Thank you for highlighting the extremely biased focus of SNAP. I couldn't agree more with "... and [SNAP] has discovered a way of making a living off the victimization others have suffered." Greed in the guise of feigned compassion. Hate for money.

Pete

I have to affirm your assessment of SNAP, Russell. Beyond the matter of their motives and the money, when one actually takes the time to get to know these people, you quickly find they are the equivalent of ambulance chasers with an axe to grind. Our Lord said, "By your fruits you will know them," and I've never met a person that was closer to healing after their involvement with SNAP.

Actually, they seem worse of for their exposure, which is little surprise given how they get used to whip up anger and resentment.

I found this article very informative. I wish it could be published in the Kansas City Star for all to read.

Very interesting article! I have been following the situation in Kansas City and could not agree more that SNAP preys on sexual abuse victims, especially Roman Catholic victims who need true help, not someone who just wants an indirect paycheck from them at the end of the day.

Thank you for writing this article. I am a Catholic and have worked for the church for many years. I feel that SNAP has become little more than an organization that is on a "witch hunt" against the Catholic Church. As you say in your article, virtually no other organization is targeted except the Catholic Church. We are always deeply saddened when a valid claim of abuse is discovered and every effort to help the families of victims is explored. However, the majority of priests are dedicated, religious men who are truly making an effort to serve God. It is a shame that SNAP, instead of being a true advocate for victims, seems to have become nothing more than a fund raising source for those who hate the church.

Mr. Saltzman you have a correct perspective. "A noisy little group" indeed! This noisy little group may think that they are doing abuse survivors some good with all of the lawsuits they help to file (and perhaps even push people into filing) but they've forgotten a very important part of healing: FORGIVENESS. Stirring up anger and hate and keeping it alive isn't helping anyone. So a survivor wins a civil suit and receives a settlement, is this a happier person now? Is life all sunshine and flowers? No, that survivor is still most likely suffering and SNAP most likely will never allow them to not.

They ought to either change their mission from one of attacks on the Catholic church to being a real network for survivors, a support system for those who want it and need it. Either that or change their name to something more logical: SUM, Sad Unforgiving Manipulators.

The history of mankind is frequently based on the powerful controlling the weak and vulnerable. Such is the case of powerful church clergy abusing naive altar boys. This crime gets very muddied when powerful lawyers pursue wealth disguised as compassion. Excellent piece of investigative reporting. Keep up the good work, Russ.

Saltzman writes:
"SNAP has never to my knowledge examined scandals among mental health professionals. It never says anything of public school districts, where reports say children are at far greater risk of abuse. Nor has it said anything of volunteer youth organizations. The simple fact is SNAP targets Roman Catholics."

Umm, yeah. That's because it's an organization devoted to those who have been abused by priests. That's the AP in SNAP. That's the whole point of what it does. It's not a police force out there patrolling all cases of sexual abuse.

SNAP has done a great deal of good work. In my own (former) parish, they helped flush out not only a predator, but the members of the hierarchy that had been protecting him and moving him from place to place. As for the claim that they have mounted a smear campaign against all priests and bishops, I've seen no evidence of it. I have seen plenty of behavior on the parts of priests and bishops, however, that might make one feel rather anti-Catholic at times.

I really do not know SNAP well enough to speak authoritatively about it, but I have long wondered if the intense focus on the victimhood of those who have been sexually abused is more harmful to them than helpful. There is no question at all that they *were* victimized, that they deserve some kind of justice, and that in many cases justice may come in the form of a cash award. So I want to make it clear that I am not saying their victimhood should be overlooked or minimized. I am not saying they should "just get over it." But I really wonder how helpful it is to those who suffered emotional damage from being sexually abused to win a sizable cash award for damages. It may be emotionally satisfying, and those who were victimized have a right to that satisfaction, but how much does it heal the emotional damage of having been abused? And how much does the intense focus on victimhood make those who were victimized in the past feel like victims in the present rather than people who are overcoming the effects of past victimization?

I sit on a big fence, and from that perch I see SNAP on the side of malice and greed. A very close family member (non-clerical) was falsely accused of rape due to a motive of monetary gain and revenge by the accuser, so I know too well how awful a false abuse allegation can destroy lives. I also am a survivor of abuse myself, and know that it is a travesty when guilty men go free. In the case of Kansas City, which I have been closely following, I felt with a heavy heart that when Fr. Ratigan was accused and read the Graves report, that he seems likely guilty. Following the rest of the accusations since then, they seem to be piggybacking on the tide that so often to this point has produced money for alleged victims. SNAP is gobbling up these stories, each one more far-fetched than the last. There seems to be no discrimination by actual investigation, just accusation=guilt. This is so damaging to those of us who have lived through a false accusation and have survived the terror that a real incident of sexual abuse accompanies. The speed at which more lawsuits are brought seemingly without investigation disturbs me to the core.

I found this article intriguing and am sorry to hear of the apparent corruption within this organization. Still, I have to ask: the organization's acronym stands for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Why the call for them to interrogate organizations beyond the Catholic Church?

I fail to see how an organization centered on preventing future sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has a responsibility to extend its mission into general U.S. society such as "public schools and volunteer youth organizations." This article suggests SNAP is already doing an inadequate job of its primary mission. Shouldn't interested parties involved with those other organizations step up to create their own victim advocacy organizations and support networks?

It has become painfully obvious that SNAP organizers are masters at manipulating the news media in cities across the nation. While they have exposed some awful issues within the church, they have also destroyed many innocent people with their "shoot first and ask questions later" approach to many of their announcements.
Thank you for pointing out that SNAP is nothing more than a front for class action lawyers desiring to shake down the Catholic Church. Its front man David Clohessy has more skeletons in his closet than most of the people he attacks.
It is sad that the mainstream media does not have the guts to take a long, hard look at SNAP rather than simply parroting everything the group announces.

The SNAP lawyers do all they can to call attention to the malfeasance of the pedophile priests and to obscure mitigating evidence. The Church's lawyers do all they can to discredit SNAP and to call emphasize weaknesses in their accusations. The judge is tasked to sort it all out and discern where the truth lies.

That's not a witch hunt; that's the way an adversarial justice system is supposed to work. It's not perfect. It's just the best system invented so far.

Turkish, your point is right on. For an organization the claims to support victims of abuse, it seems to be strikingly oblivious to the impact and consequences of dragging these individuals or, at least, their situations through every headline. Attacks and public humiliation, while conforming to TV therapy, ie 'Revenge,' do not facilitate authentic healing or increase peace in people. As a member of the diocese of KCSJ and of the Catholic Church, whose name SNAP loves to drag through the mud, I have more than once thought of starting a survivors network of those abused by SNAP (Members would include any of member of the Church, including our head, Christ).
SNAP also is remarkably absent from the prevention scene. If they truly care about victims, should they not work to prevent future instances and systems of abuse? Nonetheless, they offer no preventative assistance, no positive projects, bishops cannot turn to SNAP as a resource for ensuring safety. Instead, SNAP is fixated on the negative--suing and seeking to kick-out--never building up.

I disagree entirely.

SNAP's finances are far more open than other non-profit institutions including the Catholic Church. SNAP arose from an institutional church stonewalling and denying any clergy sex abuse when the church was aware that it was a widespread problem.

As other have pointed out the "P" descirbes its mission. Others can deal with schools and relatives if they want.

I have spoken with SNAP memberrs who are Catholic and those who are not. There are many who are very internally anguished and in near despair--understandbly so. The spiritual damage to many of the members is almost incomprehensible. Members are obviously in differnt stages of healing from horrific crimes committed against them. I'll cut them some slack on this.

Kansas City in particular is an evil situation. SNAP cannot do enough in KC. The actions of the bishop are beyond inexcusable. The Grand Jury proceedings are well justified and far too late. The numberof criminal proceedings against dioceses is enough to show that SNAP is "restained" in its public relations.

SNAP cannot be hiring the District Attorneys in New Hampshire, in Philadephia, Tuscon and in KC. Those criminal investigations are not the result of ambulance chasing but arise from criminal actity within the Church, which has not dealt with this issue at all. Until it does, SNAP will have to serve as the conscience of the Church. People want SNAP to go away and sulk in silence (or get over it!) so they can go about their lives and feel good when they go to church. If your conscience bothers you, maybe you should listen to it.

I have donated 1/3 of what my church offering would have been to SNAP every year. One thord also goes to Catholic Worker and 1/3 to Rachel's house.

All three organizations send me a single thank you card and none of the three bombard me with donations requests. It's obvious that none of the three "sell" my name to charity mailing lists.

