NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) -Protesters are planning to gather Friday outside Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Office to demand an investigation into church sexual abuse allegations.
The organization SNAP is calling for a formal investigation in Louisiana after the shocking Pennsylvania report on Catholic priests that came out months ago.
Landry sent the following statement as a response to the group’s request:
So far SNAP claims there are 78 priests in Louisiana that have been publicly accused, with several right here in the New Orleans area.
In an op-ed last month, Landry wrote that since he has been attorney general, his office has not received one complaint against any clergyman of the Catholic Church. He also said he has not received any referrals from any district attorneys, which is required by law for his office to initiate a prosecution.
Last week, FOX 8 sat down with the Archbishop of New Orleans Gregory Aymond about some of these alleged abusers, including former deacon George Brignac.
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