Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests calls for Washington archbishop's resignation

By Victoria Sanchez
ABC7
August 21, 2018

https://wjla.com/news/local/snap-calls-for-washington-archbishops-resignation

A national support group for people abused by Catholic priests is calling for the immediate resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl.

The leader of the Washington Archdiocese is under immense scrutiny after he was named more than 200 times in a Pennsylvania grand jury report about sexual abuse and cover-up when he was the Bishop of Pittsburgh for 18 years. The report took two years, is close to 900 pages, identifies roughly 300 priests and found at least 1,000 abused children in six Pennsylvania dioceses.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) demanded change in the Catholic church as they stood in front of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday morning. They want Wuerl to resign or for Pope Francis to strip him of his title.

“I hope that every bishop named in the grand jury report is punished because they deserve it. They allowed innocent children who they’re supposed to be shepherding to be sexually abused,” said Becky Ianni, a SNAP board member.

Ianni held a picture of herself when she was a bright, eight-year-old, Catholic school girl. Now in her 60s, she recalls the time when the new priest came to her Alexandria parish.

“I loved him and my family loved him and trusted him. He took that love and that trust and he began abusing me at the age of 8,” she said.

The abuse took place in her family home basement and at school for four years. It wasn’t until decades later that she told the diocese what happened. It took 18 months before a Catholic review board agreed to hear her story. They did find her allegations credible.

“The church treated me so poorly that I left the church and I lost God as well, which was another huge gap in my life,” said Ianni.

A lifelong Catholic, Bill Casey, said he wasn’t surprised that the Pennsylvania grand jury shed a worldwide spotlight on previously unreleased but documented abuse. He works with the Voice of the Faithful, a group that supports survivors of clergy abuse, priests of integrity and hopes to shape change within the church.

Casey said Pope Francis’ letter acknowledging the abuse and cover-up is a start but more needs to be done.

“Where it’s not just ‘pray and fast’ and do, you know, do the traditional spiritual exercised, all of which are fine, but they don’t get to change,” he said.

Judy Lorenz’ husband was abused by a priest in Kentucky when he was a 16-year-old boy. For years she and her husband tried to work with the church to uncover and stop abuse. It didn’t work. The Lorenz’ left their diocese two years ago.

“I have a faith. Not in them,” she said, gesturing to a church building.

In a written statement last week, Wuerl said he believes he acted diligently while Bishop in Pittsburgh for 18 years. He denies wrongdoing.

“I’m mad at Cardinal Wuerl. And I’m disgusted by the way he has defended himself,” said Ianni.

“Do not put a dime in the collection box this week, or any week, until Wuerl resigns,” said Lorenz.

They want the church to clean house, starting with Wuerl but not ending there.

“They allowed innocent children who they’re supposed to be shepherding to be sexually abused,” said Ianni.