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).
SNAP reacts to the death of Pope Benedict XVI
(For Immediate Release December 31, 2022)
In our view, the death of Pope Benedict XVI is a reminder that, much like John Paul II, Benedict was more concerned about the church’s deteriorating image and financial flow to the hierarchy versus grasping the concept of true apologies followed by true amends to victims of abuse. The rot of clergy sexual abuse of children and adults, even their own professed religious, runs throughout the Catholic church, to every country, and we now have incontrovertible evidence, all the way to the top.
Any celebration that marks the life of abuse enablers like Benedict must end. It is past time for the Vatican to refocus on change: tell the truth about known abusive clergy, protect children and adults, and allow justice to those who have been hurt. Honoring Pope Benedict XVI now is not only wrong. It is shameful.
It is almost a year after a report into decades of abuse allegations by a law firm in Germany has shown that Pope Benedict XVI did not take action against abusive priests in four child abuse cases while he was Archbishop (Josef Ratzinger). In our view, Pope Benedict XVI is taking decades of the church’s darkest secrets to his grave with him.
The past few days of ‘death watch’ has been filled with prayerful wishes and special masses to remember the emeritus pontiff. We heard no mention of empathy or sympathy for victim-survivors of sexual abuse during these special intentions. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
Benedict's legacy as pope was already tainted by the global deluge of the sex abuse scandal in 2010, even though as a cardinal, he was responsible for changing the Vatican's stance on the issue. To us, Benedict XVI, the church’s successor to St. Peter, fell off the rock and was implicated in the most notorious scandal in the history of the church. Maybe a lesson learned from this is obvious – if someone is alleged to have abused children or adults, turn them over to secular authorities instead of protecting the church’s image.
CONTACT: Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications ([email protected], 267-261-0578) Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(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)
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SNAP reacts to the news about Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI worsening condition
(For Immediate Release December 28, 2022)
It is certain that many people will have mixed feelings about the life of Pope Benedict XVI. The expected passing of Benedict is a painful reminder that we're still dealing with the aftereffects of his tenure in Germany as Archbishop. We also can’t forget the twenty years he spent as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under John Paul II before becoming Pope. Sadly, many clergy abuse victims are not out of the woods in terms of healing from their wounds and getting the justice they deserve.
Survivors of child sexual abuse in Germany were among the most hurt, having been deceived first by Benedict's cover-up of sex crimes and then monumentally betrayed following his election to the papacy. There are no words to adequately express the anguish these survivors and their dear ones faced. We wish to honor the abuse survivors in Germany and everywhere for continuing to speak truth to power against such great odds and in the face of such powerful denial. Despite Benedict’s lack of candor, their truths cannot be denied.
In our view, Pope Benedict XVI, much like John Paul II, was more concerned about the church’s deteriorating image and financial flow to the hierarchy versus grasping the concept of genuine apologies followed by true amends to victims of abuse. The rot of clergy sexual abuse of children and adults, including their own nuns and seminarians, runs throughout the Catholic church, to every country, and we now have incontrovertible evidence, all the way to the top.
Any celebration that marks the life of abuse enablers like Pope Benedict must end. It is time for the Vatican to refocus on change: tell the truth about known abusive clergy, protect children and adults, and allow justice to those who have been hurt.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications ([email protected], 267-261-0578) Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)
(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)
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SNAP Applauds Brave Victims Stepping Forward In Maine
(For Immediate Release December 22, 2022)
According to the filing, the first plaintiff alleges that when they were nine years old, they were sexually abused by Msgr. Edward F. Ward of Saint Mary's in Bangor (Msgr. Ward is now deceased). The plaintiff was described as a churchgoer who worked as an altar server. The second plaintiff claims that when they were seven years old, they were sexually assaulted by now-deceased Sister Mary Geraldine Walsh, who worked at St. John Parochial School in Bangor, which is now recognized as All Saints Catholic School.
We loudly applaud the two brave survivors who have stepped forward seeking justice and accountability after many years of harboring their pain. In solidarity, we stand with these survivors who are still dealing with the injuries inflicted on them and have important truths to share. Their stories will not only help uncover the still-hidden secrets of the Diocese of Portland but will also benefit society by helping it to design more protections for today's children.
