MN - Four more ways MN Catholic officials aren't "transparent"
For immediate release: Friday, Oct. 25
Statement by Bob Schwiderski Minnesota SNAP Director, (952 471 3422, [email protected])
You can’t make this stuff up.
Yesterday, Archbishop John Nienstedt wrote “We must also be committed to honesty and transparency.”
http://www.archspm.org/news-events/news-detail.php?intResourceID=10365
But he refuses to give interviews. And he and other top Twin Cities Catholic officials refuse to disclose
--who’s allegedly been hired to review archdiocesan clergy child sex abuse files
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/10/24/nienstedt-outside-firm-clergy-files
--who's allegedly been hired as the new outside archdiocesan public relations firm
--who’s allegedly investigating an accused predator priest at a Catholic university
http://www.startribune.com/local/east/228481751.html
--who's on the archdiocesan ‘review board’ that looks at specific child sex abuse reports and that found a child sex abuse report against Fr. Michael Keating lacks “sufficient evidence.”
This is being “open and transparent?”
We think not.
(By the way, the lawyers who are looking at archdiocesan clergy sex abuse files began their work ten days ago. But one of Nienstedt’s chief public relations staffers, James Accurso, claims he does not know who the lawyers are. So either Accurso is lying or Nienstedt is not even “transparent” with his staff.)
http://www.twincities.com/stpaul/ci_24380044/twin-cities-archbishop-plans-outside-audit-priest-files
It’s yet another sign that the self-serving secrecy that got Twin Cities Catholic officials into this mess continues.
(NOTE: the archdiocesan review board is different from the new archdiocesan panel just set up. The former looks at actual cases of reported abuse. The latter is looking at church internal abuse procedures. The membership of the former is secret. The membership of the latter is not.)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Bob Schwiderski (952 471 3422, [email protected])
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
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