Richard Sipe -- We lost a giant
We Honor Richard Sipe and Mourn His Passing
Another warrior has fallen.
Sadly, A.W. Richard Sipe passed away on August 8th. He was a courageous soul who did battle with the ignorance, arrogance, and mindless authoritarianism of the largest institution in the world, the Roman Catholic Church. He engaged with passion and argued with facts and research. He stood alongside survivors and fought with us and for us. He was a comrade in arms, linked to all of us.
Those of us who were fortunate enough to know Richard recognized his heroism and courage, which may not be apparent to those on the outside. We shall carry our warm memories forward and keep them close. Richard was indeed a hero, and his bravery will inspire us as we continue to move forward. He will be sorely missed.
We here at SNAP honor A. W. Richard Sipe and mourn his passing.
SNAP Board of Directors
Richard spent 18 years as a Benedictine monk and priest and trained specifically to deal with the mental health problems of priests. He conducted a 25-year ethnographic study of the celibate/sexual behavior of that population. His study, published in 1990, is now considered a classic. He served as a consultant and expert witness in hundreds of civil and criminal cases involving the sexual abuse of minors by priests. Richard is known internationally for his many books and studies.
Here, Richard and Phil Saviano discuss the church's response to allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqhlYGkmcE8
Richard has four books on SNAP's recommended reading list: Courage At Three AM, Sex, Priests and Power: Anatomy of a Crisis, Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes: The Catholic Church's 2,000-Year Paper Trail of Sexual Abuse, and Celibacy in Crisis: A Secret World Revisited.
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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