Abuse by Women Religious (nuns and sisters)

Contact: Mary Dispenza
Phone: 425-941-6001
Email: [email protected]

Contact: Marya Dantzer
Phone: 617-448-6039 (Voicemails only)
Email: [email protected]

Contact for Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Slovenia

Franka Miloloža

[email protected]

Contact for Peru:

María La Rosa Matuk

+51 941 695 920

[email protected] (María checks this account daily)

A virtual support group for those abused by nuns/women religious (Survivors of Abuse by Nuns/Women Religious) is led by Marya Dantzer and meets every Wednesday from 8-9:30 PM Eastern Time. These meetings are for those abused by nuns/women religious who are over the age of majority. Contact Marya for the login information.

Contact: Marya Dantzer
Phone: 617-448-6039 (Voicemails only)
Email: [email protected]

A second virtual support group for those abused by nuns (Nun-2) is led by Mary Dispenza and meets every other Monday from 5-6:30 PM Pacific Time. These meetings are for those abused by nuns/women religious who are over the age of majority. Please call or e-mail Mary if you are interested in participating.

Contact: Mary Dispenza
Phone: 425-941-6001
Email: [email protected]

SNAP National Office

Contact: Melanie Sakoda, SNAP Survivor Support Director
Phone: 925-708-6175
Email: [email protected]

Melanie is located in the San Francisco Bay Area

Contact: Shaun Dougherty, SNAP Interim Executive Director
Phone: 814-341-8386
Email: [email protected]

Shaun is located in Western Pennsylvania

Introduction

By Mary Dispenza

NUNS, NUNS, NUNS. I used to be one. I loved the nuns. It was a long time after I left my religious community that I remembered the day a superior took my 18-year-old face between her hands and kissed me all over. It was years before I finally named this incident as abuse, not just a “creepy” story. A small invasion, some may think – just kisses. Yet it left a lasting impact of confusion with me. In that moment spirituality and abuse came face to face trapped between the superior’s hands as her power loomed over me.

Unlike being abused by a priest who is “GOD,” men and women sexually violated by nuns must contend with the belief that women, especially nuns, would never, ever hurt a child. We hear expressions like “Women don’t do that,” “Women are caring and maternal”. While mostly this is true some women, rape, physically abuse, and irreparably ridicule and shame children, mostly because of their power - often as teachers, Mothers, and nuns. Nuns have the added benefit of the “halo” effect because of their Godly stature and reputation of kindness and love.

Men abused as boys by nuns carry deep shame, believing they were weak, a sissy, not boy or ‘man’ enough to stand up to Sister when week after week she either punched him, kissed him, bullied him, put him over her lap and beat him, or had sex with him. Young girls abused and used by nuns have the additional burden of unravelling the belief that they were in love with the nun, and that she was in love with them. As adults, women survivors often must face the fact that it wasn’t love, not even an affair – it was sexual abuse. They know what a ‘broken heart’ feels like and the betrayal that goes with it. Girls abused by nuns often speak of the psychological and spiritual damage done to them, stolen childhood and adolescent years of friendships, dates, dances, and often God.

Women Religious orders are very closed systems, more so than the priesthood. Religious communities often function like an incestuous family protecting each other at all costs from being exposed as sexual predators among them. Their culture is built on secrecy, power, and protecting the sisterhood. It has been nearly impossible to break through this wall of secrecy. Survivors abused by nuns are ignored by most religious orders and the Catholic Church. Justice is mostly an illusion. The Leadership Conference of Religious Woman (LCRW) has yet to show any desire to work with survivors in healing themselves, the past, present, and in shaping a safer future for children and adolescents. SNAP is working to change that. The timeline below shows the actions SNAP has taken to date.

