Vatican’s New Manual Tells Bishops to Report Crimes to Police, But Stops Short of Requiring It
A new manual on how to handle cases of clergy abuse has been released by Vatican officials that contains no-brainer requirements that church officials report abuse allegations to police, but without any sort of teeth to enforce this requirement. Once again, we see “reform” from the Vatican that is anything but.
Current Vatican policy only requires church officials to report allegations to police only when “local laws require it.” The new updated language from the Vatican now directs bishops and religious superiors to report all cases to law enforcement even if not required by law, but there is nothing in the manual to enforce this new policy, making it little more than a suggestion.
This new guidance is a step forward, but the smallest of steps. Pope Francis has the ability and authority to make a binding policy that would require bishops and superiors to direct all allegations to police immediately or face significant punishment from the Vatican. By choosing not to do that, church officials continue to drag their feet towards progress.
We continue to believe that change will come only when forced on the church by independent, secular officials. Rather than hope that church officials will listen to Pope Francis’ new suggestion, attorneys general in every single state should be launching independent investigations into clergy abuse, using subpoena power and grand jury to force the truth into the public square and ensure that children are protected from abusers and that enablers are removed form positions of power.
CONTACT: Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(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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