Diocese of Norwich, CT Declares Bankruptcy, SNAP Responds
Yet another Roman Catholic diocese has declared bankruptcy as a result of claims for child sexual abuse and cover-up. We believe that this move is more about protecting church secrets than it is about a lack of assets and we hope that parishioners and the public will demand better of their church leaders.
The Diocese of Norwich now becomes the 31st Roman Catholic entity in the US to declare bankruptcy over child sex abuse claims. In our view, bankruptcy will help the Diocese of Norwich keep information about predators and enablers hidden because it freezes the discovery of plaintiffs who are suing the diocese as a result of abuse they suffered at Academy at Mount Saint John School. This move will keep church officials from having to testify under oath and removes the obligation of defendants to honestly answer written questions called "interrogatories." In short, by declaring bankruptcy, church officials in Norwich can refuse to take responsibility for abuse and cover-ups that occurred within under their watch.
Church officials claim that bankruptcy is a way to ensure that all survivors receive a payout, but this a dodge. In reality, this is not about the cost of these cases but simply about keeping secrets, secret. We hope parishioners and the public in Norwich will join with us in voicing outrage over these legal tactics and demand that their church leaders commit to the transparency they promised so long ago.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected]), Gail Howard, SNAP Connecticut Co-Leader ([email protected]), Zach Hiner, SNAP 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