabled heinous child sex crimes against kids. None are worse, however, than Law and Mahony. It’s dreadfully insensitive for Pope Francis to meet with these men. Who is next, convicted Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn?
Our hearts ache, especially for the hundreds of men, women and teenagers who were sexually violated by Los Angeles clerics.
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell,[email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434,[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