Timeline

2002 - LCWR refuses to participate in USCCB’s “Policy for the Protection of Children”
April 5, 2002 - LCWR issues statement on clerical abuse
August 24, 2002 - LCWR National Board issues statement on sexual abuse
June 12, 2004 - Nun survivors meet for the first time in Denver at SNAP Conference
July 13, 2004 - Hand-delivered to LCWR and USCCB from nun survivors regarding Plan of Hope, Respect, and Open Healing. Also requested nun survivors be allowed to speak at LCWR-CMSM Joint Assembly in Ft. Worth. To date, we received no answer from USCCB.
August 5, 2004 - Letter to LCWR from SNAP expressing dismay over their decision not to let us speak
August 9, 2004 - E-mail to National Review Board to intervene on our behalf
August 13, 2004 - LCWR Press Release: Response of LCWR President Sister Constance Phelps, SCL saying we can’t speak in Ft. Worth
August 19 to 22, 2004 - Joint LCWR – CMSM Assembly in Ft. Worth, TX. Nun survivors attempt to attend event but are refused.
October 3, 2004 - Meeting with LCWR Leadership in Chicago
November 22, 2004 - LCWR letter to SNAP refusing to work with SNAP members who are survivors of sexual abuse committed by nuns and sisters
August 2, 2005 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR National Conference in Anaheim, CA; we are present – we delivered letter
August 17, 2006 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR National Conference in Atlanta, GA; we are present – we delivered letter
August 24, 2007 - LCWR contacts us to meet to talk but LCWR does not provide an agenda after numerous requests; Not allowed to speak at LCWR National Conference in Kansas City
September 19, 2007 - LCWR responds to SNAP, denying all five requests
August, 2008 - LCWR rebuffs us via letter; SNAP holds night-time vigil
October 9, 2008 - SNAP meets with Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious in St. Louis; requests are denied
February 23, 2009 - SNAP asks to speak at the LCWR conference in New Orleans
March 26, 2009 - LCWR denies all of SNAP's requests
August 11, 2009 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR Conference in New Orleans; we deliver letter
August 14, 2010 - Not allowed to speak at LCWR Conference in Dallas; we are present
August 16, 2011 - LCWR National Conference in Garden Grove, California
August 7, 2012 - LCWR National Conference in St Louis; SNAP members deliver letter and hold vigil
August 8, 2012 – Letter sent to Bishops
August 2018 – Designed a Power Point Presentation giving statistics/data about nuns in the United States as abusers (2019) Will be updated for 2023. (Dan McNiven and Mary Dispenza)
April 3, 2019 -- SNAP forms first support group for those abused by nuns
August 16, 2019 – First time ever and the last time since that any leader of the LCWR spoke openly and honestly about their role in abusing and harming children.
February 21-24, 2019 – SNAP in Rome during the Papal summit on the Abuse of Minors. the first press conference on Nuns Abusers was held followed by a MARCH to the main headquarters – the UISG (International Union of Superiors General). A letter was delivered outlining concerns and demands of survivors abused by nuns. The letter was never acknowledged. SNAP representatives were Mary Dispenza, Tim Lennon, Esther Hatfield Miller, and Carol Midboe.
February 23, 2019 – During the Papal Summit SNAP joined with ECA (Ending Clergy Abuse) in the Global “March for Zero” Tolerance through the streets of Rome.
August 14, 2019 – Mary O’day, Mary Dispenza, Tim Lennon, and a small group from SNAP protested outside The Fairmont Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona in 115-degree heat. Snap was denied access to the Hotel property. SNAP’s demands of LCRW were to speak at conference, have religious orders mount an aggressive outreach drive to find and help others violated by nuns, Post names on its websites of credibly accused child molesting nuns, urge Attorney Generals investigating clergy sex crimes and cover ups to include nuns and their victims in these probes, and to beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered wrongdoing to come forward, start healing, protect others and call law enforcement. (David Clohessy). TV and media coverage of this event was excellent.
February 19 -22, 2020 – Four SNAP representatives were sent once again to the Bishop’s summit in Rome: Tim Lennon, Sean Dougherty, Brenda Brunelle, Kevin Bourgeois, and Mary Dispenza. Their message to the Bishops and Pope Frances was “WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY.”
On the second day of the 2020 summit another press conference was held on Abuse by Nuns/Religious women. Another march took place. This time the goal was to speak to Sister Pat head of LCRW at that time. The good news is that Mary Dispenza and Tim Lennon sat around the small table with Sister Pat. Concerns were share by Tim and Mary on behalf of survivors. Upon returning to US, Mary Dispenza wrote a follow up letter to Sister Pat. Several months later Mary received a very short thank you of no substance.
February 25, 2021 – An article in the National Catholic reporter features four survivor’s stories, and a conversation with Mary Dispenza and Sister Carol Zinn of LCWR. In the article Carol Zinn said that Mary Dispenza was asked to speak to LCWR, and she declined. That was not the truth.
April 24, 2021 – Breaking Free, Personal SNAP Stories by Those Abused by Nuns was aired.
December 21, 2021 – Mary Dispenza, SNAP, speaker at Voices of Faith International 2021 Conference on Abuse of Power Inside the Church. (see Document 7)
February, 2022 – Started second Support Group for Those Abused by Nuns
July 22-24, 2022 – SNAP Denver 22 Conference. A breakout session called “What About Nuns? Was presented by Mary Dispenza and 2 survivors of Nun abuse, Gabrielle Longhi and Marya Danzer.

