Catholic parents must stand up to church leaders and reject them for sex abuse cover-ups
Former Diocese attorney Frank Vollor referred to me as having a vengeance. I take issue with that assessment. I and many other survivors of sex abuse do have grievances.
I will continue working to expose the Catholic Church’s wrongdoing. Using phrases like “we’re sorry”, “please forgive us”, “we will pray for you” — without accountability — are hollow and calculated diversions. I will not debate Vollor on different legalese, he is the attorney. I won’t cloud the issues by referring to Mississippi Code or speculate as to how and why there is no police report on file. I will not discuss the legal expungement process. All of that is nothing more than ‘gaslighting’ and I stand behind my previous statements.
Let’s discuss the facts. The Jackson diocese fitness review board now in place has deemed the allegations against Brother Paul West credible. Father James Gannon, the Franciscan prelate, has deemed them credible as well. Raphael Love, a 9-year boy, reported West to officials in 1998. At that time, West left Greenwood and had psychological testing done in St. Louis.
Despite these allegations, only a year later, West started teaching fifth grade at a Catholic school in Little Chute, Wisconsin and taught there for 11 years. If the diocesan fitness review officer or other diocesan officials would have followed up on West for just one year, 5th graders would not have been exposed to an accused rapist for more than a decade.
The Franciscan Order and the Jackson Diocese were more concerned with the church’s reputation than they were with the safety of children. If their priorities had been guided by morality instead of fear, Catholic children everywhere would be safer today. All Catholic school children should be protected by the church leadership from diocese to diocese and state to state.
When the Loves came forward, they were served secret non-disclosure agreements by Gannon. These agreements had been forbidden by church policy since 2002. Valerie McClellan, the victim assistance coordinator for the diocese of Jackson, was present at the meeting when Gannon served Jo...
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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