SNAP Calls on Church Officials in Houma-Thibodaux to Include Fr. Brian Highfill on Credibly Accused Priests List
Leaders of SNAP in Louisiana are calling out the Houma-Thibodaux bishop for failing to live up to the standards laid out by the USCCB and for choosing secrecy over transparency in the case of an accused abusive priest.
Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is refusing to add Fr. Brian Highfill to his list of accused priests, despite the fact that the priest has been acknowledged as an abuser by both the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the Diocese of Las Vegas. According to reports, Bishop Fabre is declining to include Fr. Highfill “after careful consideration.” SNAP is calling on Bishop Fabre to explain exactly what criteria went into his “careful consideration” and why those criteria outweigh the personal testimony of multiple victims of Fr. Highfill who have come forward with reports.
SNAP is asking that Bishop Fabre “be part of the solution to this never-ending clergy sex abuse scandal” and add the name of Fr. Highfill to his list immediately. SNAP leaders in Louisiana are also calling for a meeting with Catholic officials from Houma-Thibodaux to discuss this decision and the concerns from other survivors who were abused within the diocese. The formal request to Bishop Fabre was sent on September 15.
CONTACT: Kevin Bourgeois, SNAP New Orleans ([email protected], 504-376-5445), Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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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