It pains me to talk with mothers who have lost their children to suicide as a result of clerical sex abuse. It pains me to see otherwise functioning people brought to near death as a result of a "flashback." Do victims wallow? Sure. Do they need our help? Yes they do. How do we give it? By complaining about their finances and accusing them of stridency. How Christian of us.

This article is a helpful addition to the much needed conversation about the credibility of organizations like SNAP that are really collaborators with lawyers and seem terribly interested in money over actual truth or healing/help for victims. Where is the training program to help increase safety in Catholic institutions sponsored by SNAP? What exactly does their organization do to really help victims besides orchestrating media events and protests outside of courtrooms?
The abuse of minors is among the most heinous crimes and those who have been abused should receive a fair hearing in court. This truth doesn't justify unquestioning support of the work of an organization like SNAP. They are not an untouchable organization even if they are a media darling. Thank you for your well crafted, respectful and thoughtful article Russell.

"In my own (former) parish, they helped flush out not only a predator, but the members of the hierarchy that had been protecting him and moving him from place to place."

What was the name of your former parish and where was it located?

What was the name of the predator?

What was the name of the member of the hierarchy?

Joe--your comment assumes that all people who go to SNAP for advocacy ARE victims. I just don't think this is the case. Once Sean Ratigan was arrested, people started coming out of the woodwork in KCSJ to report about things that happened decades ago--why did they wait until now, when the news is fixated on the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph? Could it be that they smelled another class-action lawsuit that they might "get in" on? Especially from an allegation from years ago when often the accused offenders have left the priesthood? I'm not saying that anyone who levels an accusation is automatically a money-seeker, or that abuse has not ever happened. But SNAP doesn't care who is actually guilty--as long as they have their cameras and bullhorns, they'll trumpet a verdict well before they see any evidence, and no justice system that works like that should be lent any credence whatsoever. I agree with Dino--where are the preventative programs? Where are the attempts to stop abuse before a victim has to make an accusation? They are only interested in bankrupting and arresting the Catholic Church using the most sympathetic of patsies--abuse victims, or people claiming abuse that haven't actually experienced it. They have no interest in anything else--not in truth, not in justice, and certainly not in prevention.

SNAP added " and others " to Priests as I recall when it began and they do pursue some non-RC clergy as I recall. Their lawyer-backer Anderson of Minnesota does pursue a broader agenda.
As noted here, their pursuit of the RC church is relentless and IF their agenda is abuse there is a lot more of it in USA public school syste, to this very day- not fifty-year old allegations the US bishops dragged up - as well as other professional roups including clergy. The NYT did a front page story recently on a RC priest and on page seven they featured seven rabbis who abused minors. That bias is not confined to the NYT. Someone wrote in a national magazine -which? sometime back which argued that SNAP had lost its moral authority if it ever really had any as hatred and revenge dominate their media comments. That is no basis for seeking justice it destroys the actor and the cause.

I think they should change the name to SNAC and focus in general on clergy....what about Jeffers?

Interesting article. Similarly, I no longer view the Catholic Church as PRIMARILY a force for taking responsibility for actions or for protecting human life. It has shown itself to be much more interested in protecting its own existence.

Surely there has been some anti-Catholic backlash in the wake of priests raping children. But I was raised to take the FULL blame for my own actions, even the unintended consequences. The more the Church moans about being picked on, the more it sounds like an unrepentant child trying to blame its sins on others who hate it. I, for one am sick of it.

The Catholic Church has lost its moral authority for its own inability to identify real sin in its midst and has been reduced to claiming that its being picked on. This is the state of the church. Embarrassing.

Lastly, I really don't care how many anti-Catholics there are. The Church's focus should be on completely ripping out by the roots all possibility that there are children in danger. Instead in continues to whine about how it is treated. Until you protect the children, frankly, no one gives a damn how bad the Church hierarchy is ridiculed. Where are the priorities!

First Thing, I wish there was no need for SNAP, but when Church lawyers layered up as victims of those abused by Priests came forth, a need arose to protect victims legally. In our culture when wrong is done, we generally settle in court with appropriate damages. It's better than duels.

Second Thing, SNAP's staff have been abused by Priests. This is hardly a wealthy organization, with an annual budget in the $400,000 range for at least 5 or 6 staff and expenses. And if plaintiffs lawyers want to contribute, it's still a free country.

I am a donor to SNAP and I am merely a catholic who is concerned for victims and felt a few years ago that I no longer wanted to be an observer of the molestation mess, but rather a participant to try to help.

Third Thing, SNAP victims are very clear about the comfort and help SNAP has provided them. Perhaps you should attend a local Survivors meeting?

In closing, if the Church had monitored it's clergy and hierarchy, and prevented molestation from occurring, there would be no need for SNAP. Sadly that has not happened, rather vulnerable children throughout the world have had hideous experiences and the hierarchy has behaved in very self serving sorts of ways, and only with media pressure, have they set up somewhat cosmetic systems to protect some children.

I do not think SNAP is a noisy little group that hates the church, many SNAP members are practicing Catholics. Rather, SNAP is a very very small organization that has made the worlds largest organization uncomfortable, because they have effectively used media on behalf of the protection of children from clergy molesters.

A recent report on the subject:

"SNAP EXPOSED: Unmasking the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests"
August 22, 2011 by the Catholic League
Special Report by William Donohue

http://www.catholicleague.org/snap-exposed-unmasking-the-survivors-network-of-those-abused-by-priests/

The Catholic Church in the United States does have a program in place to protect children, it's called "Protecting God's Children" and appears to be highly effective. Pastors, Priests, Administrators, School Staff and Volunteers go through a training that teaches them to recognize signs of abuse as well as to recognize a potential abuser. For those who think the Catholic Church is doing nothing but whining and cringeing (sp?) I recommend that you look at: www.virtus.org you may find it quite enlightening and encouraging.

so sad that the young girl( who you believe you were the only one she told about her abuse and it took you years to "tease" it out of her died.). did she commit suicide as many victims of priests have done.. it must be a huge burden for you to carry knowing you were the only one who was" helping "her.. why didnt you go to the police or did you? i am curious about how men of god handle the confessions of children and adults concerning felony and misdemeanor child and adult sexual abuse.. i am sending this comment to snap in case you dont publish it..

Sorry, my link wasn't very obvious and I forgot to mention, "Protecting God's Children" has more than one program. Children are also taught that there is a "Circle of Grace", if someone attempts to violate their circle, they are taught to tell a trusted adult. Adults who have done the training know that they are not allowed to be alone at any time with a minor, this is a very good thing! Here's the link to a program that makes sense, everyone ought to do this training, whether or not they're a teacher, pastor Catholic or otherwise:

http://www.virtus.org/virtus/

Julia:

My parishioner was well in her mid-80's when she died. In her life she went through a succession of husbands and of her two children, her son refused to attend the funeral and her daughter attended only as a form of self-therapy, closing a final chapter on a toxic mother. When I say the sexual abuse she experienced ruined her life, that's what I mean. She could not form elemental bonds of trust. As she had been victimized physically, so with verbal abuse she victimized her children, and to one degree or another, everyone around her. It was hard being her friend.

The sermon I preached for her funeral. I decided to tell in third person because absolutely no one in the congregation knew anything about that history:


Revelation of St. John 21:2-5

I have a picture to describe and a story to tell.
The picture is from a childhood book I remember. I remember nothing else about the book save the last page with a picture forever embedded in my memory, one of those snatches of childhood reminiscence that stay with us.
The story is the sad story of a woman I knew. Perhaps you knew her too, but not this part of the story that was her life.
The picture comes at the end, but it is where I will begin.

This is the picture.
I remember it vividly — three people, an old woman, and old man, and a young boy, dancing, leaping with joyous abandonment, holding hands, circling a candle on the floor in the center of a room.
Night shirts flapping,
sleeping caps flopping,
laughing,
swirling endlessly circling the central light,
illuminated by the light,
warmed in the light.
I have looked in vain for that picture among the childhood books my mother kept — I should like once more to see it.
The picture has come to represent a several things for me.

That picture conveys to me the essence of the Holy Trinity: Dancers dancing the dance of creation, the three who are harmoniously one in a sustaining, creative, redeeming delight.

I have also come to see that picture as a consummation of hope and joy and redemption.
If I could remember anything of the story in that childhood book I could tell you why.
Yet, something deliriously good happened to these people, for them to dance as they were — perfect happiness, completed fulfillment.

When I hear these words from Revelation a place, a time for all time, where there are no more tears, where sorrow is banished and grief forgotten that’s what I see in my mind, that picture from the last page of a childhood book.

I think of that place and those three people from that childhood picture, where something of delirious goodness and surprise has happened.

It is funny what we pick up in childhood and how it stays with us.
And sometimes what happens in childhood is not so funny at all.
Here is the story I will tell.

