PA--Greensburg priest charges
For immediate release: July 24th
Statement by: Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Leader, 636-433-2511, [email protected]
We applaud the PA Attorney General for taking the allegations against Fr John Sweeny for child sex abuse seriously and opening an investigation. The victim is to be commended for having the courage to come forward and the wisdom to report the crimes to civil authorities and not church officials.
We urge anyone who may have seen or suspected abuse the alleged abuse by Sweeny or any other cleric to call the PA Attorney General’s hot line 888-538-8541. Now more than ever it is critical for people with any information no matter how old or insignificant they feel it may be to contact enforcement.
https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/Media_and_Resources/Press_Releases/Press_Release/?pid=3759
Contact - Judy Jones, (636-433-2511, [email protected]) Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years and have more than 25,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. 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