News Story of the Day
The Secrecy Must End
By KATRINA FULLER, March 25, 2018, The Post-Journal
The shudder of an unsavory case first unearthed in Boston about 16 years ago is still being felt today, even in Western New York.
In January 2002, a secret world of child sex abuse was uncovered in the Catholic Church by a special team of investigative reporters at the Boston Globe known as the “Spotlight Team.”
Buffalo and the surrounding areas felt the reverberations this past week after the Buffalo Diocese released a list of 42 priests who had been removed from ministry, retired or had left ministry after allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. Many of those named in the list served in churches in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.
Michigan priest suspended, diocesan property raided
By James Dearie, March 22, 2018, National Catholic Reporter
SAGINAW, MICHIGAN — After a sting operation resulted in the arrest of a Saginaw diocese priest in late February, another priest has been suspended amid reports of sexual misconduct, and diocesan property has been raided by the police.
Fr. Ronald J. Dombrowski, 72, a sacramental minister at Holy Family Parish in Saginaw, was suspended over the weekend after an adult contacted the diocese claiming to have suffered abuse by the priest as a child, the Midland Daily News reported March 19.
Dombrowski is not allowed to present himself as a priest publicly or have contact with people under 21 while the case progresses. He has not been charged with a crime.
Buffalo diocese names priests accused of abusing minors
March 20, 2018, Buffalo News
Bishop Richard J. Malone on Tuesday released the names of priests who have been accused of sexual misconduct with minors.
"The following list identifies diocesan priests who were removed from ministry, were retired or left ministry after allegations of sexual abuse of a minor," the diocese said. The list includes deceased priests with more than one allegation made against them. Priests who are deceased have their year of death listed next to their name, the diocese said.
Second Saginaw Diocese priest suspended amid sexual abuse probe
SAGINAW, MI -- Another longtime priest in the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw has been suspended amid sexual abuse allegations, according to a statement from the diocese.
The Rev. Ronald J. Dombrowski, 72, was recently suspended as a "precautionary measure" after a person told the diocese on Thursday, March 15, that Dombrowski allegedly sexually abused them when they were a minor, according to the statement.
Buffalo diocese forced out priest, hid abuse allegations from public
By Charlie Specht, March 16, 2018, WKBW I-Team
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) - - A longtime priest in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo was forced out of service and put on “medical leave” in 2002 after allegations of child sexual abuse came to light, the 7 Eyewitness News I-Team has learned.
Until now, the Rev. Donald W. Becker has never been named publicly as an alleged child sex abuser even though victims have come forward with stories of abuse and the reverend has long had a poor reputation among some diocesan priests.
AP: Families feel deserted after sex assaults at base school
By REESE DUNKLIN and JUSTIN PRITCHARD, AP News, March 15, 2018
The three military fathers sat at the commander’s conference table on the U.S. Army base in Germany, pleading for help.
They told the commander that their daughters were among a half-dozen girls sexually assaulted by a boy in their first-grade class at the base school. The principal had known about the boy’s behavior for months, they said, but the abuse continued.
The girls’ parents had already turned to Army police, military child-abuse authorities and sex-assault specialists. The response throughout the U.S. military’s vast support structure was always the same, they said: Sorry this has happened; there’s nothing we can do.
Authorities investigating 20 to 30 sexual abuse complaints against Saginaw church officials
By Terry Camp, March 12, 2018, ABC 12
SAGINAW (WJRT) (3/12/2018) - Sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw may extend beyond the Rev. Robert DeLand.
AP: Child-on-child sex assault cases languish on US bases
By Justin Pritchard and Reese Dunklin, March 14, 2018, ABC News
A decade after the Pentagon began confronting rape in the ranks, the U.S. military frequently fails to protect or provide justice to the children of service members when they are sexually assaulted by other children on base, an Associated Press investigation has found.
THE END OF INNOCENCE--Not Everyone Is Celebrating Five Years of Pope Francis
By BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, 03.13.18, Daily Beast
On the fifth anniversary of his election, Pope Francis continues to be an inspiration to non-Catholics—and a source of confusion to his own flock.
ROME—It has been five years since white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney to herald the election of a pope like no other.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first pontiff from the Americas and a maverick among the more stoic men of the church, set the tone for his reign with the two simple words he uttered from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. “Buona sera,” or “good evening,” he said, quite simply, rather than greeting the gathered crowds with a theological tidbit of Godly wisdom. It seemed, at the time, endearing and innocuous.
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