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!
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Showing 13 comments
Gail Howard
Co-leader, CT SNAP Edit View in discussion
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 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?"
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
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?