Springfield Diocese has requested reporter's notes on priest rape.
(For Immediate Release September 22, 2022)
According to court records, doing so would violate the reporter's commitment not to expose the name of a person who gave information regarding a Chicopee man's allegation in a civil complaint that he was regularly raped by clergy, including previous Bishop Christopher Weldon, as an altar boy in the 1960s.
We stand in full support of The Eagle who has helped amplify victims’ voices in the wake of the atrocities committed by abusive clergy. The Eagle's coverage in 2019 exposed the diocese's effort to safeguard the late bishop from being identified as an abuser. An independent judge's assessment in 2020 backed up that coverage, which was used extensively in the man's 2021 lawsuit against the diocese and eight of its leaders, including former Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski.
To us, attorneys for the diocese are using desperate legal tactics to create a new narrative or diversion. Per the court documents, a request from the diocese's lawyers asks the newspaper to break a trust with a confidential source and would jeopardize its ability to conduct investigative journalism.
This is oddly like how church officials have fought us here at SNAP to quiet what has been shared with us in confidence. According to our observations, the church continues to spend money on attorneys, dragging out litigation, even though we know stating the truth is free. Rather than attempting to fix up their own problems, they strike out and blame anyone who publicizes those tragedies and/or helps individuals implicated in them. We feel that the court will rule in favor of justice in this case.
CONTACT: Mike McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager, (267-261-0578, [email protected]) Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director (517-974-9009, [email protected])
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for more than 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
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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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