Judge rules assets at risk in Harrisburg Diocese Bankruptcy Proceedings
(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 24, 2022)
Sources close to the bankruptcy proceedings explained that the Judge’s ruling essentially is telling plaintiff attorneys that the gate is now open to explore what is believed to be alleged fraud.
We applaud Chief Bankruptcy Judge Henry W. Van Eck for this ruling and hope that continued pressure will mount on the Diocese of Harrisburg to do what is right for victims of clergy abuse, transparency, accountability, and reparation.
In a grand jury report unsealed in 2018, 45 officials with the Harrisburg Diocese were identified as alleged abusers. Many were included in a church-issued report released two weeks prior naming 71 priests and seminarians accused in church records of sexual misconduct with children dating to the 1940s. The Harrisburg Diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Feb. 19, 2020. It opened the trusts on Nov. 13, 2009, as allegations mounted around widespread sex abuse nationwide within the Catholic Church, court records show.
In our view, an entity that is claiming poverty and applying for bankruptcy protection should not be able to also hide its possessions and financial records from the public. If an organization, institution, or business is truly indigent and unable to pay its creditors, that should be easy enough to prove to the community.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected], 267) 261-0578 ), Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President L ([email protected], 814-341-8386 ), Zach Hiner, SNAP 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
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