Survivors Network Of Those Abused By Priests

I turned to Snap Network, because I needed to talk and share my story. It was difficult for me to come to grips, about being sexually abused by a Catholic Priest, I had to talk to someone, for the help I needed in understanding, and by reaching out to Snap Network, I was yet again shocked by reaching out to Snap Network, to find out that I wasn’t the only student who was sexually abused by a Priest. On our around 2008-2009 I contacted the DOJ office in Washington DC to report my abuse. Thank you Snap Network, for helping to stop child sexual abuse.

I Have READ SOME NEGATIVE Things About THE SNAP NETWORK AND I CAN SAY That ZACH HINER. HAS Been A UNBELIEVABLE OF A COMPASSIONATE Guy IN THE FIELD. He IS ONE OF the FIRST GUY To Send A DONATION TO MY fUND PAGE. AlSo HAS ANSWERED ALL MY EMAILS. He IS. AWESOME.
I am a adult survivor of clergy sexual abuse and for a yr 1/2. I kinda sorry for the Albany NY. Diocese. But it turns out that they really could care less if I’m homeless again of even die. As I was fully investigated through the proper Chanel’s in the fall of 2020.and after almost a yr. The bishop apologized for my abuse on a zoom call. And still
To this day not a penny for help. I gave
Up a little Aug. 13 2021 and did file a civil complaint after the zoom meeting and the bishop would not help me financially then. Even after saying that the diocese would take full responsibility. And even knowing how I have struggled to keep a place to live and eat every day. I figured out that they are not ever going to help me. So I would like to help expose the situation for the un compassionate of the dioceses to help the older victims and truthfully they hope we either go through with our suicidal ideas. Or just die off if that’s not a reason for my anger there isn’t anything more offensive than that. I did up until recently believe that the church was being abused by the stories and that wasn’t fair. If the church is more concerned about keeping there mass fortune that they accumulated all these years. And let the victims who have been investigated and proven to be a Victim then let them go hungry and homeless than it’s hard for me ti stick up for that. I am truly now angry.
am willing to help anyway possible to share my story and how the the church is turning there backs on the victims that are the most vulnerable. It’s truly unfair to have the the bishop take time to to have a zoom meeting. With me and apologize for the awful act of a selfish priest who abused me when I was 16. Then ask how he could help. It would turn out after a yr of being investigated and telling people I don’t even know my story and still when facing homelessness agin no real compassion. I did not want to believe it before but for the church as a whole it’s all about keeping there fortune and not helping the real victims.
This is going on all over the world. But most people do not truly understand how much they destroyed our life’s. They took away our abilities to grow up into a normal way of life and have a family a good job. Possibly own a home. But that was taken away by a selfish priest because Of what ever Needs he may have had or reason for becoming a priest to start with. I’m not even sure if it wasn’t premeditated in there idea of being a priest. In my case the priest who spent a year gaining every bit of my confidence had spent time in prison and that’s where he began to learn how to be a priest. Joesph Romano was the priest who decided one day after filing me up with lots of alcohol and who knows what else. He decided to make up an excuse to have to stop by his home the rectory for priest on new Scotland Ave. to get something and invited to come inside for a few minutes. It’s wasn’t long before I had become very tired and he told me to just take a nap because I probably had to much to drink. I didn’t see anything wrong with that. I was 16 yrs old why wound I. When I came too Romano was on top of me. And inside me. I fought so hard to get away from him.but he was very big guy over 200 pounds. And I was about 150 pounds. I struggled and fought as hard as I could and finally got him off from me. I was absolutely shocked and angry as I did not know what to do except yell and throw a few things at him as I was Getting my clothes together and running Out the door. His only response was that he was best friends with bishop Hubbard and If I were to tell another person about this I would never be safe again. The day changed my life forever and I kept that secret for 40yrs until the fall of 2020. After another night of heavy drinking and adding a bunch of prescription pills I thought for sure would kill me. I woke up and was devastated to still be alive and deal with another miserable day. After coming to my senses I thought of one way out. That was to go back to the place where all my problems started long before. So I sent a message to the Albany diocese. And I got a response rather quickly from mr. Jones and we talked about why I sent the email and what he could do to help. So I told him a small amount of my story not being to sure if I could trust him. He then directed me to a guy that I could talk to and see if he could help me. The fella was a terrific fella we met 2 times a week for months as the diocese told me they would have to verify my allegations against Romano. I did not want anything to do with that but I did it. It took 8-9 months for this investigation. I had to speak with a independent investigator and tell him everything I remembered about that day.we spent 2 hrs. Going through my memories of that day. It turned out I could play that day in my mind as clear as anything I ever remembered. Almost right down to the place we parked and entered the building.
After all that I received a message from mr. Jones that the bishop would like to have a zoom meeting with me to tell me how sorry he was about my abuse as there investigations turned out to be verified. I didn’t fell completely comfortable having that meeting but I did as mr. Jones I thought mentioned he may be able to help me with my problems of being homeless and not being able to work. So I was nervous but I had the meeting. The bishop was a sincere gentleman And he did apologize for my abuse and had a chance to read my story as I had sent to him a week before the meeting. At the end of the meeting he did ask how he could help me recover from my abuse. So I told Him I recently read some stories about the church and how they helped some of the people who had experienced what I’ had. So I did ask for some financial help to try and get my life back together and not worry about being Homeless again.
His reply was that he wasn’t able to help me financially at that time. And if I wrote a letter Of my needs for help. We could discuss them in a few months when he returned from a trip. I was Actually kinda of stunned and had no idea what to say. So I did my best to finish the call. The next day I started to look how I could get help and saw many many adds for Lawyers who would help me get some kind of a settlement and that the bishop probably was not going to help me. . The thing that entered my mind was that I set out to stop the pain and not have to get drunk every night and pray I didn’t wake up. And that was granted to me by my hard work. But also the lawyers i Talked with convinced me that there was funds set up to help people that went through what I did and I deserved to get the help. So I did file in august 2021. Since that day there has been not even a little bit of movement on my case. The lawyer tells me it will be years before I hear anything. Of course I Wasn’t informed of that when I was deciding to file or wait to see if the bishop may have helped me.
so now it’s gonna be almost 2 years since I told my secret. I am truly hurting I have sent 100s of emails and no response on most and the non profits that did respond said they do not help individuals financially. That’s the big slap in my face they finally got me angry because they get huge government grants and I’m sure quite big paychecks. And a victim that is hurting if the reason they get those grants. Tell me that they can’t help me. That is so unbelievable. The one person who did treat me like a real person is. Zach From the snap network. He’s the greatest guy ever. He even sent me $100 to a go fund me page that I was convinced to try. I was able to write a lot of my story there but only a few donations in 4 months. as I have no social media skills at all. Now I am ready and willing to go public and even expose the non profit organizations that are I believe frauds. I will do what I have to now to survive because I see that If I don’t I will be back in the same place. On a park bench wondering how to get my next meal.I’m no longer ashamed of my abuse I own it and no longer have anger about any of it. Because I know now that I have to live a life with out All that anger and resentment.
Thank you for your time. And if your station wants to do any kind of real story about how so many of us older victims are hurting bad and very poor. And there probably will never be any kind of settlement by the church. For us It has been a long journey and it’s not over.

