Act 23

Join the SNAP Action Team

This Act closed on July 17th. Thank you to all who participated!

What: Journalist Tom Fox of the National Catholic Reporter has disclosed that he is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest. As publisher of the National Catholic Reporter, Tom has long been a driving force behind the publication's dedicated work to expose sex crimes in the Catholic Church. Let's show our support of his brave decision to share his story!

Why: No publication has worked longer or harder to expose Catholic Church officials' abuse of children and cover-ups of these crimes than the National Catholic Reporter. This momentous and risky work would not be possible without Tom Fox's persistence, courage, and compassion. Even though he faced criticism and hostility for being involved in the Reporter's vital work, Tom has now decided to publicly disclose his own story of being sexually abused by a Catholic priest. Let's applaud this brave decision, support him as he continues to heal from the heinous crime committed against him, and show our appreciation for his tireless dedication to exposing Church officials' crimes!

How to complete Act 23: Comment on the article -

Pages and protection: A first step in bringing clergy sex abuse secrets to light

As you formulate your letter or plan what you want to say, consider these key points:

Applaud Tom Fox's brave decision to speak out about his abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest.
Thank him for his tireless and compassionate work to expose abuse and the cover-up of sex crimes in the Catholic Church.
Express support for Tom and his loved ones.

Or copy and paste this statement of support:

I applaud Tom Fox's brave decision to speak out about his abuse, and thank him for his tireless dedication to exposing abuse and the cover-up of sex crimes in the Catholic Church. He and his loved ones deserve our support and compassion.

When: Please take action by Friday, July 17.

Wait - you're not finished yet! Once you've completed the action, in order to get credit for this Act, you must do two things:

1) Check the box below that says "I Completed Act 23."

2) Show the team what you did! Copy and paste your comment into the blue section below marked COMMENTS.

And let us know if you have questions - we're here to help! Email us at [email protected] with questions or concerns.

Remember – your voice counts! When we expose the lies, we stand up for victims and take power away from the abusers. When we all speak out together, we create a movement that the world cannot ignore.

So let’s SNAP into action!

SNAP Action Team

[email protected]

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Showing 13 comments

Gail Howard commented 2015-07-11 13:43:23 -0500
We survivors in Connecticut thank the National Catholic Reporter and Tom Fox for their intrepid coverage of the sex abuse issue. The Connecticut Supreme Court recently upheld CT’s 30-year statute of limitations for crimes of sexual abuse, citing the special nature of recovery from abuse as a process that may take decades. Research in psychology supports this. While courts deny being swayed by public opinion, I believe that the brave, relentless coverage of the crisis encouraged the Court to side with the experts.The Court’s enlightened decision preserves the right of current Connecticut victims to gather their strength, however slowly, and stand up for themselves in court. Thank you, Tom Fox. Survivors in Connecticut stand with you, and admire your courage in coming forward. You kept your secret for the benefit of others, but I’m glad the truth is out there now.
Gail Howard
Co-leader, CT SNAP   Edit View in discussion
Barbra Graber commented 2015-07-10 22:49:33 -0500
Thank you so very much Tom for sharing your experience of abuse at the hands of a clergyman you trusted. As a fellow survivor of childhood sexual abuse it gives me strength to see you step forward to join others of us in breaking the silence and dismantling the taboo of talking about it. Thank you for the tireless way you have helped tell survivor stories and your incredible work at the NCR. I’ll look forward to hearing you speak at the upcoming SNAP conference!
Melanie Sakoda commented 2015-07-10 18:14:17 -0500
I would like to thank you Tom Fox for all he has done to expose the coverup of sex crimes in the Catholic Church. I also commend his courageous decision to speak out about his own abuse. Hopefully others will be inspired by his brave example.
Mary Ellen Kruger commented 2015-07-09 18:04:34 -0500
I applaud Tom Fox’s brave decision to speak out about his abuse, and thank
him for his tireless dedication to exposing abuse and the cover-up of sex crimes
in the Catholic Church. He and his loved ones deserve our support and
compassion.
Action Team Leader commented 2015-07-09 13:53:14 -0500
Action Team member Irene Xenos wrote:
“I applaud Tom Fox’s brave decision to speak out about his abuse, and thank him for his tireless dedication to exposing abuse and the cover-up of sex crimes in the Catholic Church. He and his loved ones deserve our support and compassion.
I also find it a sick reminder that parents need to listen and believe their children and not just default to listening to “authority figures”. He was punished because the priest told his parents that he had ruined his weekend. How often are victims punished and perpetrators left untouched?"
Mary Dispenza commented 2015-07-09 10:43:04 -0500
May I stay on the Action team. I don’t do all the actions but I write dear editors. Thanks, Mary
Jackie Regan commented 2015-07-09 08:05:18 -0500
Thank you for breaking the silence and calling attention to those who were treated as if they were above the law. I know that without the bravery of other survivors and those who relentlessly worked to expose the horrors of child abuse, I would have been unable to face my own experience of abuse. Whenever, I hear another account of abuse, I am shaken. It is mind-blowing to think of all the suffering that has been permitted by and caused by church officials. Again, we support you and thank you deeply for all you have done to provide justice and healing.
Mary Dispenza commented 2015-07-09 00:14:03 -0500
Dear Tom,

