SNAP DFW

We sanction what we believe -- A 2002 cry to 'think critically about what we believe' has yet to be realized

Survivor's Network Dallas — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:28:57 GMT

We sanction what we believe.

In 2002, America was still reeling from 9/11. The Roman Catholic Church in the United States was beginning to reel from the news coming from Boston that priests had raped children and that their bishops had protected them and allowed them to rape again. And the Vatican was marginalizing the priest sex abuse crisis as "an American problem."

During that same year, a former Catholic priest and still devout Roman Catholic wrote a small book entitled Toward a New Catholic Church (James Carroll. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002).

Never the alarmist, always the realist, Carroll challenged all believers of any faith, but particularly those in his own church, to "think critically about what we believe" before it is, literally, too late. Have we? Have I? Have you?

The truth is that it is no less a necessity to deeply consider what we believe today. For as always, what we believe determines what we will sanction.

In 2012, just this morning, an item in the UK publication The Guardian contains the headline, Iran to announce 'major nuclear progress.'

In 2002, James Carroll wrote:

As demonstrated by the world's move to the brink of nuclear war between Pakistan and India in the spring of 2002 in a dispute that defined itself religiously, nothing less than the future of the human race is at stake in our readiness to think critically about what we believe.

Here at SNAPDFW, a small group of survivors of abuse by those with rank and spiritual authority -- priest, nun, religious, minister, deacon, teacher, doctor, therapist -- come together monthly and struggle to make sense out of a church home, a family, a helping relationship that has been wrenched violently from them by abuse -- a Church, or other environment, formerly their safest place to be, but one that now protects the perpetrators and itself instead of its victims. Legally cornered to be accountable, the former "safe place" strikes back with vengeance and vilifies -- and all in the name of the God that it teaches the world to fear.

To this day -- 10 years after the Boston abuse revelations -- the Catholic church continues to insult and ignore its victims. A recent gathering of bishops in the Vatican to discuss the sex abuse crisis, and even to listen for a few moments to the plight of one of them, did not include the bishop of Rome (also known as the pope). Nor did the bishop of Rome bother to even acknowledge the visiting survivors in his daily sermon and blessing, being dispensed to other visitors and dignitaries only a few blocks away.

In speaking of the 2002 Boston sex scandal in the Roman church in America, James Carroll spoke words that are unfortunately -- and for many victims who have not survived, quite tragically -- still valid today. Believers might use it as a primer for beginning, finally, to "think critically about what we believe."

It would be simplistic to attribute the moral paralysis that so long marked Church responses to priestly child abuse to any one characteristic of Catholic culture, be it:

celibacy,

the all-male priesthood,

a Jansenist suspicion of sexuality that breeds repression,

a male fear of females,

or the disparity between increasingly self-respecting homosexuals in the Catholic clergy and a Catholic moral theology that continues to preach contempt for homosexuality.
But taken together, such notes of contemporary Catholic conflict are indications of the dysfunction that results when the gap between preached ideals and life as it is really lived becomes too wide -- especially if the ideals are false.

What we sanction is determined by what we believe. If it is time to stop sanctioning the abuse of innocents in our churches, perhaps it is time, too, to begin to "think critically about what we believe." For what we believe determines what we will sanction.

SNAPDFW invites all survivors of spiritual, emotional, physical and sexual abuse by anyone with rank and authority within "the helping professions" or within families or churches or anywhere else to come spend a few moments with others who can relate. You are welcome here, regardless of your religion or background. Abuse occurs in all religious traditions -- from the most orthodox to the most contemporary. Here you will be welcomed. You will not be judged. And you will not be abused.

Belgian authorities raid bishops' offices investigating possible 'high-level' clergy involvement in abuse coverup

Survivor's Network Dallas — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:30:23 GMT

Earlier today, Monday Jan 16, Belgian authorities raided three bishops' administrative offices nearing the end of a two-year investigation into whether church officials protected child abusers at the expense of their victims.