I knew a woman who, as a little girl through young girlhood, suffered many years of sexual molestation by a male relative. There was “special room,” she told me, where these things would happen.
It was one of those family secrets everyone knows about but of which no one speaks.
But just because no one speaks of it, does not mean it goes unnoticed.
Things happen in a family.
The child does not grow up with any fundamental feeling of safety, protection, or self-worth.
Quite literally, there is no one for protection. Those who should love and shelter her best fail and the child — the young girl — concludes, there is nothing about herself that is worthy of protection and love.
The family members — especially the parents who do know of it — withdraw from the victim. They blame the victim — somehow it is the victim’s fault and not the fault of the victimizer.
The child can do nothing right.
It is, after all, her fault. She is responsible for the victimization she undergoes. Nobody says to her, it’s not your fault.
By experiencing insecurity and a loss of innocence, the victim of child molestation believes, somehow, it is her fault.
Were it not her fault, if she were truly innocent, those who should would love and protect her. But since they do not, it must be her fault, her responsibility. She is unloved because she is unlovable.
It is a cruel logic.

The woman I am telling you about never experienced a sense of love that loved beyond all boundaries, never knew a fundamental sense of safety and trust, never felt protected and secure.
She did experience self-loathing, and deep, deep feelings that she could never be safe, that no one truly ever had her interests at heart, that someone would take advantage of her, and there would be no one ever upon whom she could rely.
She carried these feelings all her life.

And upon her own children she visited the bitter fruits of her own psychological damage.
She would repeat with her own children only what she had learned — that love was conditional, that it could be withdrawn at whim; she was incapable, I think, of giving them encouragement.
All she could do, on balance, was place inordinate demands upon them and berate them when they failed. (I have permission to tell you this.)
What happened to her in childhood produced a limited person. As one of her friends said told me recently, it was very, very hard being her friend.
It was not her fault, but that is the way it was and that is what she was like.

In her later years she took up writing a column for her church newsletter.
Almost always she wrote of the Father.
And this Father was always loving, always protective, always an unquestioned source of security and safety.
This Father was never one to withdraw His love from his children.
This Father was steadfast, unswerving, and true.

She was writing, of course, about the love she had never known in her own childhood.
But even this, she doubted.
I don’t think she ever genuinely heard the Gospel. I mean that while she could “talk” Gospel — the Father’s unerring love for us — she always questioned it, deeply.
How could it really be true?
Could it be “for her”?
The last conversation I had with her was on that very subject. It was one of many such conversations; it just happened to be the last.
How, I asked, can you write this and not believe it?
Because I want to believe it.

There is no way to offer reassurance where elementary trust is absent.
So I told her she’d just have to wait and see and be surprised; she could write great stuff, but she’d probably have to spend eternity learning how to live it.
That is the story of the woman I knew.

I think now of those three people from my childhood book
— those three now welcoming a fourth into the dance that swirls so joyously through creation around a flame that is ever secure, ever safe, enduring and permanent.
A place of final safety and unbounded acceptance, a Father’s love she craved in her life.
A place where God himself will wipe away her every tear, where death and mourning and crying and pain
— the old order of things
— will have passed away
— where all things are made new and broken hearts are recreated whole.

Russell, I saw the same thing others have mentioned -- that you overlooked that SNAP is an advocacy organization for those abused by PRIESTS. They do not pay nearly as much attention to victims of Catholic nuns or brothers, and much less to victims of perps in other religious denominations. I often see how scattered their work is for victims of priests, so I do not think in the present organization and the level of donations, that they can do much more than they already do.

As a victim of a Missouri priest, I have seen SNAP make a lot of mistakes in their rush, especially in press releases, which are very hurried. That's probably what you experienced with the story of the Lutheran minister in Texas.

I haven't gone into it here, because I am responding to your essay, but I see and know about many other problems with SNAP that should see daylight.

An institution with the wealth, power and prestige of the Roman Catholic Church does not get to whine and whimper when a mostly volunteer organization with an annual budget of $400K calls it to task for the real and revolting harm its hierarchy has caused. Even if every misdeed Mr. Saltzman lays at the feet of SNAP, it is a molehill compared to the mountain of suffering caused by the RCC and its refusal to behave in the manner to which Christ calls his followers. I am no longer one of those followers and never belonged to the RCC. It regularly boggles my mind that those in the highest ranks of the RCC seem regularly to refuse to ask themselves this simple question: How will this deed of mine reflect the love of Jesus Christ? I do not doubt that there are individuals with the RCC hierarchy who have genuine moral authority because of their actions, but the institution as a whole has no moral credibility left at all.

Barry Clifford is the founder of the Charity www.childaware.net. When he had his first demonstration against the Irish Govt. and Church back in 2009 a request was made by a member of SNAP to forward the airfare to her and she would attend to lend her support!!!!! Is this what they call Advocacy for survivors? Barry and I work pro bono and have not received a penny from the church, political parties, solicitors or otherwise. We continue to campaign for funding however, but to seek monies from a survivors charity beggars belief!! Charity number 19291.

Well done on the exposure of this group in the USA. The Irish govt. has given survivor groups in the region of 34 million euros in the last 10 years and let me tell you that no survivor benefitted from these monies. They refuse to deal with this issue but it is an ongoing campaign.

To respond to Kate's second note, and the to the others on SNAPs focus being limited to Catholic priest. From everything I can piece together, it is not too much to say SNAP follows the lawyers, and in some instances the lawyers follow SNAP. Catholics are an easy target. The largest amount of donations to SNAP were made during the time when there were numerous settlements against the Catholic Church coming from suits filed in the aftermath of the 2002 Boston revelations, notably 2006 and 2008 when SNAP received $1.65 million. American Catholics worked hard in that time to reform things, took up more stringent reporting processes, cleaned house, and the donations fell off in pace with the drop in lawsuits. I'm playing connect the dots.

Is anyone willing to suggest that Catholic priests all by themselves pose a greater danger to children than any other group? Or is it a case, my conclusion, that priests simply offer an easier mark?

BOTH the Diocese of Philadelphia and the Diocese of Kansas bishops and leadership have been caught in violation of the contractural agreements they willingly made with parents/parishoners for the protection of children.

Their disregard of the welfare of the children under their jurisdiction has caused shock and grief to parents and grievous harm to their children in both these Dioceses.

Despite the programs in place and the denials, the evidence consistently shows that the protection and care of fellow clergy has priority over the protection and care of children. This is underscored at a Philadelphia clergy meeting when Monsignor Lynn, indicted for covering up crimes of priests and interfering with an investigation, was praised by Bishop Chaput and given a standing ovation by his fellow clergy.

Moreover, in every country around the globe, even very high-ranking clergy have been indicted for abuse and caught with child porn, even selling it.

The Diocese of Miami got a new Archbishop only AFTER the LAITY presented the Vatican with irrefutable proof of the sexual activities going on among the clergy of which the Archbishop was the ringleader.

The new Archbishop sent in to fix things, just played musical priests, moving them around to other locations. He did not dare fire them or really clean house because the potential lawsuits might exceed the number of abuse lawsuits.
Can you imagine these 'priests' ministering in the confessional or counseling a boy or teen? Leading the youth?

Accountability and transparency are having to be forced on the leaders by lawsuits, organizations like SNAP and Bishops Accountability, because the clergy do not have the humility, conviction or honesty to feel the need for it and to enforce it upon themselves.

Rev. Saltzman,
What a beautiful sermon and example of empathy and understanding for the feelings and the longterm damage that occurs to a person who has been abused.
Thank you so very much for sharing it.

Sad to read how some people take the abuse of children so lightly. If it wasn't for SNAP how many more children would be victims of abuse. Think of it when you read about the next victim who commits suicide. I guess i should not expect more from readers of First Things. After all they supported the founder of the Legionaires.

Mr. Saltzman confirms everything I have suspected of SNAP with increasing intensity over the last few years. They exist now primarily to help abuse plaintiffs' lawyers build their business, and to feed the grudges of liberal Catholics, or ex-Catholics, with deep grudges against the Church and her teachings. The help they provide to abuse victims seems now incidental, a way to salve their consciences and provide a veneer of self-justification.

There are those out there who have been horribly victimized by Catholic clergy. They deserve justice. However, as Russell Saltzmann concludes, "But SNAP is not the outfit to do it."

