Blog
SNAP loses a good friend
John Pilmaier's dad, the roof over our heads as survivors, died Sunday; let’s keep his seat for him at the hearing tomorrow
Most of you know John Pilmaier III, SNAP’s Wisconsin director and a corporate officer of the Survivors and Clergy Leadership Alliance (SCLA). John’s dad, John Jr., died this Sunday of cancer, at home, surrounded by his family. There will be an empty seat, in other words, at the archdiocesan bankruptcy hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, that John Jr. most certainly would have attended if fate would have allowed him to get there. Let’s remember him at the hearing tomorrow as we stand with our fellow survivors as John always stood with his son and with us: 11:00 a.m., Milwaukee Federal Courthouse, Judge Susan V. Kelley courtroom, first floor. You can email John III at [email protected] and his mom Lynn at [email protected]. I know they would appreciate hearing from us. John’s obituary can be found here and where you can make donations in his memory.
“Hey, whatever happened to that review board?”
Remember the National Review Board, the panel set up 13 years ago to “oversee” bishops and “help investigate and look for solutions to the scandal.”
http://www.snapnetwork.org/news/otherstates/NY_Egan_Shuns_committee.htm
A contributing factor: Supply and demand
Rarely is the concept of “supply and demand” cited as a contributing factor to the church’s on-going clergy sex abuse and cover up crisis. But it should be.
A university professor writes in the National Catholic Reporter today: “Fewer than 26,265 diocesan priests remain in the U.S. today and of them, only 68 percent -- about 17,900 -- are still in active ministry. Only about one-third as many new priests are being ordained each year to make up for the ones who are retiring, dying or leaving active ministry.”
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain
“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”
That line, from the Wizard of Oz, leapt to mind when I read about Pope Francis’ recent endorsement of corporal punishment.
Or to be more accurate, that’s the line that I thought of after reading a Vatican spokesman’s defense of Francis’ remark.
A reality check about bishops and “accountability”
Statement by David Clohessy Executive Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests,
Phone: (314) 566-9790, E-mail: [email protected]
I hate to see hopes raised and then dashed. So at the risk of being the skunk at the garden party, let me make two points about the possibility of “new” church “processes” that allegedly will “ensure accountability” by complicit bishops.
Another Missouri SNAP leader passes
For the third time in less than a year, Missouri SNAP has lost a dear, loyal and caring member. On Dec. 29, Kathy Woodard of St. Louis passed away. Her obituary ran in the Post-Dispatch on Jan. 11.
Honoring and remembering Trish McLelland
“If truth doesn't set you free, generosity of spirit will.”
― Katerina Stoykova Klemer
Trish McLelland has been set free. For decades, she exposed truth. And for her entire life, she personified generosity of spirit.
Already, this hero to our movement is deeply missed.
( Learn more about her here: http://www.dallasnews.com/obituary-headlines/20150107-trish-mclelland-68-who-built-database-of-abusive-clergy-dies.ece#commentsDiv )
Our guess: Bishops still hiding 1000s of US predator priests
Ever wonder how many more child molesting US clerics there are who have never been publicly exposed?
Consider this: On December 9, in one tiny diocese - Gallup, New Mexico - a court filing revealed in five names of “never before disclosed” credibly accused child molesting clerics.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2014/11_12/2014_12_09_Mike_KOAT_new_named.htm
Rev. Stan Archie “exonerated?” Hardly.
Rev. Stan Archie of Kansas City is a prominent Kansas City pastor. He says a recent trial shows that he’s been “exonerated” of wrongdoing. But here’s the truth:
--He’s been sued twice.
--One was a young woman who said he sexually violated her when she was a girl.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/Sexual-misconduct-suit-names-Mo-education-board-chief/18273274
--The other was a woman who said he “sexually exploited” her as a church staffer by using his position as a pastoral counselor.”
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article1161589.html#storylink=cpy
True Peace is the Result of Action, Not Public Relations
by Barbara Dorris & David Clohessy
A humble salute to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee for awarding the prize to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai for promoting human rights for all children.
The committee’s decision to not give the award to odds-on favorite Pope Francis was the right and logical move. Both of this year's laureates' strong and decisive actions have led to dangerous physical attacks, yet each remains a voice for our most vulnerable populations. Their words are commensurate with their actions.
On the other hand, Pope Francis has yet to take any real action to protect children. Vatican committees and meetings don't protect children from abuse. Rebuffing United Nations panels does not safeguard the vulnerable or heal the wounded. Letting abusers and the clerics who cover up for them remain in positions of power tells Catholics that their children are not a top priority. And so we wait.
