SNAP Applauds Connecticut Lawmaker who is Suing the Archdiocese of New York over Abuse
A Connecticut legislator is taking church officials in New York to court over abuse he suffered as a child. We applaud this brave survivor for taking this step and providing a highly visible example of survivors standing up for the protection of children.
As a politician who is in the public eye, Connecticut State Senator Gennaro Bizzarro is standing up for victims of abuse in Catholic institutions everywhere. And because Bizzarro was abused by the high school basketball coach at the school he attended – a prolific abuser named Rudy Tremaroli – he is providing yet another example of how abusers at catholic institutions are not limited to just priests.
Church officials consistently attempt to downplay abuse within their schools and churches by refusing to publicly acknowledge and list lay employees, nuns, deacons and others who abuse children but are not priests. Abuse thrives in places that are secretive and put the institution above the victim, and secrecy is too often how church officials respond to cases of sexual violence.
We call on Cardinal Timothy Dolan to finally come clean and to start naming all lay employees, volunteers, order priests nun and all other employees who abused while employed in the New York archdiocese. Only by being as thorough as possible and naming all abusers, not just priests, can church officials in New York truly take steps to protect children and prevent future cases of abuse.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(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