Thank you for your amazing dedication to help people. I am struggling with PTSD. Now that I have been able to tell the truth about my abuser a secret I kept for 40 yrs. So every single day the tale in my mind plays the event of that day i was sexually assaulted and drugged by a priest. It’s as if it was yesterday I remember everything about that day. Even where we parked before going into the rectory where priest live. So I’m so stuck because of politics involved especially now. The church may never help us older victims even though I was investigated 2yrs ago by the Albany NY. DA and the diocese and found that my allegations were all found to be true. My mental health is now getting worse and the pain of being homeless again is triggering awful nightmares. As I have told my story and now recovering from alcoholism as well as being a survivor of clergy sexual abuse. I have been clean and sober since Oct. 2020. And am terrified to go back to live on the streets Again and possibly of almost anything can go wrong. I have created some pages to get help and that is not working because of my social media ability is not a big part of my life. As I never wanted to tell everyone about myself. I struggled for
https://cash.app/$RobertLescault

https://gofund.me/dd2ca1c2

Without the help of SNAP, the first-ever public protest about abuse in a Protestant setting would never have happened. SNAP's encouragement and specific suggestions about what to do and how to do it made our event in Pittsburg twenty-five years ago one that shook the Evangelical world, especially in regard to their many overseas missionary children boarding schools. My organization, MK Safety Net, is proud to be a member of SNAP. Their participation in our conferences over the years has made a huge difference in the lives of survivors of abuse in Protestant mission settings. Thank you, SNAP.

