Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

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Canada seeks to dismiss St. Anne's residential school survivors' fight for accountability

January 22, 2025

Court battle continues over withholding of documents detailing abuse at Ontario residential school Brett Forester · CBC News · Posted: Jan 21, 2025 5:27 PM EST | Last Updated: January 21 Advocate Edmund Metatawabin speaks during a news conference in Ottawa in 2013 seeking justice for St. Anne's Indian Residential School survivors. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press) Federal lawyers are asking a court to dismiss a group of survivors' fight to hold Canada accountable for withholding evidence of widespread abuse at St. Anne's Indian Residential School during class-action compensation hearings. The decade-old legal saga continues this week in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto, where former pupils of the notorious Catholic-run school in Fort Albany are responding to the government. Faced with mainly technical arguments, Edmund Metatawabin, a former Fort Albany First Nation chief who is leading the fight, said his group is used to such tactics but continues to press for truth.

Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre has reached settlement with survivors, SNAP weighs in

January 17, 2025

For Immediate Release: January 18, 2025 After four years of bankruptcy proceedings, the Diocese of Rockville Centre has agreed to settle the claims brought by 600 survivors of child sexual for approximately $323 million. Payments should begin later this year. SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, hopes that this process will bring some measure of healing to those who will receive compensation for the life-altering crimes they experienced. PJ D'Amico, who is among those scheduled to receive restitution, noted the Diocese’s agreement to settle was " more like 'uncle' than 'do the right thing.'" Sadly, we cannot help but agree. As attorney Jeff Anderson observed, “Some survivors waiting on a settlement died before the case was resolved.” In addition, there are many victims who have not come forward, and now will never be able to do so. One of the downsides of bankruptcy is that survivors who either do not remember their abuse or who are not ready to come forward by the bankruptcy bar date, but whose ordeals occurred before the bankruptcy was filed, are forever barred from filing a civil claim for damages. Of course, this is one of the attractions for Catholic Dioceses facing countless claims from those who were harmed because Church officials chose to protect predators instead of children. We hope that someday the federal law will be amended to ban this tactic being used by those who enable child sexual abuse.

January 17, 2025

Wrongful death & abuse suit moves ahead

January 15, 2025

Judge rules against Christian board school Lawsuit is “unprecedented” says attorney Sheriff’s department staffers are also named as defendants For Immediate Release: January 16, 2025 A judge has ruled that a wrongful death lawsuit against a Christian boarding school in Missouri can move forward, rebuffing officials at the now-shuttered facility and local law enforcement who sought to have the case tossed out. The 23 page decision was issued by U. S. District Judge Doug Harpool earlier this month. In October 2023, Kathleen Britt sued staffers at Agape School in Stockton and the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, charging that her son Jason died after having been brutally gang-raped and emotionally abused at Agape. Several employees of the facility and the sheriff’s department either committed, suspected or knew about Jason’s abuse but ignored or concealed it, according to the suit.

SNAP Press Event in Houma on Thursday

October 09, 2024

Victims charge Houma Catholic church is ‘reckless’ on abuse Group says diocese ‘is still hiding at least 4 local perpetrators’ Other dioceses post their names & say the allegations are ‘credible’ SNAP: “But Houma officials refuse, leaving kids at risk & victims wounded” Support group also alerts child victims to an unusual new legal opportunity New law means that anyone molested at any time by anyone can now sue ‘By coming forward, the wounded can protect the vulnerable,’ survivors say WHAT Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will --write on a sidewalk the names of four publicly accused clerics who are or were in the Houma-Thibodaux diocese but are largely ‘under the radar’ and are still being hidden by local church officials, and ---urge anyone “with information or suspicions about known or possible abusers” to call police, not church staff, contact SNAP and “protect others and start healing.” They will also urge Catholics to join with them in spreading awareness of an “unusual and ground-breaking child safety law” that “enables virtually any child sex abuse victim to sue, no matter how long ago the crime happened, so that the truth will be known about every bishop, priest, brother, nun, seminarian, or layperson who hurt kids.” WHEN Thursday, Oct. 10 at 11:15 a.m. WHERE On the sidewalk outside the Cathedral of St. Francis, 500 Goode St. in Houma (985-876-6904) WHO Two child sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who for 30 years was the organization’s national director

SNAP Press Event in Baton Rouge on Wednesday

October 08, 2024

Abuse victims blast Baton Rouge bishop He’s hiding at least three ‘credibly accused’ abusive priests Other church officials say allegations against the men are ‘credible’ SNAP: “If church officials are hiding them, what else might they be hiding?” Support group also alerts child victims to unusual new legal opportunity New law means that anyone molested at any time by anyone can now sue ‘By coming forward, the wounded can protect the vulnerable,’ victims say WHAT Using sidewalk chalk, while holding signs and childhood photos, clergy sex abuse victims will write on a sidewalk the names of three publicly accused child molesting clerics who are NOT on the Baton Rouge Catholic bishop’s ‘credibly accused’ list and thus remain largely ‘under the radar.’ They will also urge ---Catholics and others to “spread the word” about an unusual new Louisiana law that will make kids safer by enabling victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue those who committed or concealed the crimes - no matter how long ago they were violated, and ---those with information or suspicions about ANY other known or possible perpetrators to a) call police, not church staff, and b) contact SNAP. WHEN Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 2 PM WHERE On the sidewalk outside St. Joseph Cathedral, 401 Main Street (corner of 4th) in Baton Rouge WHO Two child sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who for 30 years was the organization’s national director

SNAP Press Event in Lafayette on Wednesday

October 08, 2024

New perpetrator priest lawsuit is filed Victims also blast local bishop over ‘continued secrecy’ SNAP: He’s hiding at least 3 ‘credibly accused’ abusive priests They’re still alive, so they may still be a threat to kids, group says Other church officials say charges against them are substantiated But their names are NOT on the official Lafayette diocese list Victims also urge greater awareness of new state child molestation law WHAT Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, abuse victims will announce and discuss a new child sexual abuse and cover up lawsuit against ‘the most notorious child molesting’ cleric in Louisiana history. Using chalk, they will also write on a sidewalk the names of several publicly accused pedophile priests who have spent time in the Lafayette area but are NOT on the Lafayette bishop’s ‘credibly accused’ list. And they will also “urge anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered ANY other known or possible abuse to a) call police, not church staff, and b) contact SNAP. WHEN Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 11:00 a.m. (NOTE: The group will hold a similar event in Baton Rouge later the same day, Wednesday, October 9 at 2 p.m.) WHERE On the sidewalk outside the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, the address for the Cathedral is 914 St. John Street, Lafayette, LA, press conference will be at 515 Cathedral. Call if you can't locate them: David, 314-566-9790 (Cathedral phone: 337-232-1322) WHO Two child sexual abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a Missouri man who for 30 years was the organization’s national director

Take Action and Stop Child Sexual Abuse

If you see child sexual abuse, or have a reasonable suspicion of sexual abuse or your child has been sexually abused, call 911 or your local police immediately.

If you suspect abuse, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or visit the Child Help Hotline. Trained crisis operators staff the lines 24/7 to answer your questions. If necessary, they will show you how to report in your local area.

Child pornography is a federal crime. If you see or suspect images that may be child pornography, report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTip Line.

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