Woman raped by priest speaks out
Mary McCarthy Stanton, who said she was molested and raped by a priest in the 1960's, felt compelled to speak out after seeing recent TV coverage of the death of former Santa Fe Archbishop Robert Sanchez.
Sanchez stepped down from his post, in part, after failing to take action against priests accused of sexually abusing children.
Stanton said she was bothered by how easily people were willing to forgive Sanchez when he died.
"Forgiveness is granted in the sacrament of reconciliation, after we admit wrongdoing after we tell the truth, not before," Stanton said.
She said the rape and molestation nearly destroyed her. She said the shame, and accompanying depression, led to her abusing alcohol and prescription pills. She explained that it resulted in more than one overdose that could have killed her.
Stanton is telling her story hoping that others abused by priests will confide in at least one trustworthy person with their st...
Read the whole story here: http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2508681.shtml?cat=500
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