Mr. Saltzman, are you a survivor of sexual abuse by any person who used God as the pretext to solicit his/her criminal intent? Have you personally ever done anything to try to stop the abuse and heinous cover-up that exists in the Corporate Roman Catholic Church? Have you given any thought to how you would feel and what you would do if any of your children or grandchildren were to be abused in this manner? You have NO idea of how victims feel and the agony that our lives become once we have been played with and thrown away, like a broken toy. I am 75 years old and was abused in 1952, infamous diocese of Kansas City Missouri. To date, I have seen no indication of any other group of people attempting to take the mighty corporation to task for criminal activity. Instead, I see people like you who are quick to detract from the damage done but have no positive suggestions to make to stop these crimes against children. Shame on you. SNAP saved my life on more than one occasion and for so long as I am able, I will stand with my group, small as it is, everytime a lawsuit is filed. It takes a lot of courage to come forward, it takes no courage at all to condemn that person for doing so. "...but SNAP is not the outfit to do it..." Name one outfit that will do it. In the meantime, you need to apologize to all victims everywhere for your callous remarks and your intense insensitivity. You would make an excellent RC bishop.

Like Sibyl, I too like your sermon. It shows a profoundly compassionate understanding for an abused person and an appreciation of the impact such abuse had on both the victim and subsequently, her family.

I would argue that SNAP understands these matters very well, from THEIR OWN personal experience of abuse and see their efforts to identify victims and help them come forth, as the beginning of a healing process.

If the coming forth includes litigation,so be it. If the litigators donate to SNAP, so be it.

What is critical is that victims be able to speak up, seek help and move on, so that in their mid eighties they are not paralyzed emotionally as you congregant was.

I feel sure, from the quality of your sermon that you can appreciate this.

Do I think SNAP is perfect, of course not. Has SNAP been less than perfect on their media efforts? Most probably.

But I would guess their shortcomings have more to do with understaffing and a passion to help victims and protect children from further molestation.

Like Sibyl, I too like your sermon. It shows a profoundly compassionate understanding for an abused person and an appreciation of the impact such abuse had on both the victim and subsequently, her family.

I would argue that SNAP understands these matters very well, from THEIR OWN personal experience of abuse and see their efforts to identify victims and help them come forth, as the beginning of a healing process.

If the coming forth includes litigation,so be it. If the litigators donate to SNAP, so be it.

What is critical is that victims be able to speak up, seek help and move on, so that in their mid eighties they are not paralyzed emotionally as you congregant was.

I feel sure, from the quality of your sermon that you can appreciate this.

Do I think SNAP is perfect, of course not. Has SNAP been less than perfect on their media efforts? Most probably.

But I would guess their shortcomings have more to do with understaffing and a passion to help victims and protect children from further molestation.

Shameless plug alert.

My site examines the activities of SNAP. Some facts may surprise you.
http://www.themediareport.com/topic-SNAP/index.htm

DPierre
TheMediaReport.com

p.s. - Good article and correct!

Katie says, "Once Sean Ratigan was arrested..."


Please just stop right there. No religous organization fit to claim the "Bride of Christ" could have a "Ratigan situation."


This sitaution is despicable. Inexcusable in every way. Disgusting. This is the Church at its absloute worst.

The letter sen to the bishop well before Ratigan was arrested:

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/crime/a-newly-released-letter-by-snap-shows-that-parents-were-concerned-about-father-shawn-ratigan

The letter shouldn't have had to have been released by SNAP. Instead, the bishop shoudl have acted on it. But he failed his flock. He failed his Church.

And he is now answering to the Grand Jury.

There is nothing SNAP can do that apporaches the wrongdoing in this single incident.


The reason why SNAP hasn't offered to institute a program like Virtus is becasue the Church won't follow its own rules. Notice that, in the Pricipal's letter, how often the Circle of Grace is violated. Why would SNAP work with such people?

Without SNAP this indident woudl not have seen the light of day.

And that is very very sad.

That SNAP is focused on priests is not exactly an explanation of why it focuses on priests.

SNAP must be very successful in nailing bad men masquerading as priests and bishops when inuendo about their modest finances are the only way to attempt to discredit them.

You must have read the story of David and Goliath, Mr. Saltzman? And you must be aware of the place of the Roman Catholic Priest in Catholic culture. The Catholic cleric had access to families and children in a fashion about which a Lutheran minister can only dream. The betrayal to all women and children who were subjected to the pedophile priest (for centuries)is incalulable.

Without SNAP, and the holy presence of Barbara Blaine and David Clohessy, Barbara Dorris ( and so many others) the pedophile priest, bishop, or cardinal would still be having a heyday. With our children.

AW

I do not want to get into an argument with you about the effectiveness of SNAP, but I would like to point out to you that the name of the organization is "Survivor's Network of those Abused by PRIESTS." By its very name it states whom it was founded for. SNAP makes no bones about stating very clearly whom they are targeting. Dealing with sexually abusive priests in itself would take more hours in a day than God gave us, so why would they go after abusive teachers or parents, etc? If they are asked to help, they do, but they do not profess to end sexual abuse by every type of abuser - just priests.

I don't know that the article needed to be so lengthy. All you have to do is to listen to the folks at SNAP for 10 minutes and any person would come to the conclusion that it was sentiment like that that led to the Massachusetts witch hunts. They are so irrational, disproportionate and filled with hate and revenge that it makes one wince.

And yes I learned a lot more interesting stuff about SNAP by going to this guy's website above

http://www.themediareport.com/topic-SNAP/index.htm

You got guts. I'll give you that.

You're willing to disparage the victims of child sex abuse. Of course, it takes no guts to fight that fight on earth, since they are easy victims, all growing up in a world that wouldn't make sense to anyone, let alone a young Catholic child.

However, you'll have to answer before God, and explain in front of Him how you could fight against children sexually abused by Satan in His church, and protected by an army of bishops and priests, and a congregation of billions who use similar arguments to the ones that you use above.

You, of course, have not started an international organization which is better. You just criticize the one that is there, and the one that is fighting a multi-billion dollar Catholic empire with a billion bullies who all share your views.

God is proud of SNAP, and is unquestionably on the side of His courageous, abused children. You point at the child abuse problems elsewhere, (where there has never been a similar cover up) as if that argument will work with God.

Each of you alone will stand before God on your judgement day. I'm guessing He will be surrounded by 100,000+ children that were sexually abused as children in His church. Good luck trying to outsmart Him.

By the way, if you delete this comment, I will recommend to God that you have to re-read it for eternity.

Dear Mr Saltzman,
As a Catholic physician who has met many who have been sexually abused by priests in the Roman Catholic Church, and as a person who was sexually assaulted myself by a Carmelite priest in the past, my experiences with SNAP have been very positive and professional.

I disagree with your premise. I applaud SNAP for being a Very Fit Advocate for Sexual Abuse Victims.

The leaders of SNAP were innocent Catholic children when they were sexually abused by priests. Their experience, as you can imagine, had a disruptive affect on their lives. They are trying to get the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church to correct their policies in the Vatican, so that the abusers are made accountable for what they have done to destroy the innocence of children.

Tragically, it seems that Pope Benedict XVI does not want to admit his role in allowing priest sexual abuse to flourish worldwide. He has not made any of the abuser bishops accountable either. The Pope is claiming diplomatic immunity and has not been made accountable by any civil law, yet.

According to bishop-accountability.org, there have been at least 19 bishops in the States who have actually been abusers themselves.

I know from experience that there are many good bishops and priests. If they felt empowered, I would expect that they would pressure the Pope to get rid of those priests and bishops that were abusing children.

Because they are disempowered by their life as celibate men and dependent on obedience to the Pope, I think they lack the courage to speak up, since their jobs and lifestyle would be at risk if they did speak up.

Since they have no children of their own, they are more focused on protecting their abuser priests than on protecting the innocence of children.

SNAP has been working hard to have the leaders of the church focus on protecting the children. The church pretends to care about the children, but the actions of the Pope show me that he protects and even honors bishops that are complicit in the abuse of children, for example, Cardinal Law of Boston, who the Pope is protecting in Rome, so that he will escape prison in Boston. This has got to stop.

Since the Pope does not want to make REAL changes from within the church, international law must force accountability on the Pope and other leaders of the RCC, for the protection of children. That is why SNAP has had to present it's many cases to the International Criminal Court.

Why Pope Benedict XVI is not making himself and the bishops accountable for the continual sex abuse crisis shows a serious lack of leadership on his part and innocent children remain in danger. Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican can no longer be their own law, with no accountability to the world. I hope and pray that the International Criminal Court will be able to make the Pope and others accountable.

Sincerely, Dr Rosemary Eileen McHugh, Chicago, Illinois, USA

"SNAP has never to my knowledge examined scandals among mental health professionals. It never says anything of public school districts, where reports say children are at far greater risk of abuse

If there is ever an even remotely credible accusation of sexual misconduct by a public school teacher, they are immediately suspended or fired throughout an equally immediate investigation, and if convicted they are likewise immediately jailed.

