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	Clergy Abuse Survivors of the Milwaukee Archdiocese Have Only Seven Months to File Restitution Claims By John Pilmaier SNAP Wisconsin June 22, 2011 http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/snap-wisconsin/ After February 1st, 2012 no legal recourse ever likely again for victims Local support groups, information services will continue to be provided by national clergy survivors organization Statement by John Pilmaier, SNAP Wisconsin Coordinator— 414.336.8575/ More and more victims of clergy sexual abuse covering some 50 years from the Milwaukee archdiocese will continue to come forward with today’s announcement by Judge Susan Kelley in federal bankruptcy court. But if they do not come forward within the next seven months, they will never again have legal recourse to obtain restitution for the crimes committed against them or the fraudulent cover up of those crimes. And, after that date, bishops and senior managers of the Milwaukee archdiocese will never again be legally required to answer for concealing and transferring child molesting clerics. During this time, it is important that survivors and their families know that information and services will continue to be provided by self-help organizations like SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), that are confidential, safe and supportive. And other excellent local organizations with long and impressive histories of assisting abuse survivors, like the Healing Center, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and the Sensitive Crimes Unit of the Milwaukee District Attorney’s office will also, no doubt, also be ready to help. But, it is imperative that survivors and their families know, and the archdiocese make crystal clear in their public notifications, that after February 1st no further claims for assistance or financial restitution from being abused by a priest or religious can be made with the court. This means that if a survivor is unfortunate enough to come forward on February 2nd the archdiocese is under no obligation whatsoever to acknowledge the harm that was done, admit who covered up for the cleric, and provide proper restitution. In light of archbishop Jerome Listecki’s description that the court’s bar date will be a “final call” for survivors to come forward, we urge anyone who knows or suspects a family member, friend, classmate or fellow parishioner of having in any way been harmed by a priest, cleric or employee of the archdiocese to reach out to that person, and—given the time urgency of the court’s bar date–call one of the organizations mentioned above for a confidential discussion to receive information, assistance and support. [SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org.]
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