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).
AR - Letter to Bishop Taylor
October 16, 2013
Dear Bishop Taylor:
Last month, Kathy Griffin was convicted and sentenced for refusing to promptly call authorities when she knew of or suspected child sex crimes at a Catholic school in your diocese.
And this Saturday, her backers – many of them Catholic - will hold a fundraising event for her.
We are worried about the child who was hurt longer because Griffin broke the law and stayed silence. We are also worried about other child sex abuse victims who will be discouraged and depressed – when they see adults publicly rallying around and raising money for a convicted criminal. And we are worried that ignoring this callous injustice will encourage others in the future to publicly back those who commit and conceal child sex crimes.
AR - Two groups seek bishop’s help
For immediate release: Wednesday, October 16, 2013
For more information: Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected])
Two groups seek bishop’s help
A fundraiser is set for convicted teacher
She refused to report suspected child sex crimes
Organizations want prelate to denounce the event
Advocates: “Public displays of support for proven molesters is wrong”
It deters other victims of other child sex crimes from speaking up, groups say
MN - Another Twin Cities priest tries to handle abuse “in house”
For immediate release: Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013
Statement by Bob Schwiderski of Wayzata, Minnesota SNAP director (952 471 3422, [email protected])
A police report reveals that yet another Twin Cities priest who suspected child sex abuse refused to call the police and tried to handle it quietly and “in-house.”
CHL - Archbishop refuses to answer questions: Survivors respond
For immediate release: Tuesday October 15, 2013
Statement by Juan Carlos Cruz (+1 312 420 4301, [email protected])
The obvious question here is: what is Archbishop Ezzati hiding?
More than one priest is accused of committing abuses on the children at Catholic homes. Regardless of who is accused the Archbishop should honor his duties as a citizen and be questioned by secular officials.
MN - Catholic panels re-victimizes girl; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Monday, Oct. 14, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell,[email protected])
Shame on Archbishop John Nienstedt and his nameless, hand-picked Review Board who refused to oust an accused child molesting priest “given his effectiveness in many areas of his work.”
So if an accused predator priest is just average, Nienstedt’s panel might recommend suspending him.
But if he’s “effective,” they won’t?
MN - Many clergy sex victims are female, SNAP says
For immediate release: Monday, Oct. 14, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])
All too often, the abuse of girls by clerics is overlooked or minimized. Fully half of our 12,000 members are women who were sexually violated by priests, nuns, bishops, brothers, seminarians and other Catholic employees.
VT - Diocese was warned about predator priest; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Monday, Oct. 14, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])
Thanks to a brave abuse victim and a Vermont judge, 88 pages of long-secret Catholic church records about a predator priest have been released. The documents show why Albany Bishop Howard Hubbard and his lawyers fought so hard to keep Fr. Gary Mercure’s files secret. Those files show that Mercure “was returned to ministry — with no restrictions regarding his contact with children — even after the diocese [knew] he had a sexual affair with a young man in the early 1990s.”
MN - New assistant MN bishop isn’t reform, SNAP says
For immediate release: Friday, Oct. 11, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])
The St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese is getting a new assistant bishop, Fr. Andrew H. Cozzens. This isn’t reform.
Catholic bishops and church lawyers are causing this scandal. So this week, the archdiocese is getting an extra bishop and more church lawyers. (The head of the new abuse ‘task force’ is a lawyer, as are several members of the panel. The person Archbishop John Nienstedt picked to pick the ‘task force,’ Fr. Reginald Whitt, is also a lawyer.)
MN - Child molesting cleric gets monthly bonus
For immediate release: Friday, October 11, 2013
Statement by David Clohessy, Executive Director, SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, 7234 Arsenal Street, St. Louis MO 63143 (314 566 9790, [email protected])
A priest who was found guilty of child sex abuse by a jury is still a priest, is unsupervised, lives in a $500,000 lakeside home and gets extra payments above his retirement.
Minnesota Public Radio disclosed that Fr. Robert Kapoun, who was found guilty of abuse in 1996, also spends half of each year living in Florida.
IL - Statute of limitations run out on priest; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Thursday, October 10, 2013
Statement by Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director, 314-862-7688 [email protected]
We are upset that Illinois's archaic and predatory friendly laws prevent prosecutors from pursuing charges against Fr. Robert “Bud” DeGrand.
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