WISCONSIN
The Journal Times
By Mike Moore
You might have read that the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests wants to honor the Rev. Paul Esser for objecting to the transfer of a sexually abusive clergyman in the 1970s. Sunday, they met Esser and passed out fliers encouraging locals to call the archbishop in support of the idea.
This is a new tactic for SNAP, at least in our area. I don't mean the fliers. Sadly, victims of priest abuse passing out fliers has become nearly as commonplace as stained glass at parishes.
This time was different. Rather than look for victims who'd be willing to prosecute a priest, they wanted volunteers to honor one.
Even SNAP had to do a double-take. The group's press release called its visit to Mount Pleasant's St. Paul the Apostle Parish an "Unusual Situation."
Three representatives from the group came to St. Paul on Sunday with armfuls of the leaflets. For once, no nasty comments were directed toward them. As Mike Sneesby of Bay View stood at one exit, parishioners took the leaflets with a simple "thank you."
Hopefully this signals a change in the life of this scandal, sort of like the progression through the stages of grief. We've been in the anger phase for several years now. It's time to move toward acceptance.