Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Br. Paul West, SNAP Responds
A Franciscan brother who was the subject of a major AP News investigation for his abuse of three young boys in Mississippi has been served a federal lawsuit. The case against Br. Paul West was filed in the United States District Court in Southern New York.
As a survivor and an advocate I am encouraged by this case being filed federally because of the interstate transport of the victims when they were small children. These brave men were denied the opportunity to have a normal healthy childhood by Br. West. They were further harmed after coming forward as adults by the Church leadership.
I am hopeful they can receive justice and reach some closure to a lifetime of fear, doubt and shame. They deserve to be heard and understood as to the magnitude of injustice they have endured. As the local leader for SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests in Mississippi I will stand with them as they go forward.
It is well documented that the Diocese of Jackson and the Franciscan Order knew of Paul West and his criminal behavior but did nothing to stop him from teaching 5th graders in WI for 11 more years after they discovered his crimes. We are still hopeful that the arrest of Paul West will come soon, and that those who enabled his actions and put more children at risk will be held responsible, too.
CONTACT: Mark Belenchia, SNAP Mississippi ([email protected], 601-953-2535), 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