A Belgian Catholic Church spokesman said the offices in Hasselt, Mechelen and Antwerp cooperated during the raids and handed over files.

AP reports that a judicial official close to the investigation, who asked not to be identified, said today's surprise raids were based on some 200 witness accounts and 87 civil claims and sought to reveal if high-level clergy were involved in keeping abuse covered up.

Read more in the Fort Wort Star-Telegram here: Belgian authorities raid 3 bishops' offices

Philly archdiocese member of Child and Youth Committee and Penn State alumnus speaks out on institutional coverup of abuse

Survivor's Network Dallas — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:31:21 GMT

Grand jury investigations into the recent child sex abuse scandals that have rocked Penn State and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have placed the issue of child sex abuse onto the front burner here in Pennsylvania � where it belongs.

I serve on the Child and Youth Committee and have listened to and read many hours of excruciatingly painful testimony from victims and their families describing the most heinous sexual abuse imaginable. The institutional cover-ups and subsequent ill-treatment of victims have made these terrible situations even worse. It�s a sad day, indeed, when concern for institutional risk management trumps uncovering the truth.

It�s not going to be easy. But, it is up to me and to all elected state officials, regardless of their affiliations, to act with integrity, strength, and righteousness � right now.

It�s time to open the window.

First, we in state government must encourage � not suppress � the public conversation about the sexual abuse of children.

Second, state legislators must act to expand the current statute of limitations for child sex abuse.

I recently listened to testimony concerning two perpetrators who were Franciscan Friars and who taught at Archbishop Ryan High School in Philadelphia when I was on the faculty there. As a life-long Catholic, a former parochial school teacher, and a religious education instructor, I am filled with anguish over these incidents.

I am also a proud Penn State alumnus and I still teach at the PSU Abington campus. I believe that Penn State is a jewel in the crown of our great commonwealth. Thus, everything I�ve learned about the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the devastation it has wrought pains me to the core...

Read full article: Child sex abuse: When concern for institutional risk trumps the truth ...

Vatican and pope ignore global protection of 'Rights of the Child' request for 14th consecutive year

Survivor's Network Dallas — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:00:34 GMT

It was reported on this website one year ago that the Vatican had instantly (within a few weeks) responded with "transparency" demanded by the international banking community when 30 million dollars in Vatican bank assets were seized in a money laundering investigation; but that the same Vatican had ignored, for the 13th year in a row, a request from the UN Convention on Rights of the Child for some simple honesty in Roman Catholic handling of child abuse.

One more year has elapsed. And the Vatican, so quick to become "transparent" in order to get its assets back, still ignores a request to be transparent about its handling of child abuse -- and this time, for the 14th consecutive year.

Today, Kristine Ward of our sister organization the National Survivors Advocacy Coalition (NSAC) has written an editorial on this unconscionable papal negligence titled Yet Another Deadline Passes, Still No Report. Read that editorial below, then read the related links to articles on this website.

RELATED

NSAC Editorial: Yet Another Deadline Passes, Still No Report

Vatican 13 years delinquent in submitting legally required UN report on 'Rights of the Child'

SNAP petitions international court to investigate the pope and top Vatican officials for possible crimes against humanity

Amnesty International human rights report lists Vatican for failure to protect children

Vatican 2010 priorities: protect assets; ignore 'Rights of the Child'

Moral bankruptcy of Roman hierarchy read into record of United Nations Human Rights Council

Dallas sports news anchor Dale Hansen comments on sexual abuse scandals from personal experience

Survivor's Network Dallas — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:43:45 GMT

"Sexual abuse of our children is the cancer that lives and walks among us, but a cancer survivor wears their ribbon proudly and we all stand to cheer as they walk by in their annual parade.
But who stands to cheer for the victim of a sexual assault?"
-- Dale Hansen, WFAA Dallas

It has been more than a month now since the sex scandal at Penn State stunned the Happy Valley and changed the lives of so many forever.

Former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky has said he's innocent of the charges he faces for sexually abusing so many young kids, but he stood silently by while the Penn State president, the athletic director and the legendary coach Joe Paterno lost their jobs in disgrace.