Documents:

Document 1: Letter sent to bishops (Aug. 8, 2012)

Dear Archbishop Sartain Bishop Blair, Bishop Paprocki

We write you with great sadness and reluctance. Each of you, like most of your colleagues, has done a poor job of dealing with child sex abuse and cover up. Still, each of you have a chance to prod US nuns to do a better job in this regard. For the sake of prevention, healing, openness and justice, we hope you seize this opportunity.

We have little faith in "internal" church "investigations" and reports on clergy sex crimes and cover ups. We have even less faith when they're conducted by bishops or “outside” firms hand-picked and hired by bishops.

Still, something is often better than nothing. That’s the case today with abuse and cover up by nuns. Right now, there's very little known about child sex crimes and cover ups by nuns. No one's apparently trying to learn more. And as best we can tell, no one inside or outside of the nuns’ community is trying to prod them to do a better job of protecting the vulnerable and healing the wounded.

So with considerable reluctance and distrust, we're asking you to expand your “oversight” of the LCWR into what the organization – and America’s religious orders of women- are doing and are not doing regarding child sex crimes and cover ups by nuns.

Why does this matter? Because we believe that

many abusive nuns have never been exposed or disciplined.
many who have seen, suspected or hidden their crimes have similarly never been exposed or disciplined
many who were abused by nuns have coped by essentially denying and mischaracterized the crimes they suffered, and minimizing the impact of those crimes, so they suffer in confusion, denial, isolation, shame and self-blame.

We suspect that fewer nuns molest than priests. (Research suggests that more men are sexual predators.) At the same time, however, that’s just speculation. And regardless of the rates or percentages of abuse, two other facts are important. First, there are more nuns than priests. (55,944 nuns in the US versus 41,406 priests) Second, many more nuns had more access to more kids, largely because they worked and work in schools.

Ultimately, however, the numbers or percentages are not especially relevant. If there are 400 or 4,000 or 40,000 adults who were victimized by nuns in this country, every single one of them deserves help. And if there are 4 or 40 or 400 children who may be victimized in the future by nuns in this country, they need protection.

Again, we take this step with great sadness and reluctance. Everyone knows most nuns don’t commit or conceal child sex crimes. Everyone knows that most nuns do wonderful, selfless work, often to help society’s marginalized.

But we see little or no evidence that nuns – either in or through the LCWR or their individual orders – are in any way, shape or form “trailblazers” in making the church or our society safer from clergy child predators or making substantial contributions to the healing of those who suffer because of clergy child predators.

It’s a painful truth to acknowledge. It’s unusual and unsettling for us to seek your help in dealing with it. But our concern – for the vulnerable and the wounded – and our inability to get the LCWR to be more pro-active, leave us with few other options.

