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SNAP - Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests [Chicago IL]
March 10, 2025
Dear SNAP members and supporters,
We are writing to you from Rome, where three representatives from our community have been dispatched to advance our mission of protecting children and holding the Catholic church accountable for its handling of clergy abuse. Our presence here is critical during this time of a potential papal transition — and we want you to know exactly what we are doing and why.
A Legacy To Be Proud Of
As you know, SNAP is the world’s oldest and largest survivor organization for clergy abuse, with a mission that has always been global. This is because abuse within the Catholic church ultimately traces back to one man — the pope — who holds absolute authority over every ordained cleric worldwide. Only the pope can hire, fire, or discipline a priest, including those who sexually abuse children or vulnerable adults. If abusive priests are concealed, transferred, or protected from justice, it is because the pope allows it — directly or indirectly — to safeguard the church’s power, wealth, and influence. The Vatican’s status as a sovereign state, with special legal protections, further shields it from accountability. This unprecedented power, held by one man, has devastating global consequences for survivors and justice.
SNAP’s International Impact
The groundbreaking work of our founder Barbara Blaine built SNAP’s singular global presence and legacy that we bring with us to Rome. Our work in collaboration with the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) represents a monumental chapter in the fight for accountability and justice within the Catholic church. Our successful efforts to bring the Vatican before international legal bodies like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) fundamentally shifted the global conversation on clergy sexual abuse from isolated incidents to a recognized systemic human rights crisis.
The case brought to the UN, which resulted in the first-ever condemnation of the pope and the Vatican for crimes against children, was a powerful acknowledgment of the scale and severity of the abuse and its cover-up. This set a precedent for holding religious institutions accountable under international human rights law. Additionally, filing the case with the ICC under the charge of “crimes against humanity” was an unprecedented move that framed the church’s global policies of concealment and offender protection as violations of international law.
Barbara Blaine’s vision of a unified international movement of survivors and advocates continues to inspire current efforts. Her leadership in building cross-border partnerships amplified the voices of survivors worldwide, ensuring that the fight for justice and prevention of future abuses remains a global priority. The work that she began and SNAP continues, aims to ensure that church leaders can no longer evade accountability under the shield of religious authority.
Why We’re Here
Our current mission in Rome is centered around two urgent goals:
- Demanding that the next pope enact a universal zero tolerance law in the Catholic Church — We are calling on the Vatican to enact a binding global church law that would ensure any priest, bishop, or cardinal who commits or conceals child sexual abuse is immediately removed from ministry — no exceptions, no excuses. The Church’s repeated failures to protect children cannot continue.
- Exposing cover-ups by future papal candidates — We are actively working to investigate and expose any cardinal who is a potential future pope and has a history of covering up clergy abuse or protecting perpetrators. The next pope must be someone who fully supports transparency, accountability, and the enforcement of a zero tolerance policy.
What We’re Doing in These First Two Days
Since arriving in Rome, we’ve wasted no time:
- Engaging international media — When any Pope is in a period of illness and possibly dying there is an “unwritten code” among the media that few of any negative stories are written about his leadership or legacy concerning clergy sexual abuse and cover-up. That will change after his death and the world’s attention turns to the drama of the next papal conclave and the election of the next pope among the 137 Cardinals that will gather and sequester themselves in Rome. We’ve been speaking to global media outlets and our extensive network of journalists who have covered our work in the past to amplify the voices of survivors during the papal transition and to keep pressure on the Vatican and the College of Cardinals. The more the world knows, the harder it will be for the hierarchy to avoid change.
- Reaching policymakers and influential figures — We’re connecting with international human rights advocates, diplomats, and policymakers who can influence the Vatican and apply pressure from outside the church to put clergy abuse and a new universal zero tolerance law on top of the global agenda for the new pope.
- Mobilizing public support — We’re working to organize press conferences, public actions, social media news, and other visible reminders of the church’s moral obligation to protect children and support survivors. Our message is clear: no more cover-ups, no more impunity.
- Tracking the movements of key church figures — We’re closely monitoring the activities of cardinals who are potential papal candidates and gathering evidence of any past concealment of abuse. This information will be crucial in ensuring the next pope is someone who prioritizes child protection over church image.
Why This Moment Matters
The Vatican is a powerful institution, but we know from history that real change only happens when survivors and advocates like you demand it. Our work here is driven by your stories, your resilience, and your unwavering commitment to protecting future generations from the trauma of clergy abuse.
Over the next few days, we’ll keep you updated on our progress and any breakthroughs we achieve. Please keep us in your thoughts — and know that we are here in Rome on behalf of every survivor, every supporter, and every child who deserves safety and justice.