Is that really the action of an innocent man?

But then, they stood silently by while being told that Sandusky was abusing the children he says he was trying to help.

Nobody's innocent here, and those kids have lost their innocence forever because nobody talks about the abuse of a child.

The victim of a sexual crime is the only victim we don't talk about, and maybe it's time we do.

Read the full article, and watch the video on the WFAA website ...

Tyler Perry's open letter of support to the 11-year-old who has accused Penn State's Sandusky of child abuse

Survivor's Network Dallas — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:27:53 GMT

In an open letter published on Newsweek�s thedailybeast.com website, filmmaker Tyler Perry addresses an 11-year-old boy involved in the Penn State sexual abuse scandal.

Perry�s letter begins by saying: �I don�t know your name, but I know your face. I don�t know your journey, but I know where you are. I am your brother!�

Perry goes on to reveal personal details of his own sexual abuse as a child, and how his voice went unheard when he reached out for help to friends and family.

Perry writes, �The strength that it must have taken for your 11-year-old voice to speak out about such a horrible act is something that I didn�t have the strength or courage to do at your age.� The star calls the boy �my hero.�

The 40 current counts of sexual abuse against former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky listed in the grand jury indictment involved boys over a 15-year period who are adults now. Sandusky has maintained his innocence.

Read 'Tyler Perry Writes Open Letter to Alleged Penn State Victim' on the ABC News website ...
Read 'Tyler Perry's Open Letter to Penn State 11-Year-Old' ... on Newsweek's Daily Beast website ...

Pope quickly accepts bishop's resignation only days before child abuse report that may implicate diocese is to be published

Survivor's Network Dallas — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:14:54 GMT

This is one to watch over the next few days.

A Catholic bishop in Ireland stepped down yesterday just six days before child sex abuse audits into two dioceses where he served are due to published.

Bishop of Derry Seamus Hegarty�s resignation on health grounds was accepted by Pope Benedict a mere two weeks after offering it. He left his post immediately.

Read the full story in the Irish Independent ...
Read 'Bishop quits over health days before abuse audits' ...

'No one has suffered more' in sexual abuse crisis than Catholic church, claims head bishop; victim advocates disagree

Survivor's Network Dallas — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:48:41 GMT

A Reuters news service article quotes the head of US Roman Catholic bishops, Timothy Dolan, as saying that the child sex abuse scandal at Penn State University 'opens a wound' within the church. "No one has suffered more," claims the Catholic leader of priests.

The victims advocacy community -- with all respect that may or may not be due -- would point out to the bishop that the victims of abuse are the ones who have been wounded, raped and sodomized by Catholic priests and attacked by bishops and their high-priced lawyers for years -- a fact dramatized by these very statements.

It is not the Catholic hierarchy that has been victimized. The bishops, like Dolan, in that "community" continue to provide and protect the criminal perpetrators of that abuse. You, Mr. Dolan, and your kind, are not the victims here.

According to victims advocate Kristine Ward of SNAPDFW's sister group, the National Survivors Advocacy Coalition (NSAC), the purpose of Dolan's comments were to opportunistically deflect attention away from his colleagues and underlings in the Roman hierarchy, which systemically perpetuates the environment of abuses, and systematically denies it and shields the guilty.

Once again, SNAPDFW asks the question we've asked so many times before:

Just how outrageous does outrageous have to get!?

Read the Reuters news article "Penn State scandal "opens wound" in Catholic Church" ...
Read Kristine Ward's NSAC Editorial "The Gall of It" ...

NSAC EDITORIAL

The Gall of It

It takes chutzpah for men whose number includes an indicted non-reporter to sidle up to Penn State with a coy partnership proposition saying they are "eager to invest" in a "major national campaign to see the scourge of abuse faced head-on.".

But Archbishop Timothy Dolan, head of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops did just that at a press conference yesterday.

