Call to Action honors SNAP at CTA national convention in Milwaukee
A tip of the hat to Peter Isely for bringing us this media release.
* * *
For immediate release:
Saturday, Nov. 7
For more information:
David Clohessy of St. Louis, SNAP National Director (314) 566-9790 cell
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President (312) 399 4747 cell
Peter Isely of Milwaukee, SNAP Board Member (414) 429 7259 cell, (414) 963 8617
Clergy sex abuse victims to get award Sunday in Milwuakee from national Catholic group
A support group for clergy sex abuse victims being honored by a national lay Catholic organization at its annual convention in Milwaukee tomorrow.
SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, will receive a Leadership Award from a Chicago-based Call To Action at the Midwest Airlines Center ballroom.
SNAP is the nation’s oldest and largest support group for victims of clergy sexual abuse with 9,000 members. It also has support groups in over 60 cities nation wide. The organization’s mission is to help protect the vulnerable and heal the wounded. It was founded in 1988 by a social worker who was molested in Ohio by her parish priest.
The ceremony will start at 8:45 a.m. A former prosecutor will talk about SNAP for 12 minutes, then two veteran SNAP leaders will each talk for 10 minutes.
One of them, Barbara Blaine of Chicago, is SNAP’s president and founder. She’s a former Catholic school teacher and homeless shelter director who has advanced degrees in law, theology and social work.
The other, David Clohessy of St. Louis, is SNAP’s national director.
SNAP’s long time Midwest Director, Peter Isely, will also attend.
According to its website, Call To Action is “a Catholic movement working for equality and justice in the Church and society.” It has more than 25,000 members across the US. More than 2,500 are attending the conference this weekend.
8 Responses to “Call to Action honors SNAP at CTA national convention in Milwaukee”
November 8, 2009 at 12:03 am
HOORAY!!!!! BRAVO!!!!! ONE GIANT LEAP FOR SURVIVORS!!!!!
November 8, 2009 at 4:25 am
Congratulations to everyone involved in this work of support and healing for the victims of abuse by clergy—it takes a certain person with fortitude to go on daily to seek justice for these innocent victims who through no fault of their own became prey to depravity. Also, to those victims who come forward to shed light on these crimes and corruption within our church, we remain nonjudgemental and look forward to the day when all are respected and abuse is never more.
Thank you!!!!!
November 8, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I have been to many SNAP meetings as a long time caring friend of one of the Leaders and
my heart goes out to the victims and my reaction is to want to help. What I heard though
from so many is the impression that the Catholic church “is the only true church” as the Pope says, when we know that is not true, as God is bigger than any one church and the guilt put on the by “church” to not go to another Denomination makes the problem even bigger. You don’t “protect the church” you protect the VICTIM and we can worship God and get healing from whatever church you “choose” to atttend where they worship our Lord God and Savior. We need each other and God gives us the wonderful gift of “choice.” If you can’t “question” your church and make your own choice, then you are in a CULT. Some
victims are so injured they need to get away from the Catholic church and worship God
in another denomination not be an island unto themselves and be fearful and feal “guilt”
if they choose another avenue. Again, God is bigger than any one denomination.
With love and concern for the victims…I will continue to pray for them and be of help.
(So many end up not believing in God at all because of this “control” which is worse, you don’t throw the baby out with the bath….)
November 8, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Ah, here are some living day Saints being finally Honored!
Kudos SNAP!
“Carry on All for One”
November 8, 2009 at 7:24 pm
You guys are great all three of you, Wish we could get some thing done here in the Ohio Valley,
People are still scared and there has been plenty of sexual abuse here.
Maybe someday it will happen and people will wake up and realize what the Catholic instution
is teaching . which is not according to the Bible man made laws
. You aren’t supposed to take anything away from the Bible word of God nor add to it.
God be with you , carry on
November 9, 2009 at 12:32 pm
It is time to honor those who work for justice. Congratulations SNAP.
November 12, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Justice within the Roman Catholic Church needs to come soon since if the living Church is to survive with the fundamentals that Christ left us, we need to ignore all other barriers to equality and justice. It may be true, that the Church believes that it does not have the authority to ordain women…but just because hierarchy believes this does not make it so. The living church…in the form of the people of God has this authority. They are so authored to honor God and to live out their destinies by the way in which they are called. Not only do the people of God have the authority, they have the right to endow each other with with equal respect. As in an earlier time, the commission comes from the spirit of God. The same fire that fell upon the Apostles at Pentecost, fell too upon the women who were close to them. So, why again is it that women are excluded from ordination?
Like St Perpetua, once again, Rome has exposed her daughters to a savage cow—but, we continue our faith…that God will fix this too!
November 12, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Because the hierarchy is all male in which spun the M.C. aka. Male Chauvinism one sided brain mentality!
Always vying for the Alpha spot between males & females, that’s why!.
These men of the church view women only by what they can procreate using their “physical nature” as the weaker sex, and only good for bearing children, cooking, cleaning, laundry..
they even came out with a manual on how to be the perfect wife!
When the see & view women in this one sided brain mentality of theirs,
they are not allowing the dignity that God gave them to be raise to,
therefore women have become their objects of service…modern day slaves!