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).
HI- Settlement reached in ND/HI abuse case, SNAP responds
A civil child sex abuse and cover up case involving a Hawaii Catholic priest and a North Dakota Catholic diocese has been settled.
NY- Cardinal rushing to defend priest being investigated for potential financial misdeeds
New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan is rushing to judgment and defending a priest being investigated for potential financial misdeeds.
MO- Biondi must deal with predator priests, SNAP says
Before he leaves office, we hope Fr. Lawrence Biondi addresses the ten publicly accused predator priests who live/lived or work/worked at SLU: Fr. Franklyn Becker, Fr. Edward Beutner, Fr. Charles H. Miller, Fr. Daniel C. O’Connell, Fr. Juan Carlos Duran, Fr. Eugene Maio, Fr. Jack Campbell, Fr. Chester E. Gaiter, Fr. Gerhardt B. Lehmkuhl and Fr. Vincent W. Bryce.
Dallas bishop promoted to El Paso; SNAP’s worried
We are troubled by the promotion of Bishop Seitz from Dallas to El Paso. Seitz comes from a diocese (Dallas) with a disturbing record on children’s safety and from a school (St. John’s University) with an even more disturbing record on children’s safety.
-See BishopAccountability.org and http://www.behindthepinecurtain.com/wordpress/welcome
Accused priest now heads Springfield, IL church
A Greek Orthodox priest from Champaign who was suspended from the priesthood now works at a Springfield church.
NJ- Archbishop reverses himself twice, SNAP responds
Suddenly, Archbishop Myers’ PR man does an abrupt 180, twice. He now claims Fr. Fugee was around kids without Myers’ permission. And he now admits an agreement with prosecutors has been broken.
PA- Harrisburg Bishop dies, SNAP responds
The 65-year-old bishop of Harrisburg, Joseph McFadden died unexpectedly this morning. Our sympathies are with his family and his loved ones. Although we do not rejoice in the death of anyone, we hope the Pope takes this opportunity to appoint a new bishop who will prove to take a tough stand against clergy sex abuse.
MO- Wrongful death suit filed vs. St. Louis archdiocese & Fr. Bryan Kuchar; SNAP responds
This is an utterly heartbreaking case brought by incredibly kind but wounded parents on behalf of their child and other children who have been assaulted by priests. We are deeply moved by and grateful for their tremendous courage.
LA- Former priest charged with multiple counts of abuse seeks a bond reduction
Ex-priest Mark Broussard is seeking a reduction in his bond. His attorney was working to get confidential medical information about the victims prior to the start of the trial and Broussard’s taped police interview where he admits to fondling children thrown out.
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