I just finished your article called:Pages protection: A First step in bringing Clergy sex abuse secrets to light. Thank you for the written words through the years that brought light into an extraordinary dark period in the Catholic Church. You have done a great and noble thing for the Church and its members by exposing the truth of a flawed Church that has hurt thousands of children, including you, and vulnerable adults. Sex by its nature is prone to secrecy because of the shame and guilt the Church has taught us. Priest sex abuse all the more shameful. As you continue to bring stories to us about these hideous crimes you open our eyes so that we might see and begin to believe that the sexual abuse by priests, and the protection by Bishops is true. And in that gift, some of us will move to action to stop the abuse and hold the Catholic Church accountable. That is the hope.Your writing is a great gift that has the power to do such things. Thank you for telling the truth about your own priest abuse. You were brave when you were a boy in telling the truth and you are brave now in telling the truth. Your story has the power to heal. I need that.
Gratefully,
Mary Dispenza, SNAP representative, Seattle, WA
Kate Bochte commented 2015-07-08 20:37:02 -0500
Thank you, Tom. Your journalistic integrity over the years and your willingness to share your story today is helping protect kids from harm and setting a great example for victims still in the shadow of their perpetrator’s shame.

I learned from a good friend… enduring a single criminal act can be just as devastating as being attacked more than once. You’ve wisely chosen the finest weapon to battle the evils of sex assault and cover-up – truth… light.

I hope some day your perp’s name is exposed. Dead or alive there is no defense, is there?
Paul and Barbara Telle commented 2015-07-08 18:44:39 -0500
We commented by Tweeting our support and wishing Tom “godspeed, fair winds and following seas” to keep up his courageous work.
Eileen Springer commented 2015-07-08 18:36:24 -0500
The writers and editors of The National Catholic Reporter have worked tirelessly for 3 decades to bring to light systematic abuse of children at the hands of clergy in the Catholic Church. Thomas Fox’s relentless work in uncovering decades old secret crimes, his compassion in writing the victims’ stories, and now his willingness to share with us his own pain is true grace. Thank you, Mr. Fox for making all of our children safer. You truly are a cape-less hero. You and your loved ones are in my thoughts.
Phillip Pisciotta commented 2015-07-08 16:59:40 -0500
Mr. Fox, saying “Welcome to the Club” may sound insensitive but as a fellow survivor who has come forward, I can think of no better way to express my feelings. You are in one of the most supportive and understanding “clubs” you can ever find. We are real. We don’t come wraped in silk, we are just honest people who have risked it all for our sanity and the protection of others. That fact should give you joy and power. We applaud you taking this action.
Frank Meuers commented 2015-07-08 16:41:14 -0500
Congratulation to Tom for taking the bold move of declaring what happened to him as a young person at the hands of a priest. Although it should not happen to anyone, and I’m sorry to hear it happened to him, sharing his story may give another the courage to come forth, seek the help they need, and put their demons to rest. Survivors everything thank you for your statement. Only in truth can all this deceit be uncovered, and dealt with.