Click HERE to download a .zip archive of correspondence between SNAP and the LCWR, SNAP and LCWR press releases, and other coverage of the groups (4.76 mb

Document 2: Face facts, says LCWR president: Sisters have been part of Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal by Dan Stockman (August 6, 2019)

Document 3: Leadership groups condemn abuse by nuns but leave solutions to local congregations by Dawn Araujo-Hawkins. (Feb 25, 2021)

Document 4: Letter International Union of Superiors General (UISG) March 3, 2020

Dear Sister Pat and members of the Board,

Thank you for welcoming Tim Lennon and myself to the table to meet with you. We were very grateful to have time to share our concerns and listen to yours. This is the first time anyone from SNAP has been invited to sit and talk face to face with someone from the leadership team of UISG or LCRW. It was a welcomed moment especially for me.

For the past two years, I have had the honor and challenge of listening to survivors of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by nuns in various orders. Some survivors are nuns within religious communities who were abused by nuns still living in community — others were abused as children, teens, and vulnerable adults. There is something new resounding in the stories I hear. Besides pain, anger, and loss, I hear a deep, burning desire and longing for justice from each survivor — justice for what was lost and taken from them by nuns they trusted. As I see it, this is where you, as religious women, come into the story.

Clearly, we can’t undo the past. We can face it. Work to understand it, so as to end it. Most importantly, we can transform the past by right and just actions now.

What follows are 3 areas of immediate concern to survivors that hopefully lead to a continued conversation between us:

Survivors who were or are nuns and experienced sexual, emotional, or psychological abuse within their communities want their perpetrators gone, reports filed and their names and reason for leaving the community posted. They also want the secrecy about it all to stop. They want their religious communities to engage in candid and open conversation about the problem.

Adult survivors of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse by nuns as children, teens, vulnerable adults who have registered a valid complaint want religious superiors to listen to their stories seriously, believe them and work with them for resolution and justice. They want right action when it is warranted such as filing a report with local authorities and removing the perpetrator from children or other potential victims. Some want and desperately need financial recompense for their pain and suffering. Some want reconciliation and an apology. All want to be believed. All want religious communities to acknowledge that they failed to protect them.

Survivors find some hope in Pope Frances, moto propio, which took effect last June 2019 and instituted for the first time a mechanism for reporting and investigating allegations of sexual abuse and offers protections to whistle-blowers yet falls short of any set consequences or reporting of crimes to law enforcement. The pope expanded his view of abuse to include children, people with mental disabilities, seminarians, nuns and women in religious orders, children in orphanages, indigenous people—all of whom have been victimized by leaders in Church and religious orders. The law also demanded that alleged victims must receive, support services and all they need for their healing journey. Survivors would like to know that the UISG and LCRW have in place policies and procedures for handling allegations of abuse, including reporting them to local law enforcement agencies.

I hope these ideas on our minds as survivors of nun abuse give us some starting points for discussion. It’s our desire that we continue to dialogue with the shared goal of finding ways to protect children from all types of abuse, especially by those they trust, and to give survivors of the past the justice they do desire and deserve. I have always held these lines from scripture as essential to my life, “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8.)

Thanks, Sister Pat, and members of the Board for this opportunity to work together.

Respectfully, Mary Dispenza,

SNAP Leader for those Abused by Nuns.