It is the large-scale impunity to legal penalties on the part of abusive priests that enrages bystanders so much. That is the real reason SNAP exists--because anyone with a brain can see that Marcial Maciel's punishment of spending the rest of his life in prayer and penitence was no punishment at all, and that he was one of many.

Bravo! A much needed article as SNAP descends upon the Church to inflict more harm in the name of “justice”. My experiences with SNAP includes seeing them bully Priests and Bishops around through threats and intimidation. Case in point.

A parish I was at in St. Louis was dealing with a case of alleged sexual abuse from days long ago. I don’t remember what decade the case was from as the alleged priest had since pasted away and I had not been a member of that parish for very long. Seeing as the alleged priest had pasted away he couldn’t really defend himself, but that is a whole another story. SNAP, in usual fashion, was protesting outside the former parish of this alleged deceased Catholic priest.

As SNAP was protesting after Mass they positioned themselves in such away as to block the path of that Sundays celebrating priest. The priest put his hand in front of himself for protection and to prevent members of SNAP from touching him. The priest asked members of SNAP to, “Please move aside”. The celebrant had to do this simply in order to get out of the Church and to wish his parishioners a happy Sunday. Members of SNAP refused to move out of the priest’s way and then physical moved in front of the him to push against him. Any ideas what happened next?

SNAP filed assault charges against this priest! And that, is how SNAP works. SNAP showed their true colors that day to all of us parishioners. Thankfully the charges were seen as fallacious, without merit, and dismissed by local law enforcement. That day I saw SNAP’s operating procedure. Intimidate, bully, lie, and threaten Catholics into thinking SNAP’s way is the only way. Simply disgraceful SNAP. I hope no one is fooled by how nasty and dishonest SNAP is and can be. That day I did not see restraint from SNAP. I saw manipulation, lack of charity, and a complete disregard for priests and the Mass. SNAP plays dirty and will slap you with erroneous charges if you get in their way. Very little is beneath them.

Both SNAP and Priests for Life are answering a grave need and serving an necessary purpose in this sexually exploitative and promiscuous church and society.

However, it looks like both organizations need to protect themselves personally and corporately being sure they have oversight, wise spiritual, fiscal and legal counsel to prevent accusation, missteps, imbalance, excess, temptations that could hinder, discredit and destroy both the ministries and their leaders. While PFL has a board of many bishops, they may not have scrutinized the finances sufficiently since there are millions in play every year and there is evidently a huge and continual shortfall. Does SNAP have a board of distinguished highly qualified people to stand up for and counsel them? Hopefully they do or will.

Corapi, Enteneur, Maciel, Lahey, Groer, Favalora, Cutie, Finn, et al., are failure of transparency and accountability...as well as failures of actions, motives, priorities, ethics.

Accountability, transparency and submission to careful oversight are good for everyone.

If the situation Leeds describes is true, then SNAP needs a strict written conduct code and possibly a training course for its protest leaders, to control its participants, something like 40 Days for Life has for participants of its Lenten and Advent peaceful prayer campaigns. This would prevent violence and ugliness that would discredit them.

Some of the commenters seem to think that because there is a legitimate need for a group like SNAP, therefore either it is impossible that they could be excessive and/or inappropriate in their ways and means, or else we just shouldn't think about whether they are because they're inherently doing God's work.

Is is not possible that SNAP is pursuing an originally good and necessary mission in a very bad and possibly even counter-productive way?

Almost every victim who interacts with SNAP comes away feeling that something is not right. Catholics think SNAP is out to bash the church, others think SNAP is working for lawyers, but one thing is clear, SNAP does not have individual victims' concerns in their agenda. I go so far as to think SNAP is counter-intelligence created by the bishops to look like an advocacy group when what they really do is damage control. From this victims' perspective, everything we try to do as advocates gets stopped by SNAP.

I am trying to write my experience with SNAP at http://cityofangels2.blogspot.com right now, it is a work in progress.

Whatever SNAP does in its press events is not the same as what it does behind the scenes, where you find victims revictimized by SNAP, then so discouraged that they give up on any activism at all on this issue.

"There is nothing SNAP can do that apporaches the wrongdoing in this single incident."

There it is, right there. As long as the people you're opposing are sufficiently bad, you don't even have to worry about ethics, integrity, or whether you're actually helping the people you're intending to help, because you can't possibly be as bad as the other guy.

That kind of thinking has been the apology for unimaginable evil. I'm not saying SNAP is "unimaginable evil," I'm saying that's a terrible way to try to justify anything and leads to bad, not good.

I wish SNAP were not necessary, that all bishops were determined to protect children and to make good, as far as possible, the harm that has been done, but that golden age has not arrived.

"The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and its Bishop Robert Finn violate U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops policies on the handling of priest sex abuse victims, a former grant writer claims. She says she was harassed and fired when the diocese learned she had been an advocate for victims of sexual abuse.
"The environment inside the Chancery office is such that recrimination, retaliation and intimidation prevents those who believe in the precepts found in the 'Protecting God's Children' initiative, the USCCB policies and those promulgated by the diocese from acting in accordance to them," according to the complaint in Jackson County Court.
Margaret Mata worked as a grant writer for the diocese. In July this year, she says, several diocese employees were pushing to make her a full-time diocese employee instead of an independent contractor.
But Mata says that changed when her experience as a longtime advocate for sexual abuse victims came to light."

My family endowed a Chair In Catholic Studies at McGill; after all that has come to light, I wish that we had given it to SNAP instead.

"There is nothing SNAP can do that apporaches the wrongdoing in this single incident."

There it is, right there.

"As long as the people you're opposing are sufficiently bad..."

Tell it to the judge. I do oppose criminals, especailly when they operate under cover of the Church I belong to. Yes, they are sufficently bad.

The indictment was a little later than I expected, but that's OK.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/15/us/kansas-city-bishop-indicted-in-reporting-of-abuse-by-priest.html

The question here, is why do people defend, excuse, and minimize criminal conduct?

This line in Saltzman's article above gave me the chills: " I thought SNAP might like to correct them and brought the errors to their attention. But SNAP had no interest in fixing the record." Because that is the eerie part of interacting with SNAP. That lack of interest they have in anything generated from grass roots. Survivors have tried to point things out that should be changed by SNAP for years, and always get met with the internet equivalent of a blank stare, until we just give up.

And to the commenter above, Mr. Podles, with all due respect, survivors and advocates have very different experiences in dealing with SNAP. People who are potential donors are treated real swell by SNAP and shown only the good side. It's the victims themselves, the ones you never hear from anymore, who get treated in this inexplainable weird way that brings up our questions. City of Angels Blog is writing on this topic here: http://cityofangels2.blogspot.com because you have to tell the truth, even if it makes a lot of people mad.

We can think of few things as horrible as the intentional abuse of a child. We do not have all the facts surrounding the case in KC, nor do the media or the members of SNAP. The article by Mr. Saltzman is a welcome read; it delivers facts based upon the author's first hand experiences and provokes us to think for ourselves in an even-handed, unbiased fashion. Many posters have added helpful information, statistics, and links that further support Mr. Saltzman and further educate us all. Let us unite in prayer, seek Truth, and trust in God's Divine Mercy upon us as we each struggle to follow Christ along The Way.

Excellent article!

Thank you for your assessment of SNAP's work, and for helping others to see that the discrepancies. I have known many, MANY more good priests than bad, and I wish everyone could see it as those of us that are Catholic do. God bless you!

Mary

I have often thought, as I've seen quotes from SNAP during accusations of priestly sexual abuse, that they really have an axe to grind. Yes, abuse by a priest is awful and should be punished, but SNAP seems to want to punish the whole Catholic hierarchy. I guess the ideal of a celibate priest braking his vows and stooping so low makes better news. This article clearly shows the bias and slanderous tacts of SNAP. The media attention makes it seem like every priest should be suspect. There are so many good and Holy priest who are suffering as are the rest of us who love and respect the church. We will pray.

{Peace,
Paul

.
Bishop Finn and the Diocese of Kansas City have both been indicted by a grand jury.

“The indictment alleges that Finn and the diocese had reasonable cause to suspect that a priest had been abusing children but did not report their suspicions to authorities as required by law.
Last December, diocese officials learned of pornographic images showing girls as young as 3 or 4 on a computer of Father Shawn Ratigan.
Ratigan — now facing state and federal child pornography charges — was sent to a mission house in Independence and ordered to have no contact with minors. According to a federal indictment, he disobeyed that order and allegedly tried to take pornographic pictures of a 12-year-old girl.
In a report last month, a diocese-commissioned investigation found that — in handling the Ratigan case — church officials failed to follow their own policies and procedures. Instead, they behaved in ways that “could have jeopardized” child safety.”
And most of the comments here criticize SNAP. It may not be perfect, but it doesn’t enable abusers like Catholic bishops still do.

