GA--Bishop apologizes; survivors respond
For immediate release Thursday, March 30, 2017
Statement by Barbara Dorris, 314-503-0003, [email protected]
While we are grateful that Savannah Bishop Gregory Hartmayer has apologized for pain caused by clergy who allegedly sexually assaulted children, we are concerned that the bishop’s words do not match his actions.
http://wsav.com/2017/03/29/bishop-apologizes-to-sexual-abuse-victims-in-special-service/
Less than a year ago, Hartmayer used every hardball legal tactic he could muster to fight a child sex abuse and cover-up lawsuit filed against the diocese and Wayland Brown.
In 2003, Brown was convicted of molesting two minors in Maryland.
http://wsav.com/2016/07/06/catholic-diocese-settles-sex-abuse-lawsuit-for-4-5-million/
In January of this year, another victim filed a lawsuit alleging that Fr. Henry Grover gave a boy “LSD, alcohol, MDMA, cocaine and other illicit substances to lure and otherwise attract” him for abuse. The lawsuit then says that Groover sexually assaulted the minor.
http://radaronline.com/videos/paula-deen-brother-in-law-henry-groover-sex-abuse-lawsuit-claims/
In neither of these cases did Bishop Hartmeyer use any of his vast resources to reach out to anyone who have been hurt. He chose instead to do nothing and wait for brave survivors to come forward and do the work of warning others of dangerous predators.
We hope the community will judge Hartmayer by his actions and not his words. Apologies are only effective if they are are accompanied by actions that ensure children will be protected.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. We have members who were molested in all institutional settings, including churches, schools, clubs, and homes. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact – Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003, [email protected]), Melanie Sakoda, (925-708-6175, [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