Northeastern Jesuits Release Names of Abusive Clerics, SNAP Responds
The Northeastern Jesuit Province has released the names of “credibly accused” child molesting clerics today.
We are glad that officials from the Northeastern Jesuits are taking this first step towards transparency. Releasing these names publicly is crucial not only for the safety of children and the healing of survivors, but also to encourage victims who may be suffering in silence to come forward. Revealing these names will help to deter future clergy sex crimes and cover-ups. Still, the fact remains that this is a long-overdue move prompted only by pressure from prosecutors, parishioners and the public.
One thing missing from this list is what the immediate response by Jesuit officials was to the allegations. Were the complaints investigated? Were they reported to police? Were priests immediately removed in response? The answers to these questions will be critical to fully understanding not only the scope of the crisis, but what changes must be made in order to prevent future cover-ups and put the safety of children front and center.
We strongly encourage any survivors who were abused by one of the Jesuits named today, or one not named, or any other Bishop, priest, deacon, brother, nun, or lay employee to contact police to make a report. We urge Jesuit officials, if they are confident in the veracity of their list, to ask for an independent investigation into their handling of sex crimes and cover-ups by outside law enforcement professionals. Such an investigation would be the only way to determine who knew what, when they knew it, and what they chose to do with that information.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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