Some quotes:

Whenever this painful issue comes into view again ... it reopens a wound in the church as well, because nobody has suffered more from this than the Catholic community in the US.
This shows that the scourge of abuse is societal, not limited to one faith, or to priests. It's widespread, it's everywhere.
One of the things we've learned tragically is that it's people with positions of trust that what complicated our own crisis.

Chutzpah by the bucket load.

Dolan grabbed Penn State like the brass ring on the carousel and devoured the opportunity to say it's "widespread ... not limited to priests..."

You could almost hear the drum roll under the theme music of "everybody does it" playing under the video of the mudslide of the high moral ground.

And this one takes the cake: "we've learned ... its people with positions of trust."

Whipped like the filling of a crepe suzette inside the dough of "tragically" Dolan worked to have people believe that without massive news coverage of the Bishops' cover-up of the rape and sodomy of children these spiritual leaders had until 2002 only a blurry idea that positions of prominent moral standing carried high responsibility - but now they've learned.

Notice that while there was a predictable question about Penn State at the opening press conference of the USCCB meeting, Dolan and his fellow bishops were left off scot free on the issue of Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City/St. Joseph, Missouri.

Not even a subtle inference let alone a direct ask about their indicted brother bishop, non reporting, and child pornography.

Nothing stands starker in the Catholic Church and Penn State scandal comparisons than the firings. That would be Penn State 2, Bishops 0.

And these men want to "partner" in a campaign to face sexual abuse head on?

Good grief!

---Kristine Ward, Chair, National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC)

KristineWard@hotmail.com, 937-272-0308

SNAP National Director David Clohessy speaks about Penn State sex scandal and parallels to priest sexual abuse

Survivor's Network Dallas — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:39:51 GMT

Penn State students, fans collect donations for ChildHelp, making support of victims the focus of the sex scandal

Survivor's Network Dallas — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:54:54 GMT

Some 400 Penn State students held canisters on Saturday at Beaver Stadium asking game day fans to make a donation.

They collected money for ChildHelp -- a non-profit organization which specializes in the prevention and treatment of child abuse. "A lot of alumni (are) coming by and appreciate what we're doing and they know that this is what the student body is really about," said Penn State University Junior Ian Golden.

"... this is what the student body is really all about ..." - PSU Junior Ian Golden

Golden formed a group on facebook aimed at restoring Penn State pride by uniting students for a singular cause: "Show their support for the victims, really focus all this attention back on the victims and their families," he said.

Read: PSU Students, Fans Show Support of Child Abuse Victims ...

Penn State sex scandal parallels Catholic crisis, except PSU leaders are being held accountable, says chair of NSAC

Survivor's Network Dallas — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:51:30 GMT

Kristine Ward is chairperson of SNAP's sister survivors advocacy group, the National Survivors Advocacy Coalition.

In the mid '60s, Ward was a student at her alma mater, Penn State when Joe Paterno became football coach. She sees direct parallels between the Penn State disclosures of alleged sexual abuse of children and its coverup, and the Catholic church sex abuse scandal -- with the exception that the Penn State brass, who covered up the allegations from the beginning, have gotten fired while not a single catholic bishop has even been reprimanded, much less fired.

In the meantime, no one is paying attention to the real victims in these tragedies -- the children and the innocents.

Watch the Kristine Ward interview on Ohio News Network ...

Abuse and cover-up at Penn State are strikingly 'Catholic-like' says National Catholic Reporter

Survivor's Network Dallas — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:31:43 GMT

The parallels between what happened at Penn State and what has happened for decades throughout the Catholic community in the United States and in other countries are striking.

The patterns outlined in the 40-count indictment charging Sandusky are familiar:

the grooming of vulnerable youth,

using a trusted position and stature within the community to gain access to children and to fend off suspicion,

descriptions of fondling and rape of children,

reports of abuse being minimized,and

a continued toleration of the abuser within a protective culture.

-- National Catholic Reporter

Read 'Abuse and cover-up: Penn State's Catholic-like scandal' in NCROnline ...