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).
NM--Victims want predator priest cases to move ahead
For immediate release: Monday, Nov. 16, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Several victims of New Mexico predator priests want their cases to go to trial. We hope they succeed in their effort for justice, prevention and healing.
Gallup Independent
When Catholic bishops take advantage of bankruptcy laws, it stops nearly all litigation. This is hurtful, reckless and unjust. A number of adults who were victimized as kids in the Gallup diocese are asking a judge to let their clergy sex abuse and cover ups cases to proceed toward trial.
It’s bad enough to be sexually violated by a predator priest and betrayed by a callous bishop. But to then be denied your day in court because Catholic officials are exploiting Chapter 11 laws to keep a tight lid on their complicity is yet another layer of harm.
NJ--Victims blast decision on accused predator priest
For immediate release: Friday, Nov. 13, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
Three priests have ‘cleared’ a fellow priest of sexually abusing a child. What a sham.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/11/church_tribunal_clears_priest_of_70s-era_sex_abuse.html
MI--Another Detroit predator priest is “outed” for first time
For immediate release: Friday, Nov. 13, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
In what may be the most terse and least compassionate church announcement of this sort we’ve ever seen, Detroit Catholic officials admit that a local priest is “credibly accused” of child sex crimes. Shame on Archbishop Allen Vigneron for his self-serving statement about Fr. Thomas J. Cain.
http://www.aod.org/our-archdiocese/newsroom/news-releases/2014/october/regarding-fr-thomas-j-cain/
Canada--Keep convicted archbishop out of US churches, group begs
For immediate release: Friday, November 13, 2015
For more information: Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175 cell, [email protected]), Cappy Larson (415-637-2006, [email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])
Victims want defrocked cleric supervised & kept off church payrolls
As archbishop, he was the highest ranking Orthodox cleric in Canada
But he was found guilty of abusing a young boy in his care & went to prison
He’s been demoted to “monk,” but could still be employed in local parishes
SNAP to OCA bishops: “Warn your flock about him & promise you won’t hire him”
A victims’ group is urging Orthodox officials to make sure that an ex-archbishop who was convicted of molesting a child will not ever work in a North American church again.
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are writing to the synod of bishops of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and the head of a Canadian monastery begging them to apply the denomination’s guidelines on sex offenders to Seraphim Storheim.
SNAP believes that an accountability plan should be in place for the former archbishop both at his monastery and at any OCA parish that he visits.
http://oca.org/PDF/sexual-misconduct/2014-04-reg-sex-offender-parish-guide.pdf
PA--Univ. of Penn should rescind Bill Cosby honor, victims say
For immediate release: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015
Statement by Karen Polesir of Ambler, SNAP leader (267-992-9463, [email protected])
University of Pennsylvania officials should revoke Bill Cosby’s honorary degree and apologize for not doing so sooner.
http://www.phillymag.com/news/2015/11/10/penn-revoke-bill-cosby-honorary-degree/
It’s bogus for them to claim “We haven’t ever revoked a degree before.” First, that’s not true (as Philly Magazine’s Monica Weymouth has pointed out). Second, it’s irrelevant. The university has probably never before honored a prominent entertainer who later was accused of raping, drugging and abusing dozens of women.
By refusing to take action, school officials are making it harder for current victims of campus sex crimes to report their experiences. And they’re rubbing salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of dozens of already-hurt students and alums.
IL--Victims want college to remove Hastert honor
For immediate release: Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2015
Statement by Kate Bochte of Geneva, SNAP leader (630 768 1860, [email protected])
We call on board members at Northern Illinois University to follow the lead of officials at Kendall County, Oswego Village and the Yorkville Wrestling Club and remove any and all honors given to an admitted criminal, ex-House speaker Dennis Hastert.
http://www.kcchronicle.com/2015/11/09/hasterts-legacy-a-black-eye/a6tyq8y/?page=1
WI--Victims ask WI archbishop to help re: “self-circumcised” predator
For immediate release: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
An ex-seminarian who reportedly tried to circumcise himself and was arrested in Wisconsin now admits he recently molested kids. We urge Milwaukee Catholic officials to publicize the abuser’s admission and aggressively reach out to anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered his crimes in Wisconsin.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/oct/26/coeur-dalene-man-jailed-on-1-million-bond-suspecte/
CA--Victims back new anti-rape proposal
For immediate release: Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Statement by Joelle Casteix of Orange County California, SNAP Southern California director (949-322-7434, [email protected])
We applaud a California legislator’s move to reform the state’s predator-friendly statute of limitations in sexual violence cases.
IL--Archbishop should promote new film, SNAP says
For immediate release: Tuesday, November 10, 2015
For more information: Barbara Blaine,[email protected], (312) 399-4747, Kate Bochte, [email protected], 630-768-1860, David Clohessy, [email protected],314-566-9790, Barbara Dorris, [email protected], 314-503-0003
Victims to archbishop: “Make your staff see new film”
“Stop promoting complacency, start urging vigilance,” SNAP says
A victims group says Chicago’s top Catholic official should make every parish and chancery employee go see a new film about the child sex abuse and cover up crisis in the church.
The highly acclaimed movie, Spotlight, opens in Chicago this Friday. It’s about how newspaper reporters uncovered decades of complicity in clergy sex crimes in the Boston archdiocese.
Leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are writing Archbishop Blasé Cupich about the film. Officials at the Washington DC-based US Conference of Catholic Bishops have also written public relations advice to every diocese about the movie.
TX--Victims prod DA to charge priest in unsolved murder
For immediate release: Tuesday, November 10, 2015
For more information: David Clohessy, Executive Director of SNAP ([email protected], 314-566-9790), Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director of SNAP ([email protected], 314-503-0003)
Fifty-five year old murder case still stalled
Texas prosecutor pledged in his campaign to reopen the file
But District Attorney has not issued an update in six months
A victim’s group is writing him, begging for “action & transparency”
“File charges now, while the suspect and witnesses are still alive,” says SNAP
Six months ago, a high profile, unsolved, decades-old murder investigation in McAllen was re-opened by a new district attorney. Now, a victims group is writing the prosecutor and urging him to disclose the status of the case and file charges against the most widely known suspect.
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