Settlement Process Ends in Diocese of Duluth
The bankruptcy reorganization at a Minnesota diocese has ended and now dozens of survivors of sexual abuse will be compensated for the abuse and cover-up they experienced. We hope that this process has brought healing to these survivors and that parishioners in Minnesota will be vigilant in keeping an eye out for signs of abuse in the future.
We are grateful to the survivors of sexual abuse from the Diocese of Duluth who stood up for their rights and for all victims. Because of them, hundreds of thousands of pages of previously secret files will be released for all to read and absorb. Understanding the actions of Catholic church officials in suppressing evidence and testimony will go a long way towards helping Minnesota lawmakers shape more effective laws that prevent future abuse.
It is important to note that, while $40 million is a lot of money and is justly deserved by those who have suffered decades in silence, in the grand scheme of things it is but a drop in the bucket given the wealth of the church. In less than one year, if each parishioner in this small diocese made a weekly contribution of $20, the settlement will be paid off in full. For the cost of a stackable washer and dryer per parishioner, ($888), this egregious abuse of children has been settled.
Now that this bankruptcy process has ended, we hope that police and prosecutors in Minnesota are looking long and hard to find creative pathways towards justice for survivors and to prevent more cases of abuse in the future. A critical step in preventing abuse is ensuring that those who covered-up and enabled abuse are prosecuted, and we hope that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will follow in the footsteps of other AGs around the country and launch an independent investigation into all dioceses in Minnesota today.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, SNAP 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