Church Officials in Indianapolis Archdiocese Lie About Clergy Abuse on Insurance Application
We are not surprised by the news that an insurance company is suing the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for failing to disclose to them allegations of abuse. Church officials rarely disclose information about cases of clergy abuse unless forced to by the public, the media, and the courts.
This situation is another example of church officials working quickly to protect their money while still trying to dodge responsibility for the sexual abuse of a child at the hands of one of the men they recklessly employed. If only the same effort had been put towards screening priests, it is likely that Fr. Marcotte would never have been ordained in the first place.
It is disturbing that the Archdiocese of Indianapolis attempted to minimize the allegations against Fr. Marcotte. Unfortunately, now the underwriters at Lloyd’s of London have a better understanding of how clergy abuse victims and their families have been treated by the church for decades.
Moreover, it is noteworthy that on April 11, 2020, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis was approved for a COVID-19 bailout of between $2,000,000 and $5,000,000. Such loans were intended to provide a financial lifeline for small-business owners and their employees and families. That bailout loan, undoubtedly, will be forgiven by the church’s creditor, Fifth Third Bank.
CONTACTS: Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected]), and Dan Powroznik, SNAP Indiana Leader ([email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse and their families in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is www.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