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	Vatican to File Child Report 14 Years Late; SNAP Responds SNAP June 22, 2011 http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_statements/2011_statements/062111_vatican_to_file_child_report_14_years_late_snap_responds.htm Statement by Peter Isely of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, national board member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (1-414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com) Here is another in a long series of promises by top church officials to finally begin to take their obligations more seriously when it comes to children’s safety. We hope that leaders at the United Nations will somehow penalize the Vatican for this inexcusable violation of its pledges. This is yet another clear sign that top Catholic officials disregard both the law and their own promises. Catholics and citizens should think hard about what this kind of blatant violation says about Vatican staffers. Other secular officials, especially those in justice systems, should take note of how little the word of Catholic officials sometimes means. (SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org) Contact - David Clohessy (1-314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Blaine (1-312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com), Peter Isely (1-414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com), Barbara Dorris (1-314-862-7688 home, 1-314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hWrAkqhk0v41K4mbE-hEs9kpZENA?docId=241b3e2c699e403f9b7c61e4b45d32d5 Vatican pledges to submit UN report, 14 years late (AP) – 20 hours ago GENEVA (AP) — The Vatican will submit a long-overdue report on its treatment of children to the United Nations this fall, the Holy See's envoy in Geneva said Monday. The Holy See was originally due to submit a progress report to the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child in 1997, but failed to do to year after year without explanation. "From what I'm able to say it's that (in) September or October it will be presented," said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi. The Vatican diplomat said last year that the report's release was imminent. But he told reporters in Geneva on Monday that "imminent, in the tradition of the Church, it's a very long time." Human rights groups have urged the Vatican to explain in the report its role in the cover-up of child abuse committed by Catholic clergy. "It will be interesting to see if they come clean on this in September," said Roy Brown of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, a secular group that frequently criticizes the Vatican at the U.N. "We've been waiting for this report for a very long time." Tomasi said he welcomed Ireland's recent decision to investigate allegations of child abuse at Catholic-run institutions in the country. Earlier this month the U.N. Committee against Torture urged the Irish government to investigate claims that women and girls sent to work in Catholic laundries were abused through much of the 20th century. It made a similar recommendation for boys' institutions. "In this kind of effort, whatever practical decision is necessary I hope and I assume will be taken," Tomasi said, without elaborating.
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