These suits represent transparency and honesty being foisted upon an institution that has steadfastly refused to be clear with the public and parishioners about the extent of abuse within their diocese. Today, the Diocese of Maine is one of the few remaining dioceses in the nation to refuse to release a list of credibly accused priests. Unfortunately for church officials in Maine, survivors hold the truth, and dioceses have it documented. We believe this case will help make it far more difficult for church officials to pretend that their abuse scandal is no longer a problem.
More than anything, we hope these filings give other survivors the courage to come forward and report crimes, regardless of how long ago they may have occurred. We also hope that any individuals who witnessed or suspected sexual abuse will also report directly to law enforcement.
In a statement from the Portland Diocese, Bishop Robert Deeley said the following:
"Diocesan and parish leaders, clergy, employees, and volunteers have worked tirelessly to ensure the Church in Maine is a safe environment ... We can gratefully say that our diocese's procedures have created a safer Church here."
As is common with Roman Catholic church officials, platitudes are offered, and specifics are shied from. If Bishop Dooley really cared about creating safer environments for children in Maine, he would release a list and inform parents throughout the state of when abusers were housed in schools, camps, or other institutions that serve children. We doubt he will do this; offering hollow words is, after all, far easier than taking meaningful steps to support survivors and protect communities and children in Maine.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, Communication Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected] Zach Hiner, SNAP 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)
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SNAP Has Deep Concerns About Jesuit Priest In Executive Role At Fairfield University
(For Immediate Release December 20, 2022)
Fairfield University recently announced the leadership team for Fairfield Bellarmine. The announcement revealed that Fr. Kevin O’Brien will be working as the vice-provost and executive director of the school, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2023 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. SNAP has deep concerns over Fairfield tapping Fr. O'Brien for this position.
In May 2021, the Jesuit priest resigned from his position at Santa Clara University after being removed by the USA West Province on March 18, 2021. An investigation found that Fr. O’Brien "engaged in behaviors, consisting primarily of conversations, during a series of informal dinners with Jesuit graduate students that were inconsistent with established Jesuit protocols and boundaries."
We wonder about the wisdom of the decision to place Fr. O'Brien at a school for "underserved students" when he was unable to maintain appropriate boundaries at Santa Clara. The complaints at Santa Clara were apparently serious enough to result in his "resignation" from the prestigious Catholic university. And yet, despite those accusations, he was given a new job three thousand miles away and again with authority over young and vulnerable adults.
Our unease is especially heightened when we consider a 2019 settlement that involved Fairfield University, Douglas Perlitz, a Fairfield graduate, and Fr. Paul E. Carrier, a chaplain at Fairfield. The original lawsuit accused Perlitz and Fr. Carrier of sexual abuse at a school for homeless boys in Haiti founded and operated by Perlitz with the help of several Catholic organizations, including Fairfield University. We cannot help but worry that the University is again making a mistake that will come back to haunt them in the case of Fr. O'Brien.
We urge the University to explain why they appointed Fr. O'Brien to the leadership team in light of the accusations made in California. Were they unaware of the scandal at Santa Clara University? If Fairfield was aware of the complaints, we wonder what plans are in place to ensure that nothing similar occurs at Fairfield Bellarmine?
Fairfield University owes the community and the public an explanation for its decision. Last year Pope Francis declared that the sexual abuse of adults is a crime in the Catholic Church, so serious attention needs to be paid even to accusations of "boundary violations" with adults. We are reminded of the case of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, where accusations of his inappropriate behavior with adults were ignored for years and erupted into the media spotlight only when it became clear that seminarians were not McCarrick's only targets.
CONTACT: Gail Howard, SNAP Leader Connecticut (203-644-0387 [email protected]) Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications ([email protected], 267-261-0578) Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)
(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)
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SNAP Responds to Maryland Catholic Conference Statement
(For Immediate Release December 20, 2022)
The Catholic Church in Maryland claims they will support proposed legislation that will prospectively eliminate the statute of limitation in civil lawsuits involving cases of child sexual abuse. Similar legislation was recently signed into law at the federal level. That bipartisan federal legislation also allows individuals an unlimited amount of time to file civil litigation in future cases of child sexual abuse.
In reality, the real headline here is much different. The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC), the public affairs arm of bishops and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, is opposing any language in a bill that would allow victims of childhood sexual abuse, who have been arbitrarily time-barred from justice, their day in court.
