Survivor Support Community News

The following are two easy ways to support Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Clergy, either as a group or individually.

1) Help provide scholarship money for a survivor to attend the SNAP National Conference in Chicago June 10-12. Winchester, MA VOTF provided scholarship money for a survivor to attend last year and he said it helped him to heal and also provided him with a sense of tremendous support.

The Conference this year is on “Healing, Growing Strong, and Protecting the Vulnerable.” Registration fees are $75 to $125, depending on when one is registered; this is inclusive of 4 meals and admission to all the workshops. Lodging is $119 a night, and of course travel expenses are additional. More information on the Conference can be found on www.SnapNetwork.org Checks can be written out to SNAP and sent to: SNAP, P.O. Box 300578, St. Louis. MO. 63130. SNAP is a nonprofit organization and has a 501 (c) 3 status. Contributors should identify where they are from and specify that the money is to go towards a scholarship for the conference.

2) Another way to support a survivor is to help fund a weekend or week-long visit to the Linkup Farm in Kentucky. The Farm is a “Place for Rest, Healing, Learning, and Renewal for Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse.”

More information is on their website: www.thelinkup.org Checks can be made out to the Linkup specifying that the money go towards a scholarship to visit the Farm. Donations can be sent to: Linkup, P.O. Box 429, Pewee Valley, Ky. 40056. The Linkup is also a nonprofit organization with 501 (c) 3 status.

SNAP Goes to Rome

Barbara Blaine (Survivor from Chicago and SNAP President) and Barbara Dorris (Survivor from St. Louis and SNAP Outreach Coordinator) are in Rome. Other SNAP representatives may join them this week.

“Cardinal Bernard F. Law, former archbishop of Boston, celebrated Mass in Rome's St. Mary Major Basilica, the church where John Paul appointed him archpriest. Law today will say the next daily Mass for the pope at St. Peter's Basilica. Leaders of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests said Saturday that they were flying to Rome to protest, arguing that Law's presence was painful to abuse victims and embarrassing to Catholics.” For the full story, click here.

For SNAP’s coverage of their time in Rome and to read the leaflet, in English and Italian, they are distributing while there, go to http://www.snapnetwork.org/ The leaflet addresses four questions: Who Are We?; Why Are We Here; What Do We Want; and What Can You Do to Help?

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