I share Mr. Podles sentiment that I wish there was no need for an organization such as SNAP.

But I have yet to see the Church come up with an organization that comes remotely close to providing support for abuse victims.

Why is it that an order of priests (thy name is Legion) founded by a pedophile and formed by his abusive and sociopathic methodology, still to this day run by the corrupt superiors who covered up for him and held him up as saint for decades, keeps getting all sorts of institutional support from the Church in the hopes some kind of "good" can be salvaged from the evil, and a group that has been founded to bring attention to corruption and cover-up and support the victims of childhood abuse by priests gets nothing but grief from the Church and so many of its ardent supporters.

No doubt SNAP does have some problems. So does every other organization that ever lived on this earth (look no further than the Catholic Church, for starters). If you really care about doing something to encourage accountability, transparency, and to provide support for survivors, how about some gentle fraternal correction of any problems you see in SNAP? Why not write them a letter with your concerns instead of lambasting them in the press? Have you called or emailed David Clohessy recently to state your concerns and suggestions?

I do thank the writer of this post and all those piling on SNAP. I have been thinking of donating to them for some time, and reading this has provided the motivation to actually get out my checkbook and write the check.

If it weren't for the Jason Berrys, Gerald Renners, National Catholic Reporters, and SNAPs of the world, Marciel Maciel would probably be well on his way to canonization by now, and the Catholic press would still be accusing anybody who dared suggest he and others like him were anything but holy men of God of being liars guilty of calumny and hating the Church, Pope, and apple pie.
Enough already. I want a Church my six children can be proud of, not one that makes them hang their heads in shame. If it takes the likes of SNAP to bring about transparency and accountability, so be it. So far the only heroes in this sad saga in the Catholic Church (besides the victims themselves ,who somehow have found the courage to keep on keeping on in the face of so much injustice) are the Berrys, Renners, and others who tried to sound the alarm in the face of so much obfuscation and cover-up by the hierarchy. And what a sad indictment that is.

it's interesting that in the midst of this SNAP dialogue, that Bishop Finn has been indicted and charged with violation of a mandatory clergy reporting requirement.And there is a secong Grand Jury that is still interviewing him. In addition there are a number of suits pending in KC including an effort to shift supervision of these issues from the Diocese to an independent entity.

Things are not going well in KC. In Philadelphia, Msgr Lynn is being charged with felonies relative to his episcopal oversight, or rather non oversight of a large number of unreported molesters.

And there are any number of other suits throughout the country and the world. Abuse Tracker gives daily updates.

Meanwhile, poor old SNAP, budget $400,000, staff numbering 6 or 7 is taking a lot of abuse for it's handling of abuse.

SNAP has been phenomenal. For those who question it's care of victims, I strongly suggest you attend a Survivors meeting, and get real time input.

And as to their donor cultivation, trust me and I am a major donor, they are so
busy that it takes a certain determination to get their attention.

it's interesting that in the midst of this SNAP dialogue, that Bishop Finn has been indicted and charged with violation of a mandatory clergy reporting requirement.And there is a secong Grand Jury that is still interviewing him. In addition there are a number of suits pending in KC including an effort to shift supervision of these issues from the Diocese to an independent entity.

Things are not going well in KC. In Philadelphia, Msgr Lynn is being charged with felonies relative to his episcopal oversight, or rather non oversight of a large number of unreported molesters.

And there are any number of other suits throughout the country and the world. Abuse Tracker gives daily updates.

Meanwhile, poor old SNAP, budget $400,000, staff numbering 6 or 7 is taking a lot of abuse for it's handling of abuse.

SNAP has been phenomenal. For those who question it's care of victims, I strongly suggest you attend a Survivors meeting, and get real time input.

And as to their donor cultivation, trust me and I am a major donor, they are so
busy that it takes a certain determination to get their attention.

I want to commend Rev. Saltzman for getting the conversation started. He shared his experience, I'll share mine and it's gained in professional practice. I won't be labeled as an apologist. I condemn sexual abuse as a horrific crime and evil. Survivors deserve compassion, understanding and support. What they don't deserve is an organization that subjects them to constant trauma and secondary re-injury. Any qualified therapist would question the tactics that SNAP employs. By shoving these people out, on the street, into the media limelight, they are saying, "You, your diginity, your pain, are nothing. You are a tool to use as means to the end." What's the end? The end is this: "An organization that might have been able to do some good is nothing more than a shrill purveyor of wild accusations and a total lack of concern from the people they profess to represent." In the final analysis the Rev. Saltzman said it best, " a noisy little group that hates the Roman Catholic Church and has discovered a way of making a living off the victimization others have suffered."

SNAP has 10,000 members, many of them survivors. They are not all standing on street corners. However many attend Survivors meetings all over the country, which they freely choose to do for the support and assistance they get there.

A few participate in those media covered events, a right granted by the Constitution.

Thank you for this excellent article that raises important questions and casts light on the myriad issues and challenges that everyone faces during these difficult times.

We always hope and pray that ~all~ parties will act with good will and a sincere desire to help those who have suffered and to implement measures that will prevent these terrible things from happening again.

Unfortunately, some peoples' actions whether from injury or malice, are motivated by ignorance, greed, hatred and revenge.

People of good will who are truly trying to follow Our Lord cannot be naive out of timidity or fear. I thank the writer of this article for helping us all to be more vigilant and aware.

Finally, on the subject of SNAP. I suggest that folks take a look at SNAPs web site.

The author indicates that SNAP is no longer an advocacy group for survivors. Actually SNAPS home page indicates that their stated goals are to offer support to victims, educate the public and help ensure that children will be safe.

The Home page gives a link to the locations throughout the US of local chapters, where survivors could connect up with SNAP. I looked up California and found meeting sites, schedules of meetings and SNAP e mail and phone info for every part of a very large state. (When we talk about SNAPs budget and staffing one has to consider the that SNAP has a huge number of dedicated volunteers.)

As to the issue of counseling, on the Home page there is access to general advice on selecting a therapist and some very interesting thoughts from Barbara Blaine under the heading of SNAP wisdom.

There is also a 'translation link' with 54 languages, as SNAP is being contacted worldwide.

This noisy little group is anything but little and their media efforts are a part of a strategy to help victims come forth and start the healing process.

Thank you for your insightful article on SNAP. Hopefully some of it will get to the mainstream press!

I am the Western Iowa leader for SNAP. I can say very truthfully that without SNAP, I don't know what would have happened to me when I began to deal with the fact that I was sexually abused by a priest. My friends at SNAP were there for me, which is far more than I can say for ANY members of the hierarchy of the Catholic church. SNAP focuses on abuse in the Catholic Church because that is where the founder, Barbara Blaine, was sexually abused. She started the group because there was nothing else out there for clergy victims. There is a unique factor in abuse by a Catholic priest: in that church, the priest is "alter Christi," another Christ, and these victims have a special set of issues to work through.

If we seem angry, it's because we have talked with too many broken individuals whose lives were severely damaged, too many mothers who are filled with shame for not seeing what was going on. We have hoped and lost hope that the church- the church we once loved- would do the right thing and respond in Christian love to the victims. We have suffered in trying to do this work while recovering from our own wounds, and few have walked with us.

The attorneys have. I know, of course, some attorneys are strictly motivated by money, but I have been privileged to meet attorneys who were far more Christ-like than any clergy. The clergy have treated us with disdain and deceit, while many attorneys have been compassionate, not simply as a means to an end, but because they are in touch with their humanity.

I wonder what you who are so critical of SNAP have done to help victims of sexual abuse. Have you pushed for a change to statute of limitations laws so cases can be prosecuted after kids reach adulthood and understand the perps are no longer all-powerful? SNAP has. Have you unmasked perps and perp-protectors, even at risk to your own well-being? SNAP has. Have you spent ANY time comforting a victim who is depressed and suicidal? SNAP does, every day. We are not perfect, but we are sticking our necks out so the next generation will not suffer what we have suffered.

While you find it surprising that snap makes so much money in donations from victims lawsuits, I find it even MORE surprising that the abusers in the church keep giving them prime opportunities to do so.

They would have put a stop to abuse a long time ago if the consequences were something they considered unacceptable. Unfortunately, they frown when they have to pay another victim, but it doesn't seem to stop them from creating more, does it? And unfortunately, even false lawsuits are a consequence of the abuse they allow in the church. While unethical and illegal in their own right, false accusations are usually aimed at an 'easy target'. And the pedophiles and protectors in the Catolic Church have made us an easy target for such accusations.

I'm surprised nobody else has made the comment I'm about to.

My problem with SNAP is that what they pursue has nothing at all to do with justice. Is it the priest who pays the settlement? Of course not. The bishop? Nope. It is the diocese who pays all these multimillion dollar settlements.