In our view, the statement by the MCC which points out a recently enacted federal law, Eliminating Limits to Justice for Child Sex Abuse Victims Act of 2022, aims to convince the public that victims who suffered horrific sexual abuse in the past can seek redress under this law. This statement is false. While the federal law removes the statute of limitations for a minor victim of human trafficking or federal sex offense, it does nothing for the hundreds of brave victims who have come forward during the Maryland Attorney General's investigation into historical clergy abuse within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Furthermore, it does nothing for hundreds, if not thousands, of other victims who still sit in silence.
Victims in Maryland deserve justice, and in order to get it, there must be state-level reform. As victim stories are told and heard throughout the state, lawmakers must work tirelessly to bring justice to those who have been silenced for far too long. No boy or girl should be exposed to known abusers and we know that children and communities are safer when SOL laws are amended or abolished, and institutions that have hidden or recycled known perpetrators have a strong incentive to change their behavior. Sexual predators should be held to account, as well as any institution or organization that harbors, obscures, or provides protection to them. Legislative change in Maryland will help to ensure children in Maryland will be more protected than they are today.
States like New York, New Jersey, and California have uncovered hundreds of catholic clergy members accused of sexual offenses by opening window legislation to victims of past abuse. This legislation has helped our organization expose names that dioceses have not placed on their credibly accused clergy list as required. Parents, parishioners, and communities in Maryland deserve this same level of truth and transparency.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications ([email protected], 267-261-0578) David Lorenz, SNAP Maryland leader ([email protected], 301-906-9161), Becky Ianni, Virginia and DC SNAP leader ([email protected], (703) 801-6044) Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009) Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Board President ([email protected], 814-341-8386)
(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)
Jesuit Superior General Admits Famed Priest Was Once Convicted Under Canon Law
(For Immediate Release December 15, 2022)
The Rev. Arturo Sosa, the Jesuit superior general, made the admission during a briefing with journalists that was dominated by the scandal over the Rev. Marko Ivan Rupnik, and the reluctance of both the Vatican and the Jesuits to tell the whole story behind the unusual lenient treatment he received even after he had been temporarily excommunicated for absolving a woman he had sexually abused in confession.
SNAP issued a statement last week when the news about the more recent accusations against Fr. Rupnik surfaced on Italian blogs — Silere non Possum, Left.it, and Messa in Latino. The blogs disseminated accusations of spiritual, psychological, and sexual abuse against Fr. Rupnik by women at a Jesuit community in his native Slovenia with which he was associated.
It is no surprise that officials in the Jesuit community are now looking for exit signs to egress from this scandalous situation. Still, the fact remains that this is a long overdue admission prompted only by pressure from courageous victims and dogged media coverage.
And yet the Jesuits appear to be willing to admit one thing in order to cover up a thousand. Withholding donations from religious orders or dioceses may or may not have an effect, and the Jesuits are extremely wealthy and unique. They run hundreds, if not thousands of parishes, private schools, retreat centers, and universities. However, contributing to organizations such as SNAP, who provides peer support to victims of abuse, and letting the group know why you are doing so, may steer the Jesuits to adopt true transparency and openness.
To prevent future media snafus, we also urge the Rev. Sosa to order all Jesuit provinces to release a complete and non-sanitized list of abusers within their order, as well as to maintain a consolidated list. The next step should be to turn over every accusation of abuse -- whether of a child or an adult, whether found to be "credible" or "not credible" -- to the local police or attorney general for an impartial secular investigation.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, Communication Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected] Zach Hiner, SNAP 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)
First person sentenced in Michigan's Boy Scouts of America investigation
(For Immediate Release December 15, 2022)
The first person convicted in Michigan’s ongoing investigation into Boy Scouts of America was sentenced in Macomb County Circuit Court to multiple prison terms Wednesday. This is a clear-cut example of how important secular investigations into an organization and institutional abuse and subsequent cover-up.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has used her office's authority to investigate cases of child sexual abuse within the Boy Scouts of America. Previously, BSA leadership attempted to keep the issue internal, similar to how Catholic officials handled the issue of abuse. We firmly believe that outside oversight is critical to understanding what went wrong in the past and what must be done to prevent these crimes in the future.
