Another Setback in Lawsuit Filed Against West Virginia Diocese
A creative lawsuit filed by West Virginia’s attorney general has hit another setback and we are disappointed that the efforts to force transparency and accountability against the Catholic Church in West Virginia has hit another hurdle.
The Supreme Court of West Virginia ruled 4-1 that a consumer protection law which A.G. Patrick Morrisey was using to force church officials to be open and honest about clergy abuse cannot be applied to church-run schools and camps. This case had previously been dismissed last November, but A.G. Morrisey refiled his case and continued to press forward, working to create a West Virginia where children are safer from the scourge of child sexual abuse.
This is a disappointing ruling and we find it disturbing that for victims that church officials will get away with lying to the public about clergy abuse, once again. We remain grateful to A.G. Morrisey for his tireless efforts and hope that his example will inspire other victims to come forward and other law enforcement officials to find creative angles to bring accountability and transparency to the Catholic Church in West Virginia.
CONTACT: Judy Jones, SNAP West Virginia ([email protected], 636-433-2511), 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
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