Plug pulled on event for sex offender archbishop Kenneth Storheim
By Kristin Annable
March 2, 2014
A small but fervent group remains committed to raising funds for convicted sex offender and disgraced archbishop Kenneth (Seraphim) Storheim.
But the group were stopped in their tracks this weekend when an Ottawa church pulled the plug on one of their fundraising events.
An attempt by the group to throw the party March 5 at Woodroffe United Church was thwarted when SNAP, a U.S.-based support group for clergy abuse victims, alerted the church of the group's true intentions.
It was touted as a chamber music concert on a website devoted to raising money for Storheim's legal defence.
"We don't support funding for people who have been convicted of sexual abuse," explained Rev. Jan Lougheed of her decision to cancel the event.
Lougheed said a woman who uses the church to teach Russian to children on Saturdays approached her a few weeks ago and asked her if the church was free on that date.
"This was not a church event," Lougheed was quick explain, adding it was more like a person booking a hall.
The church received a letter last week from SNAP, informing them of the nature of the event and who the proceeds would be going to.
"We were certainly misled by the people who spoke to us," Lougheed said, who previously believed it was going to be a concert put on by a piano quartet from Illinois.
"We have a large church that is a good venue for music."
Lougheed said the Saturday school teacher was also unaware of the who the event was in support of.
"She was quite shocked and in disbelief, because she wasn't aware either," she said
The woman showed Lougheed the poster she had received from the organizers and the poster did not disclose where the money was going.
"As far as all the people in Ottawa go, we had no idea. We were totally misled about this event, we had no idea what was happening."
The former archbishop was found guilty in January of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy while serving as a rector at Holy Trinity Sobor in Winnipeg between 1984 and 1987.
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