PALMERSTON NORTH (NEW ZEALAND)
Stuff [Wellington, New Zealand]
December 12, 2023
By George Heagney
A group that advocates for people who have been abused by priests says the Catholic Church is denying survivor complaints.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) Aotearoa has been trying to work with a new bishop in Palmerston North about providing support for survivors of sexual abuse, including a woman who was historically abused by a priest in Waikato.
SNAP’s leader Christopher Longhurst said Bishop John Adams had stopped communicating with them.
But Adams said he was still open to working with the group.
Longhurst said the survivor wanted someone from the church as a support, so SNAP contacted Adams.
The group asked Adams via email to display one of its posters in the diocese and encouraged him to look at its website.
Longhurst said Adams replied to say he had looked at SNAP’s Facebook page and had seen some angry comments.
Adams, in an email viewed by Stuff, told SNAP he was surprised at the level of vitriol and lack of charity he found and was not sure if he could recommend the organisation. He wanted reassurances before displaying signage in the parishes.
Longhurst said SNAP had asked what assurances the bishop needed, but did not get a response.
The social media comments were not representative of the group and most of their members weren’t on social media, Longhurst said.
“No bishop should need assurances from a victim of abuse before they reach out to support them.”
Longhurst said abuse survivors had the right to be angry, which was not a reason for the church not to support them, and the church couldn’t blame SNAP for what people said on social media.
He said the church was denying survivor complaints and not listening to them.
“The churches have to reach out in every way possible to help these people. They shouldn’t be ignored.”
Adams told Stuff he wanted the church to be a place where survivors felt comfortable, and he wanted to work with them.
He said he was open to working with SNAP and each time he wrote to them, he asked for further contact.
Adams said his email comments had been misinterpreted, as he said he had discovered a lack of charity in comments on social media, and had not meant abuse survivors.
He said he stopped communicating after an email from SNAP about possible Facebook posts the group could make, which he interpreted as a threat.
SNAP later made social media posts about Adams and his lack of support.
Adams said the social media comments had made him pessimistic about further contact.
He said he wanted to make the diocese a safe place.
Longhurst said he wanted accountability from the church.
“We would like to open up an honest and respectful line of communication with survivors, so they know there is an outfit out there.”