Former Cardinal McCarrick Sued Again for Child Sexual Abuse in New Jersey
A now-disgraced cardinal who has already been accused of abuse at least a dozen times has been sued again in New Jersey. We applaud this brave survivor for coming forward and we hope this news will inspire other victims to speak out and get the help and support that they need.
In this latest lawsuit, Geoffrey Downs accuses former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of abusing him him while Geoffrey was serving as an altar boy at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. At the time of the abuse, the Cardinal was the bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen where the Church is located. Given the high position of power that Cardinal McCarrick had, in addition to the sheer number of accusations that have been made against him, we are convinced that there are other victims who have yet to come forward.
Our hearts ache for this survivor and we hope that this new allegation will lead to increased outreach efforts by Catholic officials in Metuchen in addition to every other diocese where the former Cardinal worked. As more and more accusations come out, it becomes clearer that the depth of Cardinal McCarrick’s abuse is not yet known. This is why church leaders in every diocese where the former Cardinal worked or lived must continue to share this information with parishioners and the public, urging anyone who was hurt by Cardinal McCarrick or other clerics to come forward to local law enforcement.
CONTACT: Mark Crawford, SNAP New Jersey ([email protected], 732-632-7687), 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