Spotlight Feedback

SNAP encourages everyone to see the Spotlight movie and share their comments on our website.

Spotlight Feedback

SNAP encourages everyone to see the Spotlight movie and share their comments on our website.

SNAP is thrilled to support the Spotlight Movie.

We strongly encourage everyone to see it and to talk about it with their family, friends, loved ones, and communities. While it has been an emotional experience for many, overwhelmingly we hear from survivors who feel empowered and motivated to advocate for others. We have been receiving so much feedback we wanted to create a place to share it with the SNAP community.

How do you feel about the film? Were you surprised by anything in the film? From your perspective, did it resonate with your experience? Would you go see it again and who would you take with you? Please leave your comments below.

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Showing 107 comments

Teresa Lancaster commented 2015-12-04 16:35:35 -0600
I thought the movie was very well done. As a survivor of clergy abuse I experienced the same cover up by the church. My abuser, A. Joseph Maskell, was moved from parish to parish. I, along with many of my classmates was abused at my high school in Baltimore where Maskell was sent after abusing others in another parish. This went on for years. Spotlight brought tears to my eyes as I identified with the abused. This is a great movie. Maskell ran an abuse ring here in Baltimore and could do so only with the help of the church cover ups. These things still go on. I’m honored that the actors/actresses in Spotlight presented our story so well.
Judy Jones commented 2015-12-04 16:19:00 -0600
The Spotlight movie is awesome. It is very uplifting and validating to victims.
Gilda Zane commented 2015-12-04 16:09:09 -0600
Wonderful movie. I cried and cried. A must see for everyone.
Debbie Yohn commented 2015-12-04 16:01:27 -0600
I have not seen the movie at this time but plan to watch it. There is a group of ladies here in Maryland that were abused and we all plan to go together as this information is raw to many of us. It is shamefull and is the first ever terror acts done to young boys and girls while people turned away. Yes terror because that is how they were able to control a child, family, church and community. People say time heals all yet they have no idea that the time involed is a lifetime. It is beyond a crime.
Debbie Yohn commented 2015-12-04 16:01:26 -0600
I have not seen the movie at this time but plan to watch it. There is a group of ladies here in Maryland that were abused and we all plan to go together as this information is raw to many of us. It is shamefull and is the first ever terror acts done to young boys and girls while people turned away. Yes terror because that is how they were able to control a child, family, church and community. People say time heals all yet they have no idea that the time involed is a lifetime. It is beyond a crime.
Gerald B. Curtis commented 2015-12-04 15:02:17 -0600
I have not yet seen this very important film, but am striving to find a venue where it can be seen. I may have to wait for Redbox or Netflix, but see it I will.

From what I have read about the film, and from the previews I have seen, this will be the catalyst that will force the criminally disinterested Roman Catholic Church to rid itself of not so much the troubled priests that commit these deplorable acts of abuse, but the despicable prelates who hide their subordinates’ acts n(and their own, too), stonewall efforts to expose them, are actually complicit in allowing the abuse to continue in other locations as priests are moved under cover of darkness of information, and consistently lie to authorities who would prosecute the prelates and the priests.

I am not sure without this film that the Roman Catholic Church would ever choose to mend its ways of putting image before the lives of its most innocent – the children who are victims.

It may, too, get the attention of the the too slow-to-act pope who talks a good line, but is deplorably slow in fixing the problem as he fails to address the problem at the level of slovenly acting and reacting bishops.

