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	Disco Wins Honor By Joseph G. Cote Nashua Telegraph June 29, 2011 https://home.nashuatelegraph.com/clickshare/authenticateUserSubscription.do?CSAuthReq=1234&CSProduct=nashua-metered&CSTargetURL=http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/924320-196/disco-wins-honor.html A Merrimack woman will be named the Layperson of the Year by a national priest abuse survivors group. Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAP, will give its highest award to Carolyn Disco at the group's national conference in Washington, D.C., on July 9, according to David Clohessy, SNAP's national director. Disco, a Catholic who attends Our Lady of Mercy in Merrimack, said she became interested in the scandal when media broke the news a decade ago. She began researching the issues and eventually became a well-known advocate of abuse victims. "I'm very humbled and grateful. It's been a long association," Disco said. "Getting to know survivors has been a very meaningful experience." Since 2002, she has been a member of SNAP and another national Catholic reform group, Voice of the Faithful. She is now the New Hampshire Voice of the Faithful's survivor support chairwoman, she said. "You can't help but be moved by the stories of victims and survivors," Disco said. "It just seemed important to not be silent and to push for some accountability and some justice." Disco has repeatedly called for the ouster of New Hampshire's bishop, Bishop John McCormick. She has also counseled abuse victims and supported bills to protect child abuse victims, Clohessy said. "Few Catholics take the huge risks that Carolyn has to speak out for the wounded," he said. "Unlike so many who just sit idly and hope that bishops do the right thing, Carolyn stood up and took action." Voice of the Faithful named gave Disco its St. Catherine of Siena award in 2007, Clohessy said. SNAP was founded more than two decades ago by abuse survivor Barbara Blaine. It now has more than 10,000 members in 50 states and 10 countries, Clohessy said. This year's national conference, titled "Exposing Truth and Protecting Kids," will be July 8-10 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Washington, D.C., he said. Joseph G. Cote can be reached at 594-6415 or jcote@nashuatelegraph.com.
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