28 Lawsuits Filed in Pennsylvania on Two-Year Anniversary of Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report
On the eve of the two-year anniversary of the bombshell Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report, twenty-eight people filed lawsuits against the Diocese of Pittsburgh. We hope that the legal theory being tested by these complaints holds true and that these brave men and women will have the opportunity to have their day in court.
These lawsuits have been filed thanks to a decision against the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown that is currently in front of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Survivor attorneys in Pennsylvania are testing a theory that revelations from the 2018 Grand Jury Report about Catholic officials’ active efforts to cover-up cases of sexual abuse allowed for an additional two-year window for claims to be filed. We believe that argument -- that most victims were unaware of how church leaders actively conspired against them until that truth was laid bare by A.G. Josh Shapiro’s report -- and we hope that these survivors have the opportunity to expose abusers and enablers when their lawsuits are allowed to proceed.
Finally, we hope that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania agrees with the legal challenge brought before it and will rule in favor of truth and transparency rather than the status quo. We applaud these brave victims and their attorneys for taking this fight so far and know that the information they make public will lead to safer, more informed communities.
CONTACT: Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Regional Leader, (636-433-2511, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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