Accused Priest Left in Ministry until Day of Archbishops’ Release, SNAP Responds
Despite pledging to remove priests from ministry following accusations of abuse, a priest from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston was left in position up to the day the Texas bishops released lists of accused priests throughout the state.
Fr. John Keller was allowed to say mass the very morning that his name was released as a "credibly accused" cleric. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, the leader of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, had been informed of accusations against Fr. Keller back in November. Moreover, a second victim came forward just last month.
It takes only seconds for an abuser to hurt a child or a vulnerable adult which is why the 2002 promise from Church officials to remove those accused of abuse was so critical to the prevention of future cases. But if the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops can openly flaunt the provisions of the Dallas Charter, what hope do survivors have?
The answer is a lot of hope. The actions of secular officials in the justice system across the country have generated renewed optimism for justice and accountability. We hope that AG Ken Paxton listens to the news - and the hopes of the hundreds of survivors that have reached out to his office - and begins an independent investigation into Cardinal DiNardo’s handling of abuse cases immediately.
CONTACT: Michael D. Norris, SNAP Houston ([email protected], 713-855-9178), 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