Thanks be to SNAP and its dedicated leaders and volunteers who are keeping the pressure on those in the Church who should be ousted from their positions of “leadership”.
Cindy Lynn Carter commented 2015-12-04 14:51:09 -0600
I think it is a tremendously well done and powerful film that exposes the corruption, deception and evil of certain people in positions of power in the Catholic Church and in other areas of authority. Those who have been abused, when trying to stop it or let others know, were routinely shunned, harassed or ignored. Without the determination of these journalists, who pursued a very unpopular story, I believe that the scope of the corruption and abuse would still, to this day, be ongoing and denied. Congratulations to all involved – I highly recommend it.
Charles Hoben commented 2015-12-04 14:46:21 -0600
Excellent movie !! Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci have been favorites of mine for a long time, and Mark Ruffalo is growing on me fast. But BEWARE – I left feeling very like I did after seeing Schindler’s List, namely disgusted, angry, and frustrated – Spotlight brought back all the disillusionment and disappointment in the Church.
Jeanne Christensen commented 2015-12-04 14:34:57 -0600
As a diocesan victims’ advocate from 2000-2004, I viewed the film through that lens, for the most part; I found it resonated with my experience, with what so many victims told me about their experience as well as with my anger at the church hierarchy for their irresponsibility in removing perpetrating clergy. Nothing in the film surprised me, and I am deeply grateful that someone finally had the courage and took the risk to tell the truth about what really happened. It is good, responsible investigative journalism; when I saw the roll of all the cities/dioceses where clergy sexual abuse abounded, I was profoundly saddened. I wish that in each of these cities similar responsible investigative journalism would result in additional, truth-telling documentaries. But I wonder if we could stand the horror of it? If I saw the film again, I would take our new bishop, the members of our diocesan Independent Review Board and our diocesan lawyers. The latter need a serious reality check — this is about victimized persons, not avoiding lawsuits!
Eileen Mathy commented 2015-12-04 14:22:51 -0600
I saw the film twice. The first time I slipped away in the middle of the afternoon. As a survivor of priest abuse I knew it would be difficult to process so I wanted to do that alone. I was struck by the raw honesty of the film, and the stories of survivors who were so vulnerable and let down as children. The movie allowed the story to be told from many perspectives reflecting the Catholic community and how all of us have been abused and impacted by the actions of offending priests and those who protected them. I was shocked although not naive about the full scope of clergy abuse. It felt redemptive to see our diocese rightly listed among those cities where abuse has been recognized, but shocking to see Peoria in a long list of places throughout the world. My first instinct was to never return to the church and disbelief that anyone would work for or support such an evil institution.
The second time I saw the film, I went to it with my husband. Later we joined a group of about 30 parishioners who gathered to discuss the film after seeing it together. The sentiment around the room was one of anger and betrayal by our church, our families, our community and ourselves…that we had allowed ourselves to put these men on pedestals and trusted them in our homes and with our children. There was a line in the film that said something like “If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one”. I believe that put a sense of responsibility on each of us to make sure that this never happens again. How we do that is yet to be determined, but we all walked away deciding to do what we can.
Matt Nordquist commented 2015-12-04 14:19:18 -0600
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Maggie Marigliano commented 2015-12-04 14:15:35 -0600
We loved the movie and the cast. We would certainly hope that it brings new light on a subject that is close to our hearts and opens new dialog to folks that say it couldn’t happen in our parish. It was an emotional viewing especially at the end when the phone was ringing off the hook. I really hope that messages gets through to the audience, " it could be any of them". Thank you Spotlight!
Susan Blum commented 2015-12-04 13:58:27 -0600
As a survivor from Boston I was apprehensive about seeing the film. There was the fear of stirring up emotions I have struggled to hold in check for so many years.
The movie far surpassed my expectations. While attending was an emotional experience (thankfully I was accompanied by a supportive friend) it was affirming and handled so well! It was spot on representing the professionalism of the reporters, the scope of the problem and impact on victims. The most moving parts were seeing the children in the attorney’s office and the fear in the reporter with pedopliles in his neighborhood. The problem isn’t fixed! I am damaged and trying to heal but we need to protect this from continuing!!!!
Peter Brooks commented 2015-12-04 13:45:53 -0600
I assure any viewer the movie will resonate in your bones, especially for alumni from schools where we know this has occurred.

Let institutions speak OPENLY about abuse. Send a message to every unspoken victim.
Two quotes in the film hit me like a punch in the face:
1) “They knew. And they let it happen. To children.”
2) “So is this how it begins… ? …a guy leans on a guy…”

I could replace the Church with my high school and the tragic story would be the same.
@ tweeted this page. 2015-11-30 14:14:55 -0600
I saw the Spotlight movie and shared my thoughts on the SNAP website. http://www.snapnetwork.org/spotlight_feedback?recruiter_id=38926
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@ tweeted this page. 2015-11-24 17:45:38 -0600
Have you seen Spotlight yet? Share your comments on the SNAP website here http://www.snapnetwork.org/spotlight_feedback?recruiter_id=19843
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Danielle Stefanick published this page in Spotlight 2015-11-24 17:09:59 -0600

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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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