Abusive Priest Works as a Counselor in Alabama
A New York priest who defrocked in 2002 but whose identity as a credibly accused child molester was kept hidden by Catholic officials until 2017, is a licensed counselor in Florida, according to a lengthy new investigation by the Associated Press. We call on law enforcement officials to use every possible method to prod anyone with information or suspicions about this abuser’s crimes to come forward. And we call on Catholic officials – especially in New York and Alabama - to do more to warn the public about him.
According to a complaint filed in January with the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology, a woman said Fr. William Finger had abused her for a decade when he was a priest and she was 12 years old. She also said he had sexually abused her sister and a female cousin, according to the AP.
Alabama’s board issued an emergency suspension and Fr. Finger’s employer fired him.
But he likely would never have gotten the job or the license had Brooklyn Catholic officials not concealed his crimes for years. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio should hire independent investigators to determine who ignored or hid Fr. Finger’s crimes and fire, denounce, demote and discipline them.
The decision whether to permanently suspend Finger’s license is pending. We hope church officials will give the board every shred of paper they have about Fr. Finger which may enable the board to take away his license for good.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, 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