MN - priest speaks out; SNAP responds
For immediate release: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, [email protected])
We applaud the Twin Cities priest who’s calling on Archbishop John Nienstedt to release a list of proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics. He’s also calling for “new leadership” in the archdiocese.
The former request will definitely help protect kids. The latter request likely will not.
It takes courage to do what Fr. Bill Deziel is doing. We hope his priestly peers will also find the strength to publicly denounce the deliberately deceitful and self-serving actions of the Twin Citeis Catholic hierarchy.
We disagree with Fr. Deziel’s contention, however, that Catholic officials have an “apparent lack of good judgment” deal(ing) “with the offending priests.” That’s soft-selling it. It’s not poor judgment that leads Archbishop Nienstedt, Fr. Kevin McDonough, Fr. Peter Laird and others to hide known and suspected clergy child sex crimes. It’s the tragically justifiable belief that if they aren’t caught, they’ll be valued by their colleagues and superiors and if they are caught, they’ll suffer no consequences anyway. It’s the age old temptation to put one’s own career and reputation above the well-being of others.
We also disagree with him that he’s recommending “drastic steps.” Each of his suggestions is reasonable. They may seem drastic, given how irresponsible so many Catholic prelates are when it comes to the safety of children.
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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