Gag Order Lifted: Cardinal George Pell Convicted of Abusing Children, SNAP Responds
In December, one of the world's most powerful Catholic officials was found guilty on multiple charges of abusing children in the 1990s. Today, people around the world are better able to learn about this because of this lifting of a gag order.
One of Pope Francis' top aides, Cardinal George Pell of Australia, was been unanimously convicted on child sex charges in December 2018. To date, Cardinal Pell is the highest-ranking church official to ever go on trial for sex crime charges.
We hope that his conviction will not only bring healing to his victims in Australia but hope to survivors across the world who are yearning for accountability at the top levels of the church. We believe today’s conviction will make Australian children safer and parents and parishioners better informed about how to prevent sexual abuse,
Yet the world was delayed in learning about this case due to a gag order imposed on the case which prevents the publication of details – including Cardinal Pell’s name and the charges against him. We are glad that this order of secrecy has been lifted so that Australian survivors – whether of Cardinal Pell or any other church official – are encouraged to come forward and make a report.
There are two lessons here. First, police and prosecutors are doing what popes and prelates are NOT doing - exposing child molesting clerics. Second, kids can be protected from even powerful and politically connected predators if survivors are smart and brave enough to trust law enforcement.
Thousands of victims have thought "My perpetrator is so shrewd and popular and convincing. I won't stand a chance if I speak up." We hope Pell's conviction will urge them to re-consider their silence and come forward to independent law enforcement officials today.
CONTACT: Steven Spaner, SNAP Australia Coordinator ([email protected], +1 636.433.2511), Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], +1-517-974-9009)
(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
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