Ontario Priest Released From Jail - Victims Respond
Fr. Alejandro Castillo pled guilty to molesting a child. He served time in jail. He has been ordered by the court to be a registered sex offender. Despite that, San Bernardino Bishop Robert Barnes has done little to nothing to reach out to parishioners and other potential victims. Why do we know that? Because Castillo's supporters, many of whom raised money for his bail, threw the child-molesting priest a party upon his release.
This is troubling. By seeing Castillo celebrated by friends and supporters, other potential victims are scared into silence. Other children are put into direct risk of abuse by well-intentioned—yet misinformed—parishioners who do not understand Castillo's crimes and the threat he poses. They may have already helped Castillo violate the terms of his probation. They may have given Castillo access to more kids.
A very brave child came forward and ensured that Castillo went to jail. The boy's brother was also abused. There may be other victims who are now too ashamed to report because their friends and family members threw the predator a party.
We beg Bishop Barnes to immediately inform the public that Castillo is out of jail and that he is guilty of a horrible crime. Barnes must also inform Catholics and the public about Castillo's status as a priest and if he has not already, immediately begin the process of officially removing Castillo from the priesthood. He must also visit every parish where Castillo has worked and reach out to potential victims and help guide the members of his flock, who are scared and confused and supporting a sex offender over the children of the parish.
Finally we urge anyone who has been abused, or seen or witnessed abuse, to call law enforcement immediately.
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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