THE END OF INNOCENCE--Not Everyone Is Celebrating Five Years of Pope Francis
By BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, 03.13.18, Daily Beast
On the fifth anniversary of his election, Pope Francis continues to be an inspiration to non-Catholics—and a source of confusion to his own flock.
ROME—It has been five years since white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney to herald the election of a pope like no other.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first pontiff from the Americas and a maverick among the more stoic men of the church, set the tone for his reign with the two simple words he uttered from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. “Buona sera,” or “good evening,” he said, quite simply, rather than greeting the gathered crowds with a theological tidbit of Godly wisdom. It seemed, at the time, endearing and innocuous.
But now, that refreshing innocence is turning into something else. Visibly weary and often irritable, the pope sometimes seems like . . .
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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