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	As Pope Becomes Saint, Victims Hand out Leaflets SNAP April 28, 2011 http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_press_releases/2011_press_releases/042811_as_pope_becomes_saint_victims_hand_out_leaflets.htm They ask Catholics & citizens to sign child safety pledge In 50 US cities on Saturday, they’ll talk with parishioners outside churches On Saturday, while thousands throng in Rome celebrating Pope John Paul II’s latest step toward sainthood, hundreds of clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will leaflet outside churches asking congregants to sign a pledge to report suspicions of child sex abuse to secular authorities. The events, scheduled to take place in 62 cities and in seven countries, are being organized by a Chicago-based international self help group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org). Roughly 23 US states will be included. (A partial list of locations below.) “Nothing can stop this callous PR juggernaut honoring the pope who presided over much of the on-going crisis,” said Barbara Blaine, president of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) “But we can help redirect some people’s energies into stopping child sex crimes and cover ups, which is vital to keeping kids safer.” The pledge reads “I will watch out for all the children in my church as if they were my own and I will immediately report known or suspected abuse to the authorities, no matter when it occurred.” It’s available on line at www.pledgetoprotectkids.org. “It’s bad enough when church officials do so little to protect the vulnerable or heal the wounded,” said Blaine. “But it’s worse when they take steps that deepen the suffering of so many, by elevating a pontiff who did almost nothing to stop bishops from ignoring and concealing heinous crimes.” “Wounded victims and disillusioned Catholics have been begging us to do something, because so many are upset at this PR blitz surrounding a man who essentially did little, if anything, while so many of us were being raped and betrayed,” said Tim Lennon of SNAP leader from San Francisco. “We want to give upset parishioners, concerned parents and caring victims a productive outlet this weekend for both their outrage and their compassion.” A full list of the cities and times of the leafleting events will be available Friday afternoon at SNAPnetwork.org. “Regardless of what the Catholic hierarchy does or doesn’t do, many victims will continue working hard to expose corruption, protect others, reform laws, warn parents and keep healing,” said Blaine. “While the church hierarchy fixates on symbolic gestures that protect no one while doing little or nothing to prevent future clergy sex crimes and cover ups, we’ll be out on the sidewalks focused on a practical step that anyone can take that actually safeguards children,” said Melanie Sakoda of Walnut Creek California, another SNAP leader. 7 COUNTRIES 1 Australia 2 Belgium 3 Canada 4 Ecuador 5 France 6 Netherlands 7 USA 23 US STATES 1 CA 2 CO 3 CT 4 DE 5 FL 6 ID 7 IL 8 IN 9 KY 10 MA 11 MI 12 MO 13 NC 14 NJ 15 NY 16 OH 17 OK 18 PA 19 TX 20 WA 21 VA 22 WV 23 WI 62 CITIES 1 Antwerpen (Antwerp) 2 Arden 3 Arlington 4 Asheville 5 Athens 6 Belleville 7 Bellflower 8 Boston 9 Brisbane 10 Brugge (Bruges) 11 Candler 12 Charleston 13 Chicago 14 Cincinnati 15 Columbus 16 Corpus Christi 17 Costa Mesa 18 Covington 19 Cuenca 20 Dayton 21 Dallas 22 Denver 23 Detroit 24 Eureka 25 Idaho Falls 26 Indianapolis 27 Kansas City 28 La Crosse 29 Los Angeles 30 Midland 31 Newark 32 New York 33 Norwich 34 Oakland 35 Oklahoma City 36 Ontario 37 Orlando 38 Paris 39 Perrysburg 40 Philadelphia 41 Pittsburgh 42 Quito 43 Rockford 44 Sacramento 45 San Antonio 46 San Francisco 47 Santa Maria 48 Santa Rosa 49 Seattle 50 South Bend 51 St. Clair Shores 52 St. Louis 53 Steubenville 54 Swannanoa 55 Sydney 56 Toledo 57 Utrecht 58 Virginia Beach 59 Wheeling 60 Wilmington 61 Winter Park 62 Youngstown
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