Cincinnati Residents Speak Out against Legionaries of Christ
Cincinnati parents have come together to use their voices and influence to protect their children from one of the world’s most abusive Catholic orders. We applaud these residents for pushing back against a plan that could put young lives in danger. We hope that their example will inspire other parents and parishioners across the country.
The Legionaries of Christ was founded by the prolific abuser Marcial Maciel. The group's abuse problem was so bad that their order was taken over directly by the Vatican. Given this history, it is no surprise that Cincinnati residents and parents have an issue with the order moving into their city. We are glad that parents and parishioners are pushing back against this move by Catholic officials, especially given the issues that the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has faced in recent years over abuse and cover-up.
The fact is, Church leadership can promise that the order has reformed all they want, but too many promises from bishops and cardinals have been broken in the past for those words to carry any weight. To us it seems much better to protect children from an order that was responsible for the abuse of hundreds of children than to put stock in promises of reform. We hope that these parents and residents are successful in their fight against the Legionaries of Christ and that their example will encourage others across the country to use their voices to protect children in their own communities.
CONTACT: Dan Frondorf, SNAP Cincinnati ([email protected], 513-706-7403), Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communication Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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
Showing 1 comment