What does that actually mean? It means that education programs for CDD teachers are cut, it means that foreign medical mission programs are cut, it means that ministries in the planning stages (perhaps soup kitchens, new parishes in growing areas, tuition assistance for poor students and endangered schools): all cut.

The abusers and their enablers are not punished by SNAP civil lawsuits. Ordinary catholics are punished. SNAP and its ilk are not bringing justice to victims, they are victimizing innocent catholics.

The wealth held by the Church does not belong to the bishop, nor is it his retirement fund. It is held in trust for ministry to catholics throughout the diocese. Instead it has been seized by rapacious lawyers, who share some of the booty (a surprisingly small fraction) with victims of that small percentage of the priesthood, the predator. As if money could heal the wounds.

If SNAP cared about victims of clergy abuse, it would be involved in forcing dioceses to fund treatment and care programs for victims. That it focuses instead on stripping the Church of her ability to fund her ministries like a highway robber says everything I need to know about SNAP.

Steve, this is true up to the point where you blame SNAP for using the churches funds, to pay lawyers, victims, and snap.
It's not snap that decides who is paying. It's the church.

I have made it very clear that I do not want my money going towards legal counsel to defend abusers or enablers. I've made it clear that my kids need a well rounded, safe, and superior education. Which, by the way, they do not have - but could.

I don't know who exactly is in charge of paying the bills at the diocese, but I do know it is not anyone from Snap.

Reverend Salzman's article was a very accurate account of SNAPS hidden agenda, working a system under the disguise of "advocacy". Until the borders of SNAP, broaden to include the struggles of all institution struggling to address issues of sexual abuse, the credibility (and motivations) of this organization, shall be questioned by those who seek truth.

Steve SNAP does not go after your parish programs. An attorney representing an abused victim, see statement of Janet Clark located directly above your recent statement, may sue for damages relative to clergy abuse in your diocese.

In ancient times these decisions would be rendered in a bloody fashion, in todays world courts award cash settlements to the abused.

Dioceses choose the reinbursement modality, and it varys throughout the nation.
But essentially we all pay, often the poorest of the poor, first.

To blame SNAP for this reality is profoundly misplaced. How about blaming the bishops who had oversight responsibility for their clergy? How about a bit of discussion about the Vatican, that has provided us with a batch of not very wonderful bishops? How about our own complacency and inability to speak up when we knew really bad clerical decisions were being made?

There's plenty of blame to go around, but the folks who help victims of abuse literally get their day in court are not the enemy.

Frankly, my church and perhaps yours too, has behaved in a deplorable way relative to abuse and many other issues. Tomorrow night British Broadcasting is doing a special on the 300,000 babies in Spain that were sold by the Church in Spain between 1940 and 1990.

Rather than blaming a group that helps molestation victims for fiscal recompense that diminishes your parish programs, I would suggest lots of prayer for a church that has gone haywire.

"Frankly, my church and perhaps yours too, has behaved in a deplorable way relative to abuse and many other issues. Tomorrow night British Broadcasting is doing a special on the 300,000 babies in Spain that were sold by the Church in Spain between 1940 and 1990. "

(Sarcasm) Yeah, Joan, because the Church is stealing babies and selling them to the highest bidder. Please, don't be ridiculous. If you think that helping people adopt or give up children for adoption is "selling babies", you've really got things backward. If you think it can be done without the exchange of some money, especially in the age of government mandated fees and paperwork, you're living in a dream world.

Have people behaved badly? Some. A very small minority of priests. Does that justify hurting everyone in the Church? No.

What SNAP lacks--as has the media reporting on this matter--is a sense of proportionality.

We must distinguish between the actions of an individual and the official policies and actions of a group. You take any institution, and eventually some of its members will do deplorable things, precisely because all organizations are made of sinful, finite human beings. The individuals should certainly be held accountable. The entire institution, not-so-much.

Here we have an organization like the Catholic Church, founded with the intent of reaching out to and reforming sinners, with 2000 years of history, and 1.1 BILLION living members, and even if only 1% of those members are criminals (relapsed or otherwise), and many want to hold the other 99% responsible? Have we taken complete leave of Reason?

For this being an alleged age of Science and Empiricism, it sure seems like a lot of emotional, prejudiced, unexamined views are dominating public life.

Suggest Artaban view BBC this evening or access http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15335899
For info regarding 300,000 Spanish babies born mostly to unwed mothers from the late 30s to the late 70s who were told their babies had died in childbirth....Frozen babies were kept for moms who were disbelieving.

Then, these babies at quite high prices were sold to devout couples considered to be more appropriate parents. the practice in human trafficking was stopped 40 years later when the state took over the management from the church.

This was NOT adoption and you are uninformed.

Not only is Artaban wrong on the human trafficking of 300,000 stolen Spanish babies, in this last century, (see Google for hundreds of references )which he characterized as normal adoptions, but he is also wrong on his stats regarding the percentage of molesting priests. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops commissioned the John Jay Report which reported that 4 percent of priests between the years 1950 and 2002 were molesters.

Probably a good idea to get your facts straight, prior to 'commenting'

And my sense of proportionality would suggest that wherever there are a vulnerable constituency of folks that are somehow dependent on church services, and I include Indian children in Church run Canadian or US orphanages in the last 80 years, Irish kids in the same situation, to say nothing of the whole laundress issue, ( See Amnesty Internationals recent Irish report, "In Plain Sight", which is devastating and you need a strong stomach to read it), to now, Spain and the massive stolen baby scene, and what you repeatedly get is a religious system that has failed miserably.

Frankly, I am just waiting for the next shoe to drop. And yes, I do think the Church has acted deplorably in any number of places. And yes, I support fiscal remuneration to victims if for no other reason, (and there are retributive justice reasons to do so,) but it's my hope that if the Church has to pay, and yes, that's all of us, perhaps the Church will be far more responsible in the future. God willing.

Not only is Artaban wrong on the human trafficking of 300,000 stolen Spanish babies, in this last century, (see Google for hundreds of references )which he characterized as normal adoptions, but he is also wrong on his stats regarding the percentage of molesting priests. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops commissioned the John Jay Report which reported that 4 percent of priests between the years 1950 and 2002 were molesters.

Probably a good idea to get your facts straight, prior to 'commenting'

And my sense of proportionality would suggest that wherever there are a vulnerable constituency of folks that are somehow dependent on church services, and I include Indian children in Church run Canadian or US orphanages in the last 80 years, Irish kids in the same situation, to say nothing of the whole laundress issue, ( See Amnesty Internationals recent Irish report, "In Plain Sight", which is devastating and you need a strong stomach to read it), to now, Spain and the massive stolen baby scene, and what you repeatedly get is a religious system that has failed miserably.

Frankly, I am just waiting for the next shoe to drop. And yes, I do think the Church has acted deplorably in any number of places. And yes, I support fiscal remuneration to victims if for no other reason, (and there are retributive justice reasons to do so,) but it's my hope that if the Church has to pay, and yes, that's all of us, perhaps the Church will be far more responsible in the future. God willing.

We need to point out that without the brave people in SNAP most of us would not have even be informed about the problems of sexual abuse in both churches and places outside the churches, and we would not be as well informed as we are not in order to guard against it. If it is truly worse outside of the churches, then those victims need to organize and do something about it. I am sure that SNAP can give them some advice on how best to go about it. And, SNAP does have sub groups for victims of other denominations, so they are not targeting the Roman Catholic Church.

A few years ago a Lutheran Church in my area, to which some very close friends of mine belong, had to pay damages to their education minister because of the falsehoods spread by a few people that she was romantically involved with the junior pastor. She said that her ability to get a job anywhere else had been compromised. She took the church to court and got a handsome compensation. I thought at the time that she was being unfair to all the good people in that congregation; but I do not see it that way now. She held them accountable for the gossip mill, and they will be a lot more careful now about what they say. It was right and just.

Great article! I could not agree more with your views. I see this group as no different from the Phelps Westboro Baptist Church Group out of Topeka Kansas which seems to gloat on the media attention that they receive.
The media seems to thrive on dissention. It is known fact that sexual abuse comes from all facets of life, not just the Catholic Priest. For the media to follow this group and try to make a huge scandal out of this, is pathetic.
What is even more sad is that our government has now charged Bishop Finn with not reporting this soon enough in their mind. I am sure that I do not know all of the facts in the case, but it does take time to go thru the processes of the investigation of the allegations. This did take time as does everything. Father Ratigan was removed from his position and reassigned within weeks of the allegations.
What amazes me is how the media makes such a big deal out of this, yet they say nothing when 'America's Funniest Video's' constantly show videos of naked children and think it is funny. Talk about double standards!!

