MA--O’Malley must fire two staff & defrock one priest
For immediate release: Tuesday, Jan. 13
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected], [email protected])
Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley must do more than let a priest, principal and teacher resign. He must defrock the cleric and fire the other two.
http://www.whdh.com/story/27841434/3-school-staff-in-revere-resign-amid-indecent-exposure-incidents
Because O’Malley is the pope’s point man on abuse, his actions in this case will be widely scrutinized. And because he postures as a “reformer” on abuse, O’Malley must act swiftly and severely.
Nothing will more effectively deter future recklessness and secrecy in child sex cases than to publicly and permanently remove all three of these wrongdoers from any future work with the church in any capacity.
If there’s an archdiocese on the planet where refusing to promptly call police about child sex allegations should be most harshly punished, it’s Boston.
Child predators are often sick and compulsive individuals who have little control over their actions. Their crimes often can’t be deterred. Supervisors and colleagues, however, have no excuse whatsoever. They merely need to overcome their cowardice and call 911. Catholic staffers will do this if they see that those who refuse lose their careers.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We were founded in 1988 and have more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy 314-566-9790, [email protected], Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003, [email protected], Barbara Blaine 312-399-4747, [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
Showing 2 comments
Over 12 years into the clergy abuse scandal that broke in Boston in 2002 and hurrah for another “teaching moment”. There is a difference between a “teaching moment” and a “failure in leadership and supervision”. In this instance, which one applies? You make the call.
By the way, it is NOT a teaching moment for “our entire community”. That phraseology is a specious attempt to “spread the blame” for the failure of Church leadership to protect our children and report IMMEDIATELY any allegation of sexual impropriety to local authorities.
“MANDATORY REPORTING”………..that’s not when you feel like doing it, or when you’re forced into doing it, or when you cannot hide it internally within the organization any longer……………………KIDS FIRST ALWAYS