John Paul II and SNAP on the anniversary of the Catholic Sex Abuse (watch news videos, listen to radios)

John Paul II's cover-up of the worst crime in Catholic modern history is being perpetuated by Cardinal Bernard Law sitting in the Archpriest high seat of St. Mary Magiorre Basilica in Rome, and of course by his papal clone Benedict XVI who has not acknowledge or apologize to the American 12,000 victims.

This year, on the 5th year anniversary of the explosion of priest-pedophilia, SNAP is holding 45 vigils in the USA - while Cardinal Law and Benedict XVI wallow in their self-glory in Rome - just like John Paul II did for 26 years as he blindly prayed Totus Tuus Marie.

John Paul II with his 26 years of pedophilia-papacy must never be called a "saint" in American soil and byAmerican lips.


National Public Radio Broadcasts 3-part News Series

PART I: Abuse Scandal Still Echoes Through Catholic Church
PART II: Victims of Clergy Abuse Wrestle with Faith, Past
PART III: Despite Reforms, Scars Remain from Clergy Abuse


54 Vigils in Two Days

Click for Documents Related to Events:

Media Advisory: Sex Abuse Victims to Hold Vigils Nationwide to Mark Anniversary of Scandal

Vigils Press Statement

Vigils Leaflet

List of Vigils, Times & Locations

Photo of Patterson Family

Photo of O'Connell Family

VOTF Marks 5-Year Anniversary of Clergy Abuse Revelation


News Coverage:
Op-Ed from Boston:"Unanswered Questions Linger"

Looking Back 5 Years:
Boston Globe Launches a Rocket!"Church Allowed Abuse by Priest for Years"

2007 Today's News Coverage:

Watch News Video:"San Francisco Advocates Hold Vigil"

"New Jersey Victims Call on Church to Name Names"

"Michigan Vigil Testifies to Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal"

"Albany Survivors of Clergy Sex Abuse Hold Vigil"

"Indianapolis Group Marks Abuse Anniversary"

"Boston Advocates Propose Sex Abuse Reforms"

"Victims of Abuse, Murder Remembered in Wisconsin"

"Knoxville Group Holds Vigil"

First Broadcast Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 "Abuse Victim Profiled on PBS-TV Frontline"

TV News Coverage from Jan. 2002:

NBC TV News: Sex Abuse Scandal Hits Boston Archdiocese

WCVB Boston:Notorious Boston Priest Goes to Trial Amidst Growing Scandal

WCVB Boston:Boston Globe Publishes Documents Revealing Decades-Long Cover-up of Crimes Against Children

WBZ Boston:Letters Prove Boston Cardinals Long Supported Serial Child Molester

Reuters International:Boston Cathedral a Firestorm Amid the Largest Sex Scandal in Church History



SNAP The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

Press Release

Giving Voice to Victims

For immediate release: Friday, Jan. 5
For more info: Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747, Barb Dorris 314 862 7688, David Clohessy 314 566 9790

Sex abuse victims to hold 45 vigils on anniversary of Catholic sex scandal

They will ask bishops to disclose predators' names & stop 'hardball legal tactics'

Self help group highlights two 'egregious' multiple murder & suicide cases

SNAP wants church officials and members to display photos of two wounded families

In at least 50 cities this weekend - with candles, signs and childhood photos - victims of sexually abusive clergy will stand outside churches and hold vigils to mark the five year anniversary of the Catholic molestation and cover up crisis.

(On January 6, 2002, the Boston Globe ran the first of what would ultimately become 850 stories about pedophile priests, sparking the exposure and suspension of some 900 proven, admitted and credibly accused child-molesting clerics across the US.)

Member of a self-help group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, are organizing the events, designed to emphasize that "innocent kids and vulnerable adults are still at risk and church officials are still reckless and secretive," according to Barbara Blaine of Chicago, the group's president and founder.

"Bishops are working harder than ever at public relations," Blaine said, "but fundamentally, they still protect their secrets more than they protect their flocks."

At the vigils, victims will briefly highlight what they call three 'particularly egregious' cases:

- a Wisconsin priest, Fr. Ryan Erickson, who murdered two men in 2002, after one of them confronted him with allegations that he was molesting children,

- a Kansas priest, Fr. Robert Larsen, whose sex crimes against kids led five of his victims to commit suicide, and

- a California priest, Fr. Eric Swearingen, who was found guilty of child sexual abuse last month in a civil jury trial, yet remains in active parish ministry.

SNAP members will ask that

-- church employees and lay Catholics to download photos of families hurt by Erickson and Larsen and display them in local churches, and

-- bishops to disclose the names of accused predator priests, stop using "hardball legal tactics" and display photos of several victims in churches across the country.

Details of this weekend's events, which start Saturday morning January 6th, will be prominently displayed on the home page of SNAP's website: SNAPnetwork.org)

The 23 states include: CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, IO, MA, MN, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, RI, TN, TX, VA, WI, and WY.

The 43 cities include: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Charlottesville (VA), Cheyenne, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Davenport, Dayton, Denver, Des Moines, District of Columbia, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Lafayette (IN), Lansing, Los Angeles, Madison, Madiereville (IN), Milwaukee, Miami, Monterey, Nashville Newark, New York City, Orange County (CA), Peoria, Portland (OR), Providence, San Antonio, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Paul, St. Louis, T oledo, Tulsa, and West Palm Beach.

Additional sites are expected to be finalized throughout the day Friday.

Exact times and locations will be prominently displayed on the home page of SNAP's website (SNAPnetwork.org) around 11:00 a.m. (eastern time) Friday morning.

At some of the vigils, victims will

-- hand out fliers to parishioners entering or leaving mass, and

-- be joined by members of Voice of the Faithful, an independent Catholic lay reform group.

SNAP is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. Founded in 1989, it has more than 8,000 members and 65 support groups. Most were molested by Catholic priests, nuns, bishops, and seminarians. But a growing number were abused by religious figures in other denominations.