The Catholic Church Subpoenas Victims Group

ABC Radio National
May 2, 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/religionandethicsreport/the-catholic-church-subpoenas-victims-group/3985738

[with audio]

In the United States recently, in the dioceses of St Louis and Kansas City in Missouri, church leaders have issued subpoenas demanding access to the records of the organisation called SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. SNAP is mainly a counselling and support group and many victims have given details of their cases, even if they do not want to prosecute perpetrators. Into the bargain, one of the leading conservative Catholic voices, William Donohue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, told The New York Times recently that SNAP was 'a menace to the Catholic Church' and said the church needed to 'toughen up and buy some good lawyers'. The national director of SNAP, David Clohessy, explains the nature of the legal challenge that his organisation faces.