SNAP provided a lifeline when there was precious little other support to be found for this adult victim of clergy abuse. SNAP gives the gift of listening, believing and encouraging. Help is available 24/7 through survivor stories on their website, monthly at support group meetings and yearly at their annual conference. SNAP is doing the difficult, often-thankless work of keeping an ugly subject a priority. SNAP gives hope to a safer tomorrow.

A few months ago I joined an online support group that SNAP runs for those who were sexually abused by priests as adults. As part of this demographic I had felt overlooked, but now feel fully included in SNAP's work and this means the world to me. I very much appreciate the support.

I have been affiliated with SNAP in some capacity for about 15 years. It is an organization with a small staff, and many amazing and committed volunteers. The groups' focus is on providing peer support for survivors of clergy sexual abuse. As a self-help organization, some victims will not benefit from our services. However, for those who are willing and able to move forward, SNAP does a wonderful job providing supporting both for survivors as well as for their family members. I first reached out to SNAP circa 2004. Although I wasn't Catholic, the local leader welcomed me to his support meetings. I found these peer to peer meetings extremely helpful. I also found that, for myself, participating in SNAP's advocacy arm was also healing, so much so that in 2008 I took on a leadership role myself. I have continued as a SNAP leader through the present day, serving on the board of directors for more than two years. I'm particularly proud of the way that SNAP has risen to the recent challenges of moving from a founder led nonprofit to a board led nonprofit. We are building on a 30 year history of success to offer support for clergy abuse survivors in new ways, and in new locations.

The mission of SNAP is a high calling – to help expose clergy sexual assault and help eliminate sexual assault from churches and other organizations.

I called SNAP when I needed help coming to terms with my abuse. They were really helpful and put me in touch right away with someone near me who understood what I was going through. I am glad SNAP was there to connect me to other survivors and I think this is an important organization.

SNAP is a survivor led non- profit serving people who have been sexually assaulted as children in an institutional setting. As a survivor of rape at the age of 10, I know SNAP is a safe place for me to share my trauma and receive help dealing with the shame and pain. SNAP gives me the opportunity to work to prevent other children from the same type of crimes and to fight for justice for survivors. I can turn my trauma into positive actions that help me to heal while helping others. SNAP gives me a way to finally feel good about myself.

I have been a volunteer for SNAP for several years. It deserves 5 stars. SNAP does the much needed work of shining a light on very dark places like clergy abuse and cover ups in the Catholic Church. Without SNAP's work, there would be no SPOTLIGHT bright enough to expose this tragic piece of Church history while more importantly supporting survivors on their journey for healing and keeper children safer.

SNAP NETWORK is a not for profit organisation that has courageously held the hands and supported survivors, families and communities on their journey to understand and mend from the horrific clergy sexual abuse crisis created by universal faith based institutions.
With determination, stamina and quality research, 'Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests' has unearthed incomprehensible and inexplicable knowledge about global religious organisations causing the crimes to suddenly make sense.
SNAP continues to highlight that most countries in the world do not have reporting laws to safeguard children.
Patricia Boylan, Australia

I was a high level executive director in my career but when it came time to deal with my sexual abuse I was totally unable to go it alone. SNAP gave me emotional support, legal help, and direction. Evan after months of dealing with the Archdiocese of Chicago and reaching a settlement, SNAP continued being through their monthly support group. The recent acquisition of a highly intelligent, stable, and sensitive individual to continue running SNAP assures me that SNAP will continue to be an important resource for sexual abuse victims.

SNAP provided support when I was most injured and helped me thrive.

SNAP's work of supporting survivors and protecting children has changed the world.

I look forward to future volunteering with SNAP.

I have been a SNAP member since 2012 and have personally benefited, being a victim. The PEOPLE I have met are sincere and caring. Financially my wife and I have decided to support them because we know the funds are doing good

SNAP is by far the most effective organization in the world, at actually preventing child sexual abuse by religious clerics. This prevention happens indirectly, however, because the children who are NOT being molested today, as a direct result of the relentless work SNAP does to reveal the identities of clergy child molesters, can not be tabulated specifically. I have no doubt that those children number in the thousands. Many thousands. SNAP more than any other single organization, has kept the issue of child sexual abuse in the spotlight, never relenting even in the face of viscous attacks both by misguided followers and devious leaders. I was ritually sexually abused by Catholic clergy for many years, as was my mother, and therefore feel a deep sense of gratitude to SNAP for the work they do. At the core of their strategy is a single overarching focus: to protect children. I can think of nothing more important than that.

