Media Statements
We are SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. We are the largest, oldest and most active support group for women and men wounded by religious authority figures (priests, ministers, bishops, deacons, nuns and others).
Letter to Mississippi and Wisconsin US Attorneys regarding Brother West
SNAP has written to U.S. Attorneys in two separate states, urging them to get involved in an investigation into a former Fransiscan monk, Brother Paul West.
SBC Rolls Out “New” Prevention Campaign, SNAP Responds
Six months after a massive exposé into cases of sexual violence and cover-up within the Southern Baptist Convention was published, church leaders have finally responded. Unfortunately, we feel that this response amounts to little more than a public relations effort.
Former Franciscan brother under current criminal investigation in Wisconsin for raping and physically assaulting African American children from Mississippi on trips to St. Francis and Appleton
A lengthy Associated Press investigation published today about a former member of a Wisconsin based Catholic religious under who is under current criminal investigation for multiple acts of felony child sexual assault in Mississippi, Wisconsin and New York State is raising troubling questions as to the treatment of racial or economically disadvantaged survivors of clerical child sex offenders by Catholic church officials.
Texas House Bill 3809 to increase CSA SOLs effective September 1
We are here today because Texans need to know that the doors to justice just opened a little wider for survivors of child sexual abuse in our state.
Kentucky Supreme Court Will Not Review Appeal of Priest Convicted of Sexual Abuse
A priest in Kentucky who was convicted of sexual abuse had his hopes for an appeal shot down yesterday as the Kentucky Supreme Court declined to hear his case. We are grateful for this outcome and hope it brings closure and healing to his victims.
New Bishop has a Big Clean-Up Job in West Virginia
A new bishop has been installed in West Virginia’s Catholic diocese. We call on him to make the protection of children and prevention of abuse his number one priority now that he is officially at the helm.
Hart, Bransfield and Neinstedt should be Treated like McCarrick, SNAP says
No one really knows where three credibly abusive Catholic bishops are now. For the safety of innocent children and vulnerable adults, we call on church officials to insist the clerics live in the same remote Kansas friary where disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick is now.
Dominican Order Priest Accused of Abuse in New York Also Worked in Washington D.C. and Baltimore
A priest of the Dominican Order who has been accused of abusing an eight-year-old boy in New York also spent time in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, according to church documents. For the safety of children, healing of survivors, we call on church officials in both D.C. and Maryland to publicize this information, reach out to parishioners and the public, and encourage survivors who may have been suffering in silence to come forward.
Dominican Order Priest Accused in New York also Spent Time in Cincinnati
A priest who has just been accused of abusing a New York child also spent time in Cincinnati, according to church documents.
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