CC: SNAP Executive Director, Zach Hiner

SNAP President, Tim Lennon

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Showing 230 comments

Annette Kissell Nestler commented 2014-03-06 16:25:49 -0600
I am posting a petition, I started, for the State of New Jersey, regarding SOL (Statute of Limitation Reform), with a “Survivors Window”. I am basing this, on my personal experience, as a SURVIVOR. It is long overdue, that children are safer and victims/survivors and their families, get justice, and beginning the REAL healing process. Chris Christie is a supporter which is why the RCC and their media are trying so to destroy him. They are well aware, of what this will cost them, emotionally and financially. They will do anything they can, to stop that from happening, on a State, and particularly, national level. Time for victims/survivors/their families and supporters, to stand in UNITY. “WE THE PEOPLE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!!!” http://www.change.org/petitions/snapnetwork-org-time-for-sol-statute-of-limitation-reform-with-a-survivor-window-in-new-jersey?share_id=lKRqsbAmDj&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition
Michael Philips commented 2014-03-06 10:42:42 -0600
In my humble opinion, I recommend that the religious community, discontinue the practice of cellabasy, as I believe this is the root of the problem. When a human takes a solemn oath not to engage in sexual copulation with other humans., This creates a pattern of secrecy and deception; and since normal sexual outlets are “off limits” other humans, children especially , become the targets. Children make poor witnesses and are more easily victimized, because of their innocence, and gullible and naive age. These people become masters of deception, and their affiliation as religious members, attempts to conceal their actions and often provides the perfect refuge for their activities, aiding them to re-locate and start their abuse again and again, as no one is aware of their past situations. Allowing the priesthood, and nun hood to have normal sexual orientation may be the only way to protect the children.
Patricia Sulecki commented 2014-03-06 10:06:53 -0600
We have to get the all Priest, Nun’s ; who have raped, tortured, abused children as registered sex offenders; there is so much evidence, prof and so many of us victims to get them as sex offenders" ………We have to get Obama/Biden to hear all of our horrible abuse……………………..http://wh.gov/lUF7O
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-03-05 15:57:34 -0600
Thank you Rita for the link to the story about the deaf children in Wisconsin. I wrote about this in my book and there is a film on the subject:
“These crimes are featured in a documentary film released in the Fall of 2012 and scheduled as an HBO special for release in February 2013. According to Duane Dudek writing in the Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee (August 1, 2012), the “explosive” film, “Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God,” tells the story of Murphy who abused boys for 30 years. Alex Gibney, an Oscar-winning director told the story of the sexual assaults by Murphy and included testimony by some of his deaf victims in the film. Says Dudek, “ the film cites pope benedict XVI – then cardinal joseph ratzinger – as being aware of complaints against him.” (excerpt from “Smothered” by George Barilla)
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-05 15:46:03 -0600
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC0vxiYnU64 THIS IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION—I think this is a strong reason behind Ratzinger’s resignation/flight to the safety of his castel.
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-02 16:18:57 -0600
Wonder if this nun has been caught yet…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7ibNIpUUpU
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-03-02 15:46:56 -0600
that link that is on the bottom of my previous post doesn’t work -but if you type in Pope Francis on Google, you will see the link to the post
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-03-02 15:44:24 -0600
Cait Finnegan: if you type in Pope Francis on Google, you will see on the first page of Google the link to the Silent Sisters on my blog
Pope Francis doesn’t want these Silent Sisters to talk
https://plus.google.com/…/posts/EuQUWbg2LL4‎

George Barilla
2 days ago – Pope Francis doesn’t want these Silent Sisters to talk
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-02 00:39:15 -0600
We weren’t alone; it was happening all over the world…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88k2imkGIFA
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-01 23:54:22 -0600
Don’t get me started…I’ve been gathering these videos, etc., for literally years…Kevin Annett and the International Tribunal I believe are responsible for Ratzinger’s resignation because they were on the verge of indicting him. Also, Colm O’Gorman from Ireland, The Man Who Sued the Pope!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzvo7hp0ntY
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-01 23:46:51 -0600
Father Thomas Doyle is a wonderful victims’ advocate:
ww.themediareport.com/hot-topics/rev-thomas-p-doyle-o-p/
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-01 23:44:25 -0600
More on Kevin Annett:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI_7sssPKE0
Cait Finnegan commented 2014-03-01 21:30:47 -0600
George, thanks for putting Silent Sisters on your blog. I appreciate it.
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-01 18:55:23 -0600
GEORGE, I hope this is current…
Kevin Annett
ph: 1-888-265-1007
Go to hiddenfromhistory.org
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-03-01 18:45:07 -0600
To Patricia—I agree with George; Your petition is a very good one and it is the best site. I will work on promoting it.
Meanwhile, I will post more and more of my collection of websites, documentaries and videos on the universality of the evil and corruption of the catholic church…

