AZ – Phoenix priest subject of abuse lawsuit in Guam
Statement by Tim Lennon, Volunteer President of SNAP’s Board of Directors (415-312-5820, [email protected])
A priest from the Archdiocese of Agana in Guam currently working in Phoenix has been recalled to the island after a lawsuit accused him of sexual abuse. This is the first public allegation against Father Adrian Cristobal.
While we have no firsthand knowledge about the accusations against Father Cristobal, we do know that research has shown that false allegations of abuse are extremely rare.
Father Cristobal was the former chancellor of the Archdiocese of Agana under Archbishop Anthony Apuron. When the archbishop was placed on leave in 2016 as a result of abuse allegations against him, the Vatican also replaced Father Cristobal as chancellor. The priest was then assigned to the San Dionisio in Umatac.
We urge anyone who has been victimized in the Phoenix Diocese or elsewhere to protect children by calling police, to get help by calling therapists, and to receive comfort by calling support groups like ours.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 25,000 supporters. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contacts - Tim Lennon (415-312-5820, [email protected]), Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175), Becky Ianni (703-801-6044, [email protected])
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