Argentine Bishop who Works at The Vatican and Mysteriously Resigned in 2017 has been Accused of Abuse
For immediate release, January 4, 2019
The allegations against Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta are serious and should be investigated immediately by Argentinian police. And in a similar move, Pope Francis should immediately remove Bishop Zanchetta from his position as an assessor in the Vatican’s office of financial administration.
Sadly, the Vatican has often played host to prelates who have been accused of committing or concealing sex crimes. The most egregious example is that of Cardinal Bernard Law, formerly of Boston, who resigned in disgrace in 2002 for his role in covering up abuse yet was allowed to live out the remainder of his days behind the Vatican’s protective walls. If Cardinal Law’s case is any example, then we do not expect Pope Francis to move swiftly on Bishop Zanchetta.
Yet if Pope Francis does move quickly, it would send a powerful message. The Pope now has a chance now to break from the painful decisions made by his predecessors and add much-needed weight and credibility to next month’s papal summit on abuse. The first step is to remove Bishop Zanchetta from his post and meet with his survivors in Argentina to learn what he can do to prevent future cases of abuse.
CONTACT: 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