Archdiocese of Santa Fe releases names of accused priests, Victims group responds
Archdiocese of Santa Fe releases names of accused priests, Victims group responds
Statement by Barbara Dorris, SNAP managing director, [email protected], 314-503-0003
We are always grateful when an archdiocese releases names of accused priests. However, we must be blunt: Archbishop John Wester and the Archdiocese of Santa Fe are not making the names public because of a desire for transparency or pastoral care. They are doing so because of a new law in New Mexico that allows victims of child sexual abuse to make these names public through the civil courts.
http://religionnews.com/2017/09/13/archdiocese-of-santa-fe-releases-names-of-accused-priests/
For decades, the Archdiocese had been the home of one of the most notorious church-run treatment facilities for clerics accused of molesting children. The former Jemez Springs Servants of the Paraclete facility housed hundreds of men over the years, sent from all over the country for in-patient treatment for sex offenders. Many of these men were allowed to work in parishes in Santa Fe.
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news/2002_08_15_Russell_CampPed.htm
If Archbishop John Webster truly cared about transparency, he would have released names years ago. He would have been open and frank about the Jemez Springs facility before the New Mexico law passed. He would have made public all documents about abuse without threats from the civil courts.
We encourage anyone who has been abused to come forward and get help. No matter the abuser and no matter when the abuse occurred. Help is available.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contacts - Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003, [email protected]), Melanie Jula Sakoda (925-708-6175, [email protected]), Joelle Casteix (949-322-7434, [email protected])
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
Showing 1 comment
The bishop is publishing SOME of the names because the NEW LAW that allows the victims to make the names public through the civil courts. Without that law this would not be happening.
This is the point. On their own, the priests, the bishops, and the good catholic people would do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. The only way the church will ever reform is if an external force acts upon them (THE LAW) and make them clean up their act. ONLY when the laws are changed -like eliminating the Statute of Limitations for priest sex abuse crimes-will there be justice for the survivors. The Roman Catholic church is an unjust, corrupt organization that needs to be brought into line with basic human decency, law and order.