Pope Should Move Quickly to Name Wuerl’s Successor and Remove Him From Bishop Selection Process
On Friday, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl. Today, we believe that Pope Francis should finish what he began last week and move quickly to both name Cardinal Wuerl’s successor and to immediately remove him from the Congregation of Bishops, the powerful committee that selects new hierarchs. Given the Cardinal’s connection to the ongoing church sexual abuse scandal, we believe he has no business helping to select any church official for any job.
Cardinal Wuerl was named more than 200 times in the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report. He himself oversaw the Diocese of Pittsburgh when at least 19 new allegations of sexual abuse arose. The simple fact remains that someone with this record should not be in a position of power, especially one that provides direct oversight on the future of dioceses around the world. If the Cardinal cannot make good decisions about which priests to put in parishes, then why does Francis think he can make good decisions about which bishops to put in dioceses?
If the Church truly wants to turn the page and begin a new era, any prelate who was involved in sexual abuse scandals should not have a role in selecting new bishops. A fresh start is necessary for the healing of victims and the Church itself.
We hope that Pope Francis will move quickly to name Cardinal Wuerl’s successor and to remove him from the Congregation of Bishops. This is a simple step the Pope can take now that will show support for survivors as well as dedication to ending the “circle of secrecy.” The time for swift action is now.
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, SNAP Treasurer, Local DC SNAP leader ([email protected], 703-801-6044), Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. 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