Canada, NY—In the face of pleas for Orthodox synod to ignore their sex abuse policy, victims’ group urges leaders to stand firm
For immediate release: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Statement by Melanie Jula Sakoda of Moraga CA, Orthodox Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (925-708-6175, [email protected])
A group of die-hard supporters of an Orthodox archbishop convicted of child sexual abuse are urging a synod of Orthodox bishops to ignore their sex abuse policy.
http://archbishopseraphim.org/Letter%20to%20Metropolitan%20Tikhon
The synod of bishops of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) will be meeting in Syosset, New York, from Tuesday, March 17 through Friday, March 20, 2015. Among the items on their agenda is a review of the materials related to Archbishop Seraphim Storheim, who was convicted of the sexual abuse of a pre-teen boy in January of 2014.
http://oca.org/news/headline-news/holy-synod-spring-session-opens-march-17
Members of an abuse survivors' group are begging OCA officials stand firm. The Church’s sex abuse policy requires that clergy who have been convicted of child sexual abuse be laicized by the synod of bishops.
http://oca.org/news/headline-news/court-upholds-conviction-of-archbishop-seraphim
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has been urging the synod to follow its own guidelines since Storheim was convicted in January of 2014.
http://www.snapnetwork.org/canada_defrock_archbishop
http://www.snapnetwork.org/ny_clergy_sex_abuse_victims_beg_synod_to_defrock_archbishop
The archbishop, who for many years was the OCA’s highest ranking clergyman in Canada, was convicted in January of 2014 for sexually violating an 11 year old altar boy in Winnipeg. The archbishop was sentenced to 8 months in jail the following July, but appealed both the conviction and the sentence. However, his conviction and his sentence were recently upheld by the appellate court.
http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/02/05/storheims-appeal-denied-going-to-jail
“I understand how difficult it can be for people to believe that a beloved clergyman is guilty of such a heinous crime,” said Melanie Jula Sakoda of SNAP. “But the archbishop has been tried and found guilty in a court of law. There is a good reason for the OCA’s policy: it protects innocent kids!”
“What kind of a church would knowingly risk its precious children to a known predator?” asked Cappy Larson, also of SNAP. “The synod can’t afford to allow convicted pedophiles to remain among its priests.”
Contact:
For more information: Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175 cell, [email protected]), Cappy Larson (415-637-2006 cell, [email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, mailto:[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