Catholic priest accused of child sexual abuse in the Rockville Centre Diocese steps down from active ministry; SNAP credits the Child Victims Act
Fr. Paul Butler, a parochial vicar for St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Selden, has "voluntarily stepped away from ministry" in the wake of an allegation he sexually abused a child in the 1980s while he was a seminarian. The accusations were made in a lawsuit recently filed under New York's Child Victims Act.
To us, this demonstrates that the window legislation opened in New York for survivors who have been time-barred by the civil statute is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. That is, create a pathway to justice for victims and expose those who may be a danger to today's children.
By our count, this marks the 72nd Catholic priest accused this year in the United States. The numbers are rising in part because of legislation that opens "windows to justice," as well as secular investigations by state attorneys general.
There are only 9 days left until the window opened by the Child Victims Act ends in New York State. We hope every single person who has information or suspicions about Fr. Butler – or any cleric, nun, brother, seminarian or lay employee or volunteer within the state of New York – will find the courage to call law enforcement and seek counsel immediately. That is absolutely the best way to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and expose the truth.
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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