I joined the organization as a volunteer in 2003 when my wife and I were seeking a way to expose the Catholic priest that abused her brother when he was a teenager. Since that initial contact I have donated cash annually and donated time and in-kind support by attending/holding press events, written comments to articles and letters-to-the-editor, and designed and managed six web sites for SNAP chapters in the diocese of Columbus, OH, Steubenville, OH, Youngstown, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Wheeling-Charleston, WV, and, starting in 2009, the country of Australia.

While the original focus of SNAP was on sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, the breadth and scope of sexual abuse by persons with power and position over others has been coming to the doorstep of SNAP leaders and volunteers with alarming frequency. The leaders and volunteers of SNAP have shown the world what compassion is and how the institutions that have responsibility over the sexual abusers in their midst should be doing. They have taken in the victims, the survivors, and the love ones of the victims and survivors and offered them a safe and trusting community; a place to heal and an advocate for justice and accountability.

SNAP is no longer JUST a champion for survivors of Catholic priest sexual abuse. It has broadened its welcome to any and all victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings. Examples are all the other religious institutions (Baptists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Orthodox, Jewish, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.), clubs and social groups (the Boy Scouts), schools and universities (Penn State, the military academies, etc.), orphanages, etc. Now SNAP is responding to victims of familial abuse as well.

Starting in 2009 SNAP became a world-wide organization establishing chapters and in-country contacts in Australia, Mexico, Canada, Europe, and South America. SNAP has filed suit in the International Criminal Court against the Vatican for crimes against humanity and has filed a complaint against the Holy See with the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

No other organization has done as much for the children, vulnerable adults, and adult survivors of sexual abuse. BUT the organization needs financial support if it is to take on all of these powerful institutions. SNAP has over 12,000 members but there are no membership fees. It has only three full-time paid leaders and two paid office staff. Its full annual income is less than the annual salary of any one of the executives of the institutions that have harbored or ignored to abusers within their midst. The volunteers for SNAP are formidable, but the operations and mission cannot survive nor expand without a much greater financial support base.

I urge any readers of this review to become an annual/sustaining contributor to this righteous organization ... it's tax deductible.

I think that SNAP does a wonderful job of updating its donors on the organization's progress. Their mission is very important and they deserve all the support they can get. This is an organization that advocates for both the "once and future" children of this world. They are also taking on a powerful and corrupt entity -- the Catholic Church -- that cloaks its many sins in religious doublespeak and the slander of its accusers.

Whenever I get the SNAP newsletter, I am impressed by the staff's energy and dedication. As a former Catholic school student, I have no quarrel with the philosophy of the Catholic religion. I am, however, appalled by the people who are at the Church's helm. Fix the problem and get rid of the predators!

I first noticed SNAP when a came across a pamphlet in 1995. I thought, similar abuse happened to me. I began to remember being molested by a priest when I was thirteen. This prompted my participation in SNAP support groups twice a month for almost three years. After a while I became more focused on my family and dropped away from SNAP. Within a couple of years I became the father of twin girls who are now thirteen.

About two years ago new, horrific, memories came to me. Fifty years after my abuse I remembered being raped by a priest. These disturbing memories threw me for a loop. My emotional center was gone. Depression, fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, nightmares were overwhelming.

I lived in a world without fully understanding where or what I was. I sought out SNAP and once again participated in working with the network of SNAP members. SNAP was a safe harbor that provided comfort and support as I embarked on a path of healing. SNAP provides an opportunity for me to meet other survivors and develop friendships. I no longer feel alone. I know that it is not my fault and that I should not be ashamed. The members of the SNAP support group understand my injury, sympathize with my struggles and support my journey to a healthier life. These are important elements of building confidence to live life without being burdened by the abuse of the past.

As I became aware of the abuse and the lifelong injury I suffered as a child the more I understood how it had crippled me. With the support of SNAP members and the support from family and friends I developed a solid foundation for healing. Professional counseling also helped address the symptoms of PTSD.

As I developed into my own person I began to be more involved in the work of SNAP outside the support group. The injuries I suffered because of my abuse are not erased, nonetheless I live a fuller, healthier life. This lead to activism as I believed that no child should suffer the abuse I did.

I have gained the ability to move forward with my life. The network of SNAP members supported my steps to a healthier life and are my companions in that journey today. SNAP heals.