RI--Abuse allegations vs. 95 year old priest are “credible;” Victims respond
For immediate release: Thursday, June 30, 2016
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790,314 645 5915 home, [email protected])
Rhode Island Catholic officials now admit that child sex abuse reports against a priest are “credible.” Bishop Thomas Tobin should honor his pledge to be “open” about clergy sex crimes.
http://dioceseofprovidence.org/news/statement-from-the-diocese-of-providence
Tobin should
--have held a news conference about this, instead of essentially hiding it in a small announcement on a church website,
--use clear language like “child sex abuse” or “rape” instead of vague, minimizing language like “misconduct,”
--disclose how long he and his staff sat on this accusation before disclosing it, and
--personally visit each parish where this predator worked begging others in pain to speak up.
We hope every person who has suspicions or knowledge about crimes by Fr. B. Samuel Turillo or cover ups by his colleagues or supervisors will step forward. We strongly suspect he has assaulted others, some of whom are likely still trapped in silence, shame and self-blame. It’s Tobin’s duty to try to find and help them.
No matter what lawmakers or church officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in Catholic churches or institutions to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling law enforcement, get justice by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 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)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell,[email protected])
Statement of the Diocese of Providence
June 30, 2016
The Diocese of Providence today announced that in accordance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the law of the Church and diocesan policy, the Reverend B. Samuel Turillo, a senior priest of the Diocese, is now prohibited from exercising the sacred ministry after the Diocese received a credible accusation regarding alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor that took place approximately 60 years ago.
Father Turillo’s faculties or permission to serve as a priest have . . .
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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