Report from Fiji Shows Catholic Officials Used Island as Dumping Ground for Abusive Priests, SNAP Calls for Independent Commission
A new report has come out about the scope of Catholic clergy abuse in Fiji. We call for an independent, secular investigation by government officials in order to get to the bottom of this scandal and to ensure that children will be spared from the scourge of sexual abuse in the future.
We are saddened but not surprised to read that the Catholic Church would shift abusive priests from nearby nations in the Pacific to Fiji. This is a common tactic employed worldwide where perpetrators would be shifted to heavily Catholic and far away locales, hoping that local devotion to the Church and a lower media profile would help keep abuse scandals hidden. All this tactic did was to cause pain to more children and families.
SNAP has documented many instances of priests from US-based religious orders ending up in nations like Guam, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and other island nations after being accused of abuse. The Church has consistently unloaded dangerous clerics into impoverished communities where it holds extra power due to its wealth and relative stability. The only way for this practice to end is for secular law enforcement to get involved, fully investigate the situation, and punish those who enabled this scandal to continue.
We believe the government in Fiji should launch an independent commission into abuse, similar to the Royal Commission in Australia that will get to the bottom of Catholic officials using the island as a “geographic solution” for criminal clerics. Such a report would be instrumental in not only getting a handle on the current situation, but would also prevent future cases of abuse from happening by exposing and eliminating the methods by which Fiji was used as a dumping ground.
We hope that this news will also stoke righteous anger in the local population of Fiji and lead to reforms that ensure future children be protected and spared the scourge of clergy sexual abuse.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected]), Dan McNevin, SNAP Board Member ([email protected])
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