Three Immediate Steps That Must Be Taken in Buffalo
Buffalo's bishop will not resign, he says. However new tapes show that he is still trying to hide the truth, and church officials in New York and the Vatican are doing nothing.
To us, the remedy is simple:
First, Catholics must be more outspoken and critical, especially directly to Bishop Richard Malone himself, about how he continues to evade the truth and endanger the vulnerable. This has started with a call for the bishop’s resignation coming from the local Movement to Restore Trust. That call must be amplified by other local Catholics who have seen their diocese become the poster child for the continuing abuse crisis.
Second, more diocesan whistleblowers must step forward. If the bishop will not act to protect the vulnerable and tell the truth, then current and former church staffers and members must do so. No matter what you know or suspect - even if it is second hand or old or seemingly insignificant, now is the time to speak up. Last year, Siobhan O’Connor stepped out as a powerful voice for prevention and doing the right thing. We hope others will learn from her courage, follow in her footsteps and display similar courage in coming forward. If you need help to do so, you can contact our group for support.
Third, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan should stop passively sitting back and doing nothing. He need not wait on some other church official to initiate action towards “fraternal correction.”Cardinal Dolan himself can - and should - publicly denounce his Buffalo colleague’s behavior. The culture of secrecy will only end when people within that culture help to uproot it. Cardinal Dolan should speak out today.
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
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