NJ--Victims urge Catholics to donate MORE but not to church

By Mark Crawford
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
March 2, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/nj_victims_urge_catholics_to_donate_more_but_not_to_church

Outraged at their archbishop, many Newark Catholics apparently are withholding their donations.

We are grateful that so many parishioners want to show their disapproval of Archbishop John Myers for his financial and sexual abuse scandals.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/archbishops_pricey_retirement_home_spurs_backlash_as_parishioners_withhold_donations.html   

We urge them, however, to give more generously than ever, but to institutions that protect kids, not institutions that endanger kids.

While it's a tempting response to a callous, selfish archbishop, keeping money in your pocket won't make children safer or change Myers. Donating to agencies that protect children, help victims and prevent crimes WILL safeguard kids.

So our message to Newark Catholics is: please DO something to show you care about the vulnerable and the needy. Please be even more generous than you usually are (because many need help). But do it carefully, so your contributions will make a real difference and won't support, in any way, reckless, selfish Catholic officials that their own comfort and reputations above the well-being of others.

(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 25 years and have more than 15,000 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)