Scranton PA--Victims blast Catholic officials & prod prosecutors
Victims blast Scranton Catholic officials & prod prosecutors
Victims blast Scranton Diocese Catholic officials
They want "aggressive outreach" to "thousands in pain"
And they insist police, prosecutors and lawmakers do more
SNAP: Bishop must disclose & punish "enablers" who "ignored or hid" abuse
WHAT:
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk conference, clergy sex abuse survivors and advocates will call on
--Police throughout the diocese to make "repeated and aggressive public appeals" begging victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to call law enforcement with suspicions or knowledge of abuse or cover ups.
--Prosecutors to be "more assertive and creative in finding novel ways to pursue those who commit or conceal child sex crimes.
And they'll prod top Scranton Diocese Catholic officials to
-- publicly expose and "defrock, demote, discipline or denounce" current and former church staffers who helped hide abuse, and
-- put copies of the new grand jury report in back of churches in his diocese and urge every parishioner to read it.
WHEN: Monday, August 20th 11 a.m.
WHERE: Cathedral of St. Peter, 315 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503
WHO:
Two-three members of a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)
WHY:
A new grand jury report named over seventy proven, admitted, and credibly accused perpetrator priests in the Scranton diocese. (Previously, less than ten such individuals had been publicly identified.) And grand jurors have estimated that thousands of Pennsylvania victims have yet to come forward.
Attorney General Stated that there are over a thousand victims.
SNAP is concerned about those who are at risk now, because of still-living predators who may be living or working near kids. Since virtually few clerics who enabled, hid or transferred predators have been exposed - and even fewer punished - SNAP worries that this "callous and reckless pattern" will continue or be repeated.
We acknowledge the pain this report has caused to victims, not only Catholic but those abused elsewhere as well. If they need help, reach out to therapists for professional guidance and groups like ours for peer support. There are people who will believe them and support them. The investigation in not complete, call the AG hotline 888-538-8541.
So, we want Scranton officials to disclose who these "enablers" are and "defrock, discipline, demote or denounce" them. SNAP maintains that this will deter future cover ups, inside and outside the church, help restore parishioners' trust and help victims heal better.
Encourage all the living PA bishops who covered up abuse to do the honorable thing and follow the example of the bishops in Chile and submit their resignations; the Pope should accept the resignations. Resignations are not enough, enabling hierarchy who covered up must be demoted and disciplined. Prohibit awarding positions of honor to those complicit.
The organization is also convinced that local political and law enforcement leaders, using their bully pulpits, should do more to bring forward victims still trapped in "silence, shame and secrecy." SNAP members are convinced, based on years of experience, that appeals by police and prosecutors will "have a real impact and promote public safety, deterrence and healing."
Over three decades, SNAP has seen prosecutors and civil attorneys find and use innovative ways to come up with new and creative ways to hold past enablers accountable under the civil law. Urge them to change laws so that cover ups are less likely in the future.
Finally, SNAP will also again urge lawmakers to pass a civil window that would deter future cover-ups and protect kids now by enabling abuse victims to expose those who commit or conceal child sex crimes in court. Four states (MN, HI, DE and CA) have taken this important safety step, SNAP says.
Covering six dioceses, the grand jury report included "stunning revelations: a priest molested a 7-year-old girl during a visit to a hospital where she had her tonsils removed; priests shared naked photos of abuse victims; a priest arranged an abortion after impregnating a girl he had raped; a priest got a reference letter for a Disney World job after years of complaints about his abusive acts."
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world's oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
CONTACT
Tim Lennon (415-312-5820, [email protected]), Melanie Sakoda, (925) 708-6175 [email protected], Judy Jones,
Support Group Meeting for Victims, Survivors and their Supporters
August 20th
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Albright Memorial Library, 500 Vine Street, Scranton PA 18509
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