Diocese of Pittsburgh Files Petition with State Supreme Court
One of Pennsylvania’s largest Catholic dioceses is petitioning that state’s supreme court for “extraordinary relief” in an effort to avoid the consequences of years of enabling and minimizing cases of clergy abuse. We hope that their petition fails and that the lawsuits brought by survivors will be allowed to move forward.
In June, a Pennsylvania appellate court allowed a clergy abuse case to proceed, despite being outside the statute of limitations, because there were active attempts by church officials to cover up the alleged abuse. But last week, leaders from the Diocese of Pittsburgh asked the supreme court for “extraordinary relief” in at least four lawsuits that have been filed, arguing that the diocese will be “inundated” by cases that it will be forced to defend, but might later be dismissed on appeal.
Good. We hope the court is indeed flooded with cases as it will only further drive home the point that so many survivors have been denied their chance at justice because church officials actively worked to conceal crimes, pressure victims into silence, and prevent statute of limitations reform.
We also hope that this case will inspire others who had their claims barred by the archaic and predator-friendly statute of limitations in Pennsylvania to come forward, make a report to law enforcement, and take steps towards protecting children and holding church officials accountable.
CONTACT: Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Regional Leader, (636-433-2511, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, 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