Former Cardinal Laicized for Abuse Now Living Near School & Camp
A disgraced former Cardinal has left Kansas and moved to a new facility in Florida that is near a school and on a property that doubles as a summer camp. The proximity that this abuser now has to children is disturbing and we call on Catholic officials to publicize his presence to the community so that parishioners and the public are better able to protect children and the vulnerable.
According to journalist George Neumayr, former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick now lives at a retirement community for priests that is connected to St. Michael's Catholic Church and the Marywood Retreat and Conference Center, all within the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida. It is confusing that someone who has been laicized is able to live at a retirement center for priests, and disturbing that someone with the former cardinal’s history of abuse is in such close proximity to children.
We do not know or care why former Cardinal McCarrick left the Kansas friary where he had been living. We care about children who are at risk, and when communities are left in the dark about abusers in their midst, risk is created. According to the journalist who exposed the move, he learned of it from a victim, not the Catholic Church. We call on diocesan officials to clarify to the public and parishioners the details of the former cardinal’s living arrangements, especially for the peace of mind of parents who have children at the nearby school.
CONTACT: 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