Would you pick on a battered women's shelter for not finding homes for stray dogs? Why do you not respect SNAP's right to decide where their efforts are most needed?

And seriously SNAP's budget is pathetically tiny for the job they do. The vast majority work nearly full time for no payment. A few are paid barely enough to be enabled to live without needing a paying job. Plus there are travel and communication expenses which usually come out of the volunteer's own pockets. But to be accused of being wealthy, mercenary or corrupt by an organisation that spends millions of dollars per criminal to obstruct justice and increase the suffering of victims in order to protect their own wealth and influence!

As a victim of Catholic child sexual abuse I find this smear campaign against SNAP extremely offensive. The willingness of Catholic apologists to jump aboard this wagon of lies is further reason why SNAP is so desperately needed. SNAP bashing one way for Catholics to get away with victim bashing without revealing their true nature and objectives.

The most common comment I hear when supporting new victims who have finally found the strength to talk about their abuse, usually after decades of silent suffering, is "I've been trying to find someone else to talk to about this who knows what it is like."

That is SNAP's major role, the support of victims. Support that is actively denied victims by a Catholic hierarchy that is aware of our abuse but deliberately chooses not to help, in the hope we will stay silent forever or commit suicide.

I am involved with SNAP in Australia, which is just starting up. Nobody is paid and we happily use our own money to support other victims. I am not particularly concerned whether I help victims through SNAP or another organisation, but chose SNAP because they are taking practical action and making a difference.

But victim support, while desperately needed, is only one part of the equation. Without efforts to stop the abuse, stop the cover up and stop the callous and routine endangerment of children we will forever be chasing our tails.

Unfortunately, and this may offend those Catholics who are in denial, the Catholic Church has not changed its structure, practices, policies or attitudes to this issue. The Catholic Church hierarchy is still endangering children. No matter how many Boards, Committees, Departments, Reports or Guidelines it may introduce in order to give the false impression that child protection is taken seriously by those in power.

And for those sickened, like me, by the same old lies and excuses trotted out in the comments above, perhaps you will recognise some of them in the following:
http://voicelessvictim.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/top-10-catholic-excuses-for-doing-absolutely-nothing-to-stop-child-rape/

Thanks for writing this article. It conveyed thoughts that I had myself. SNAP does not represent my view of the Church and my feelings towards the sexual scandals. There is a spirit of love missing in SNAP's approach. The way some of their members speak is off the wall and hateful. They don't understand the Catholic Faith well and it shows. There are other ways to defend children and punish abusers. SNAP's way is not the only way, is not the best way, is not my way, and is a hurtful way. I wish SNAP would snap out of it and go away.

Voiceless Victim reminded me why I donate to SNAP and motivated me to send SNAP another donation.

Voiceless Victim reminded me why I donate to SNAP and motivated me to send SNAP another donation.

I understand to some extent how some Catholics are relieved to be able to admit how much they dislike SNAP (victims). And the author has given them a way to attack SNAP (victims) but still pretend not to be making life harder for innocent (silent) victims.

After all, SNAP are doing the wrong thing, aren't they?

You bet we are. We are standing up for the truth. We are not prepared to take blood money for ourselves and turn our backs on the silent sufferers - the people being raped and molested today, the people who have never received any help or even one word of support to get through the horror imposed on us so very much against our will.

This disturbs the Catholic world view to its very core. How could these men you have been so indoctrinated to believe to be above criticism, actually be so very evil? What you need to help you deal with such distressing thoughts is to put the world back to rights. And the Catholic Church hierarchy has provided this, very kindly.

It was not their fault.

Permissive society, homosexuals, and lack of knowledge on the subject caused the problem, which is really a media beat up, Jewish conspiracy, homosexual conspiracy and anyway the teachers/scouts/gays/Jews/step fathers are much worse, and don't forget all the good priests and the good works of the misguided ones who need to be forgiven, not hounded and their lives ruined, poor things, not to mention the fact that there must have been at least one false claim so that means all victims are liars filled with anti-Catholic hatred, who are just after money and are at fault for bankrupting parishes and reducing Catholic charities' ability to help the truly deserving (unlike money hungry victims and the lawyers who control them).

Now the world makes sense. You can happily ignore anything victims say. And with this new set of anti SNAP excuses you can now happily attack victims, who after all are the cause of all this discomfort.

I understand how hard this is for you to deal with. I understand how hard it is to accept anything that doesn't work with what you were taught to believe were unquestionable absolutes. I understand how much of your life comes into question if this is true.

But is that enough reason to add to the suffering of innocent children who never asked to be raped, never even knew what was going on, never had a chance to challenge the powerful adult who hurt them so badly or the other powerful adults who told them what had happened to them never occurred?

Is that enough reason to turn your back and let them continue to suffer? To let more suffer who could be saved?

For us, it is easy. We know exactly how much these children suffer. We know how much they need someone to reach out to them, listen to them and believe them. We also know what makes their suffering greater and what can help. We know we can help. For us there is absolutely no question in our minds what is the right thing to do. And no amount of attacks by Catholic apologists will stop us trying to help those other children so they will not be as abandoned, as terrified, or as worthless as we were in the same situation.

For us there is nothing more important. We become ostracised by our communities, even abandoned by our families, after all we embarrass them and criticise their beloved Church. But that is less important to us than saving others from what happened to us. It is not altruism. Well not completely. By helping others, we help to heal the frightened, abandoned, suffering child within us. Our suffering is not in vain. This helps us to recover, to move closer to the person we might have been, if only...

For you it is not so clear. The habit of believing everything the church says is so ingrained, the acceptance of the goodness of these powerful men seems so natural, the horror of what is claimed sounds so unbelievable. And those excuses make so much sense. They make you feel better.

And what victims, including SNAP, have to say sounds so harsh, so foreign. But that is because we have had to shout to be heard above Catholic hierarchy lies and excuses. That is because the truth is harsh, not comforting, and children's safety and lives are at risk.

Just because the excuses make you feel better doesn't make them right. The Catholic Church wants you to accept, to believe these excuses so that you will close your minds and not pay attention to the truth when you hear it.

We know how hard it can be to face these pressures and say no. I have seen my own mother, present while I was abused for years, pretend nothing was going on. I have seen her stop my attempts to escape with an admonition to "Be nice to Brother X". I have heard first hand stories from other victims who told their parents what was going on and were told not to "Tell such horrible lies." or a victim who told a nun about a priest taking him out of class to rape him, only to be beaten by the nun and told never to say a word on the subject again, or a nine year old girl punished by her teacher, a nun, for being late back to class after a rapist priest had taken too long in violating her, or a teenage boy slapped in the face by his mother for telling lies and sent back to the rectory for another sleepover with a rapist priest.

If these parents and nuns could not stand up to the Church, how can we expect you to?

We don't. That is a question only you can answer. What kind of a Catholic, what kind of a person are you?

Those who fight SNAP are fighting the victims of child sex in the Catholic church (and some other churches, although it is mostly comprised of young boys who were raped by Catholic priests).

These are the "least of God's brothers", and the ones that God loves most. They were young, promising, good, Catholic boys, who were then senselessly raped by satan in a collar.

Catholics (and Satlzman) will find a way to criticize them, and you think you are protecting your church, but you are fighting some of God's favorite children. Prepare to answer to God for that, and outsmarting God is much tougher than outsmarting the people who accept the partial truths that are posted in the comments on this blog.

Voiceless Victim,

Not all of us Catholics have our heads comfortably in the sand any longer. It is precisely because of those like you speaking out that many of us have woken up to what is really going on.

I am a mom of a large family, went to a very small, very orthodox, Catholic college, my husband worked for the Legion of Christ for many years---heck, we even entrusted our children to that scam founded by a child molester.

I can assure you that we, as well as many of our friends, are blind, deaf, and dumb no longer. Waking up from our slumber has been most uncomfortable. But I figure that experiencing the discomfort involved in educating ourselves on the truth is still a heck of a lot less suffering than you and so many other voiceless victims endured over the decades.

This week I donated to SNAP instead of putting money in the collection basket. It was the first time I've done that, but after reading this article and the reaction of so many who are so happy to hear that SNAP, amazingly, appears to perhaps have some of the same issues every other organization on this earth has and are therefore hardening their hearts to the message, I guarantee you it won't be the last.

Enough is enough. The hierarchy and the institution of the Catholic Church are making it very hard to raise children Catholic nowadays. Our children are no fools and are already starting to see the hypocrisy and total lack of Christianity on the part of so many leaders. There are no heroes anywhere to be found in the hierarchy when it comes to child abuse. I can't help but wonder sometimes exactly what that says. And many other orthodox Catholic mothers I know are pondering the same questions.