In Advance of McCarrick Report, Survivors of Clergy Abuse Release Open Letter to President-Elect Biden
As the nation’s second Catholic President, survivors urge Biden to address McCarrick Report and U.S. Bishops at meeting next week
Prior to the long-awaited release of the report detailing the sex crimes of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, survivors of clergy abuse have written to President-elect Biden, urging him to act swiftly and decisively to implement measures to secure transparency from the Vatican and accountability to the victims of clergy sexual abuse.
These measures include involving survivor-led organizations in the selection of the next U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See as well as a commitment to forming a task force to investigate clergy sex crimes and their institutional cover-ups. Furthermore, survivors are urging President-elect Biden to address the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops when they meet next week, address the McCarrick report and demand they release the still-concealed names of known clergy offenders and the files documenting the abuse.
It has been revealed that the Catholic Church has received at least $1.4 billion (perhaps up to $3.5 billion) in taxpayer-funded relief in the coronavirus stimulus package earlier this year. Millions have been distributed to dioceses that paid large settlements or sought bankruptcy protection because of their involvement in clergy sexual abuse and cover-ups. At the very least, U.S. bishops owe taxpayers answers as to how these funds were used.
The incoming Biden administration has the opportunity to fundamentally transform the relationship between the U.S. government and the Vatican, ensuring that justice for thousands of survivors of clergy sex crimes is no longer delayed and that the institutional failure to protect children in their care cannot be repeated in the future.
A copy of the letter to President-Elect Biden can be found here.
ECA, Ending Clergy Abuse
Peter Isely, ECA Founding Member
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1414.429.7259
Tim Law, ECA Founding/Board Member
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1206.412.0165
Dr. Denise Buchanan, ECA Founding/Board Member
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +1310.980.2770
Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA) is a worldwide leadership network of survivors of clergy abuse and human rights activists. Its mission is to compel the Roman Catholic Church to end clergy abuse, protect children, and seek justice for victims. ECA assembly members represent over 21 countries from 6 continents. https://www.ecaglobal.org – @ENDCLERGYABUSE –https://www.facebook.com/ENDCLERGYABUSE/ – [email protected]
Zach Hiner, Executive Director
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +15179749009
Tim Lennon, Board President
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +14153125820
(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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