Diocese of Davenport Suspends Priest Following Complaint to AG
Following an allegation of abuse being reported to the Iowa attorney general, the Diocese of Davenport has suspended a priest who has been accused of sexual misconduct in the 1990s. Once again, reports made to law enforcement resulted in immediate action from Catholic officials. We hope this story encourages other victims and witnesses in Iowa to come forward and make a report to the attorney general.
The allegations against Fr. Robert “Bud” Grant are from the early 1990s, making this case yet another example that belies Church officials’ claim that clergy abuse is a problem from the 1970s and 1980s. We are grateful to the victim in this case for having the courage to come forward and make a report, especially since Fr. Grant is currently in ministry and working in multiple locations.
We call on Catholic officials to be transparent and release the details of the allegations against Fr. Grant, as well as include him on their lists of accused priests. Bishop Thomas Zinkula, where Fr. Grant was currently working, and Bishop William Joensen of the Diocese of Davenport, which is investigating the allegations, should also personally visit each parish and facility the cleric has been assigned to and ensure parishioners are aware of the allegations and encourage other victims and witnesses to come forward and make a report to law enforcement.
As more and more arrests are made nationwide, it is clear that if survivors want their allegations to be taken seriously they should be reporting to law enforcement and their attorney general. Any victim in Iowa who learns of this case and is encouraged to come forward can make a report to A.G. Tom Miller by calling his confidential hotline at 1-855-620-7000 or by making a report on his website.
CONTACT: Tim Lennon, SNAP President ([email protected], 415-312-5820), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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