MN- Winona Diocese priest arrested for allegedly molesting girl
A Winona Diocese priest has been arrested for allegedly molesting a girl.
We applaud this very brave girl and her grandmother. The child was smart and strong enough to promptly report and the grandmother was smart and strong enough to call police. All too often, even now, Catholics who see, suspect or suffer clergy sex crimes call church officials, instead of secular officials.
Many times, predator priests have fled overseas after being accused or arrested. If Fr. Koppala is released on bail, we hope secular or church authorities take his passport.
It’s now up to the Winona Catholic bishop to use his vast resources to urge others with information or suspicions about this cleric to step forward. The bishop should use his diocesan website and newspaper and parish bulletins and pulpit announcements to beg anyone with potentially helpful details to call p police and prosecutors. In a criminal investigation, no tidbit – no matter how small, old or seemingly insignificant – should be withheld from law enforcement.
Now is no time to be complacent. We can’t assume that Fr. Koppala will be found guilty or be kept away from children. It’s easy for other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to sit back, do nothing, and hope for the best. But that’s irresponsible. Every single person who has knowledge or suspicions of misdeeds by Fr. Koppala has a moral and civic duty to call police now.
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