Lawsuit Against the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown Revived, SNAP Responds
A case against one of Pennsylvania’s catholic dioceses has been revived following a review by the state’s Superior Court. We are grateful to the judge who made the decision to allow this case to move forward.
In this case, Renee Rice’s original claim against Fr. Charles Bodziak was thrown out because of statute of limitations reasons. However, Rice only became aware of the active attempts by church officials to cover up the crimes committed by Fr. Bodziak after the release of a state grand jury report in 2016. If a diocese is actively working to conceal crimes that have been committed, it stands to reason that it would be difficult for a young victim to prove her claims within the short, two-year window allowed by Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations at that time.
But by allowing a jury to decide if the survivor in this case “exercised due diligence and acted in a timely manner in investigating the wrongs that were committed,” Judge Deborah Kunselman is using a unique method to help Ms. Rice and other survivors of clergy abuse have a chance at justice following cover-ups by church officials in Pennsylvania.
We hope that this suit succeeds. And we hope that this case will inspire others who had their claims barred by the archaic and predator-friendly statute of limitations in Pennsylvania to come forward, make a report to law enforcement, and take steps towards holding church officials accountable.
CONTACT: Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Regional Leader, (636-433-2511, [email protected]), 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