PA - Predator priest arrested, SNAP urges Scranton bishop to do outreach
It is ironic that while America's bishops pat themselves on the back for their alleged clergey sex reforms, another arrest of a priest for serial sexual abuse hits the news. We hope that as the bishops leave Atlanta and return to their home dioceses, they see this story as a sobering reminder of how far church officials really do have to go.
We are grateful to the police for apprehending Fr. Thomas Shoback and preventing him from abusing any more kids. The fact that he is currently facing more than 30 charges is indicative of the lack of oversight and care by church officials at the Diocese of Scranton.
Shoback abused kids on church grounds and in the rectory. It is hard to imagine, therefore, that no other employee or parishioner saw his crimes and failed to report them. We hope that this is not the case, but we expect it is.
We urge anyone who saw, suspected, or suffered crimes by Shoback to come forward immediately to the Pennsylvania State Police. Bishop Bambera should also do everything he can to help law enforcement. Issuing a short statement urging people to “pray for healing” does nothing. Instead, he should use all the resources available to him (including the diocesan website and newspaper) to reach out to others who may have been hurt by Shoback or any other employee of the Diocese of Scranton.
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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