AG Nessel has been an unwavering defender of survivors and children. Her ongoing investigation into Catholic sexual abuse in Michigan is one of the most effective in the country. We hope that her track record will encourage those who have been abused in the BSA or other similar organizations to come forward and report their abuse to the AG's confidential hotline at (844) 324-3374.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected]), Zach Hiner, SNAP 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)
Pope Francis Wants Pontifical Commission To Work On Prevention
(For Immediate Release December 8, 2022)
At Pope Francis’ meeting with his high-ranking advisers this week, Cardinal Sean O’Malley reported on the work of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, now within the Roman Curia. It is hard for us to envision this Pontifical Commission, which also collaborates with the canonical investigative entity Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, working towards prevention while still in the midst of a pandemic of abuse.
We would be more pleased if the Church stopped talking about prevention and instead started taking action. The Vatican could start by opening its books, and naming those who target children and adults publicly. In our opinion, permanently removing all perpetrators from the ministry and turning over all information on these cases to secular authorities would have a greater impact on the scandal than meetings. Truth, transparency, and awareness are prevention. Identifying and removing perpetrators is important to prevent future crimes, but it is even more important to punish those who enabled the abuse in the first place.
Real reform would also involve the Church doing more to support survivors. Instead of paying lobbyists and lawyers who advocate for keeping the courthouse doors closed to survivors and blocking secular investigative reports, use this money for funding counseling and other critical services for victims.
Protecting and enabling accused bishops, priests, and those in professed religious communities is a heinous crime that endangers communities, families, children, and adults. The immediate impediment to prevention is the power that clergy have over the victims, as well as the power that hierarchs have to control the narrative about abuse. Until the laws are changed and justice is available for victims of sexual abuse past and present, the persistent danger remains, and prevention is only a pipe dream.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, Communication Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected] Zach Hiner, SNAP 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)
SNAP Calls For Transparency at Franciscan University Steubenville
(For Immediate Release December 7, 2022)
We are unable to authenticate the documents calling into question whether Franciscan University of Steubenville's statement that they only learned of the sexual assault allegations against Fr. David Morrier in 2015. However, since they have now been published publicly, the university needs to be investigated, preferably by an outside authority, to determine who knew what, when they knew it, and what they did, or did not, do about these serious accusations. Moreover, the process, as well as the results of the probe, need to be completely open and transparent.
We do know that Fr. Morrier is a convicted & registered sex offender who targeted and preyed on an extremely vulnerable student. The published documents detail additional very troubling accusations that call into question the integrity and truthfulness of this Catholic college.
Enough is enough, light needs to be shined into this dark corner. The courageous young woman at the center of the scandal, and any others like her, deserved to be protected by Franciscan University, not to have exploitation by Fr. Morrier buried and ignored. The only way to ensure that such a travesty does not happen again is to uncover the complete truth.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, Communication Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected] Zach Hiner, SNAP 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)
Famed Jesuit Priest Artist Accused Of Sexual Misconduct Against Nuns
(For Immediate Release)
We applaud the nine women from the Loyola Community in Ljubljana, Slovenia who have stepped forward with courage to share their stories and we support and believe them. We can only wonder, however, whether these allegations had previously been reported to the order and what actions were taken. Given that the Fr. Rupnik was also the spiritual abuser for this community, we fear that his influence and position may have prevented these claims from getting out previously. If claims were made in the early 1990s, we'd like to know why no action was taken as a criminal investigation could have been launched immediately and more victims could have been spared the pain of abuse.
It is extremely problematic, however, that the Vatican declined in October to carry out a canonical process due to the statute of limitations because the complaint did not include minors. To us, the Vatican declining a canonical process due to the statute of limitations raises questions. Do Nuns not deserve equal protection? How does the Vatican square the decision to ignore the canonical process when the Vatican has criminalized the abuse of adults? Most critically, why now, in this case, is the Vatican taking guidance from secular laws when they are content to ignore them in so many other cases?
What concerns us most is that Fr. Rupnik had access to children as well. From 1987 to 1991 he lived in Gorizia at the Jesuit “Morning Star” Center where he worked mainly with youth. Although there are no allegations yet to indicate that children were abused, this case perfectly demonstrates how valid and credible allegations have been minimized and ignored to Fr. Rupnik’s benefit in the past. Similarly, a lengthy and distinguished career can provide favor to a suspect: disgraced former Cardinal McCarrick was known as abusive by Vatican officials in 1987 and still allowed to rise through the ranks for years to come.
We encourage anyone who may suspect, witnessed, or learned of abuse by Fr. Rupnik to immediately report their information authorities.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, Communication Manager (267-261-0578, [email protected] Zach Hiner, SNAP 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)