CHICAGO (IL)
National Catholic Reporter

Brian Roewe | Aug. 3, 2014 NCR Today

Pope Francis wasn’t present at the annual Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests conference, but on its second day his name created a running subplot to the ongoing survey of the group’s accomplishments in its first 25 years.

Barbara Blaine, SNAP founder and president, pushed back Saturday when she took the podium against earlier speakers who suggested Francis represented a change from previous popes. Change maybe in other areas, she said, but not on addressing clergy sexual abuse of minors.

“Most of us in SNAP are not optimistic about Pope Francis,” Blaine said in the opening to her speech. “He’s made real progress on church governance, he’s made real progress on church finances, but he has paid lip service to children’s safety.”

“We want to give Francis the benefit of the doubt but doing so…