OH- Honoring clerics with funerals, ball fields & street signs
Dear Fr. Ritter,
SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) in solidarity with the NSAC (the National Survivors Advocate Coalition) and the Voice of the Faithful, urges you, in your role as “Diocesan administrator,” to take action to correct what can only be seen as a series of stunningly insensitive decisions surrounding the case of convicted murderer and accused child molester, Fr. Robinson.
The current stance of the diocese on this issue rubs more salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of Sr. Margaret Ann Pahl's family and the wounds of every person who has ever suffered a violent assault. Do not the church's teachings speak of protecting the victimized? We believe the feelings of crime victims should trump the feelings of a murderer's clerical colleagues and urge you to take three immensely important steps towards healing the community.
1. Do not allow Fr. Robinson to be buried a Catholic priest. A man may deserve a proper burial, but to provide "Priestly Honors" to a murderer is insensitive to everyone who cared about the victim or is a victim of violent crime themselves..
2. Aggressively seek out those who Fr. Robinson may have molested. More than one person has already come forward to allege molestation at the hands of Fr. Robinson. Seek out the those he may have hurt and urge them to get help.
3. Ask the City of Toledo to remove the public street sign dedicated to Msgr. Jerome Schmit while using your position as Administrator to rename the athletic complex named after him too. Two police officers have testified under oath that Schmit interrupted a 1980 police interrogation of Fr. Robinson for the murder of Sr. Margaret Ann Pahl, enabling Fr. Robinson to walk free, and perhaps hurt others, for decades.
We urge you to show that the self-protective clerical culture in the church is a thing of the past, with priority instead given to the needs and well-being of the flock.
Barbara Blaine, President of SNAP
Claudia Vercellotti, Toledo SNAP Chapter Leader 419 345 9291
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