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	Churches Offer Aid to Abuse Victims Survivors' Support Group Lost Space at St. Joseph's Church By Phil Garber Observer-Tribune July 18, 2007 http://recordernewspapers.com/articles/2007/07/18/observer-tribune/news/doc469e5fc3e2663999744082.txt Mendham Twp. - A group that provides support for people who were sexually abused by Catholic priests has lost its original home but it won't be homeless for long. Three area non-Catholic churches have offered to provide space for meetings of the group known as Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP). SNAP had been holding support meetings for the last three years at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mendham. But the church pastor, Monsignor Joseph T. Anginoli notified SNAP members last month that the space was needed for a new pre-kindergarten program. SNAP had been meeting in the Pax Christie House adjacent to the church. St. Joseph's was at the center of the national controversy over abusive priests since 2002 when a former pastor, James T. Hanley, was accused of molesting young men. Since then 25 former parishioners have said they were molested, the Catholic diocese of Paterson has paid nearly $5 million in settlements with victims and Hanley has been forced out of the church. SNAP representatives said they have since being booted from St. Joseph's but they have received offers from three churches to provide space for meetings. The churches include Brookside Community Church and two others that were not identified. The most recent offer came in the form of an open letter from the Rev. Craig Anderson, pastor of Brookside Community Church, a United Church of Christ church with about 300 members located in Brookside. The church is a part of the Protestant denomination. "St. Joseph's, a place which had begun to be transformed into a center for healing after having served as a sanctuary for molestation, now has leaders closing its doors and turning their backs on survivors," Anderson wrote. Anderson wrote that St. Joseph's reason to force out SNAP because of a lack of space is "nonsense." "(It is) yet another manifestation of the "big-lie" told by the Catholic church in response to the scandal of sexual abuse by priests," Anderson wrote. In an interview, Anderson said St. Joseph's action "adds insult to profound injury" suffered by victims of clergy sexual abuse. "Given the recent history of St. Joseph's and the longtime history of the Catholic church, it seems clear that this is another instance of avoiding the problem, of blaming the victim and not wanting to help the people heal," Anderson said. Anderson said churches are typically used as venues by various groups and that his church turns down no group and is home to organizations ranging from Scout groups to Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). "It would be an honor to have SNAP meet here," Anderson said. Anderson also said he was certain his congregation would support SNAP. "Protestants don't have a pope so I don't have to worry," Anderson said. Parish Decision Anginoli declined to comment but Marianna Thompson, a spokeswoman for the Catholic Diocese of Paterson, said the decision at St. Joseph's was made by Anginoli and the church parish council. "The pastor and the parish council together prioritized this need," Thompson said. "This was not a diocesan decision. This is a parish matter." She said St. Joseph's is "extremely limited" in space and to make room for children is "certainly a worthy use of the space." Thompson said SNAP is not a parish ministry and that more than 14 parish ministries also have been displaced. Mark Serrano, a member of the SNAP board, said he was gratified to hear of Anderson's offer. "It's heartening to see such a gracious offer of compassion and support," said Serrano, who was in the center of the controversy when he disclosed in 2002 that he was sexually abused by Hanley. "The pastor's offer speaks volumes about the kind of compassion in a local community and among spiritual people," said Serrano, formerly of Mendham Township. Serrano said SNAP members have spoken with two other area Protestant churches who have also offered space.
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