George, Father Thomas Doyle is an incredible advocate for victims:
Kevin Annett: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vNW9meqny4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88k2imkGIFA
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-02-28 19:04:16 -0600
Cait Finnegan: I put the link to “Silent Sisters” on my blog:
http://catholicchurchabusebynunsandpriests.blogspot.com/
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-02-28 18:44:42 -0600
Rita, I tried to send an email to Kevin Annett after I looked at the link you sent below. I couldn’t get through with the email he gave on his videos. Do you have a valid email address for him?
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-02-28 14:25:40 -0600
Rita, thank you for the link to the web site of Kevin Annett. I wrote about the abuse of the native american children in my book, Smothered. I hadn’t heard of him before; there should be more people like him.
Patricia Sulecki commented 2014-02-28 09:45:00 -0600
George" yes I did" thank you. The Catholic Priest who’s name isn’t on there is, Fr. Thomas Hanley, the Priest that I would like to have arrested;" but" the Statute of Limitation is on his side" & MSGR. Cini," at the Catholic Diocese in Delaware is protecting him"
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-02-28 09:35:44 -0600
I looked at the web sites to see where there would be the best chance of getting something done. Credo.org is specific for christians so it is limited to those people who have the same interests — it appears to be more of a spiritual help site. The other site, MoveOn is a political action site and while it looks like a petition there would be helpful, again it is just one political party and a petition there would not include people of all political parties or those with no political party. I still think the government site will get the most signatures and since it has already started the people who signed will tell others. Our efforts need to be concenrated to be successful so I will put mine towards the petition that Patricia put on the government website.
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-02-28 09:14:00 -0600
Rita and Patricia, have you looked at the website www.bishopaccountability.org ? It names the abusive clergy.
Patricia Sulecki commented 2014-02-28 09:05:36 -0600
Marie , the lawsuit’s that the Priest are made to pay to rape victim’s " isn’t that evidence/ proof ?
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-02-28 08:48:09 -0600
http://itccs.org/tag/kevin-annett/
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-02-28 08:37:16 -0600
George, point well taken. Also, my concern is that unless there is due process, no one can be labeled a sex offender and since there isn’t due process, i.e., arrests/convictions perhaps we could submit a petition on either Credo or MoveOn.org that would name names of the criminal bishops and others complicit in the crimes against humanity, the innocents, the CHILDREN.
Patricia Sulecki commented 2014-02-28 08:22:14 -0600
Hi George, we can try to post the government web site on different links, and if you can think of any, that would be great. We are helping all victim’s & our families of this horrible abuse" also helping Snapnetwork with all their hard work. We want & need justice, long over due.
Patricia Sulecki commented 2014-02-28 08:06:03 -0600
Hi Rita, thank you. That will be wonderful" all of the victim’s & our loved ones" work together with each other" & expl. with Snapnetwork. who started working to get victim’s voices heard" one of these day’s the victim’s will have justice completely on our side.On all of the Catholic Priest & Nun’s who have and are raping children" to be Registered Sex Offenders" it shouldn’t matter what the rapist is wearing" ( rape is rape ).
I feel that the pedophilia; found a loophole in the religious system" so they can take the oath and get away with raping children……..
George and Jean Barilla commented 2014-02-28 07:51:47 -0600
It’s great that you (Patricia S. and Rita Marie Kelley) are working to get this important information out there. If you are putting separate petitions on the different sites then I worry that no one site will get enough signatures. Is it possible to just give a link to the government site on these other sites so that everyone signs there? The government site is the one that will have an effect on lawmakers and has the most visibility.
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-02-28 07:51:13 -0600
Hi Patricia, Your petition is excellent. I might tweak it a little and then submit—terrific idea!!
Patricia Sulecki commented 2014-02-28 07:20:48 -0600
Hi Marie, thank you, do you want me to send it to your email ? if so" I’ll need your email addr. or you can take the info from the White House site, from the petition" and you can shorten or reword it if you want ? http://wh.gov/lUF7O
Rita Marie Kelley commented 2014-02-27 21:35:54 -0600
Hi Patricia,
I would be more than glad to get petitions posted to those sites: they are National and I am sure they would get a lot of response. If you would give me what you want the petition to say, I will get those online by the end of the weekend. Thanks for doing a petition for justice. That’s what those sites are all about. Also, there’s an international tribunal that has taken the cause globally, even to the extent of asking that Ratzinger be indited for crimes against humanity. And this is what we’re dealing with. I just joined this group and already, I feel like I am not alone. It’s wonderful.

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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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