By Barbara Dorris

Off to Brussels! Took the train through the tunnel and under the channel. Went pretty fast – it was a beautiful ride through the country side. As we came into France there were three hot air balloons floating over the fields. Looked like a picture postcard.
We are in Brussels! (A beautiful city with very friendly people.) A supporter from a small university town  a short train ride away met us and shared many stories with us. She has documents about abuse cases and the cover-up by the church.  Survivors had come to the church for help and the church was trying to turn them away without any help or even therapy. There is a growing network of survivors and supporters who are willing and able to speak out.

Victims face many of the same challenges here as anywhere else, the statute of limitations. In Belgium the church is supported by the government. The amount of money they receive is dependent on the number of people who register as Catholic.  (the same is true in Germany and several other countries) Priests are paid by the government  which in some small way makes the priests more independent.

We also talked with a survivor who wants to actively reach out to others in Brussels. He has had buttons printed that says “From victim to survivor” We will meet with a larger group tomorrow including Bert from the Netherlands.

The World Cup is in full swing in Europe. On Saturday the USA played England resulting in a tie game. The English are very quick to point out they did not lose to the Americans, a fate worse than death. At our hotel they have inflated a 10 foot high soccer ball and low and behold there was SNAP right along all the other autographs.

By Barbara Dorris

Day 7 of our trip. Peter was up early and headed to Vienna. We have the start of a wonderful group there with both survivors and family members working together. Sadly it is the same story everywhere. Eva’s son was abused. Since he told her what happened they have found seven more victims. The predator is still in ministry. She has felt all alone seeking prevention, justice and healing not only for her son but all the other boys.
Joelle and I heading for London. Despite fatigue, plane delays and long train rides, we are feeling positive and determined.

Day 8
We leafleted at Westminster cathedral this morning. We passed out almost 200 fliers. Most people were very polite but non committal. Not sure they had ever seen people pass out anything that was not an advertisement.
We had been there about 30 minutes when a man came up to us with a leaflet in hand saying he too had been abused. He is homeless and has substance abuse problems but was glad to hear that someone was speaking out and someone cared. How sad that no matter where we go we meet our fellow survivors.
Off to Brussels! Took the train through the tunnel and under the channel. Went pretty fast and was a beautiful ride through the country side. As we came into France, there were three hot air balloons floating over the fields. Looked like a picture postcard.

By Barbara Dorris

We all leave Rome this morning. Peter is off to Vienna to meet with local survivors and hopefully get the SNAP support group up and running there. Joelle and I will head to London to help start a group there.  Joelle has experience riding the “tube” so I am going to relax and follow her everywhere.

This has already been an exciting journey and we are only half way through our trip. I’ve been thinking a lot about all of the amazing survivors in the United States as we reach out to survivors across Europe. While it is so sad that we were all abused I am finding it invigorating to connect with other survivors. While we come from such different cultures and speak different languages we share so much in common. We all know the horror, the guilt and shame, the silence and secrecy that bound us up for so many years. As we find each other we are finding consolation, healing and hope.

I know I said this before but I am feeling it again. I am humbled by this opportunity that I have to be on this journey and I am so grateful to survivors everywhere. Survivors are the most generous and kind people in the world. Thank you to all survivors who risk and connect with each other and thanks to all who support us and enable us to do it!

We appreciate all your feedback and support. We’re doing all we can to maximize this moment for our movement. Thank you!

Barbara Dorris with Media

BBC Crew

By Barbara Dorris
The Pope “apologized” again, this time at the mass at St.  Peter’s Square.  SNAP’s response was simple. While words are a nice first step they are meaningless without actions. Peter and Joelle were standing in the square and responded to media from around the world. I went back to the hotel to be available there to reporters who did not find us in the square.

Peter Isely (from Wisconsin) and Joelle Casteix (from California) who represent SNAP in Rome this week take a well-need rest.

We did interviews with all the major US networks and many other news outlets from cities across the globe, for TV, Radio, newspapers, internet sites, etc.

Rome is an amazing city, so beautiful that after a day or two you run out of adjectives to describe what you are seeing.  I wish I could tell you we have been sight-seeing or slipping off into little cafés to have amazing meals and linger with a cup of coffee and watch the world go by. No such luck. We’ve been extraordinarily busy. We have been attending events, answering calls, doing interviews, meeting survivors and eating whatever we could grab on the way.

By Barbara Dorris

Another amazing day in Rome. We talked with a group called “Good Candy.” They work to help children who have been sexually abused in Italy and are one of the few groups that work with clergy abuse survivors. They are currently involved in the “Conti” criminal case here in Rome. We inquired about their name, explaining that children in the US are warned to never take candy from strangers, and they explained that we were talking about “bad candy” and that were protecting children so they are “good candy.”

We attended the events at the Vatican last night. We found it interesting that the square was no where near full, that anyone could walk on and still there were empty seats. The Pope appeared about 90 minutes into the event, arriving by popemobile. Interesting fact, the popemobile can drive up full flights of steps delivering the pope right to the throne. The applause was polite but certianly no standing ovation.

As you know, there was no apology and only an indirect mention of the clergy sex abuse scandal that has rocked the world. Kind of the elephant in the room no one mentioned. We left the square a little after midnight and had a wonderful walk back to our hotel through the streets of Rome.

By Barbara Dorris

Another beautiful day in Rome. The sky is blue and it is warm, very warm. It is tourist season and there are large groups of both kids and adults touring the city. There is so much beautiful architecture after a while it begins to blend in and you do not notice every statue, fountain and beautiful building. The jasmine is blooming and at times the air is scented.

We met with press from the US, France and  Italy. Tomorrow we will walk to St. Peter’s Square to do more interviews and we will meet with Italian victims. It is never easy to come forward in Italy but right now the city is filled with priests (some 15,000) and many survivors find it too triggering to come to Rome. I can’t walk down a block without passing by at least one or two priests here. With this environment I am so inspired by the courage of victims who risk and reach out to us in SNAP. They claim that they find help from us but I find so much from them. I guess that is what makes SNAP so unique and has sustained the movement for twenty-two years. Survivors give and take with each other. We don’t always understand how it works but we continually hear from each other how meaningful it is to get together and meet one another. We each find strength and inspiration from each other while we fail to recognize how we are giving to each other. I don’t understand it but I see the tangible results.

Today, again, we have been asked many questions. As I hear myself responding I recognize that I am saying what one of you has said to me. Peter, Joelle and I are telling reporters what you have been telling us, how you feel about what is happening, what you wish for and of your willingness to set aside your own problems to reach out and help others.

Our press conference. By the time it started, every seat was full.

As we met with reporters today, as every other day we have been here, we have taken out the childhood photos many of you sent in. The pictures have been a huge success and we often introduce you to the media—“this is Robert, James, Mary, Becky, John, etc so I feel you are with us!

At the end of support group meetings we are usually invited to say how we feel “now.” So before I call it a night, I want to tell you how I feel. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to all you who made it possible for me to be here in Rome and given me the opportunity to spread our message. I am grateful to those who sent in donations but also to those of you who could not send in a monetary contribution. I appreciate the courage each of you takes to admit you were abused and your generosity in exposing your predator. I am buoyed up knowing that you are working hard to recover from the abuse. For so many survivors just getting through the day, staying sober and not committing suicide is a huge accomplishment. I understand that and appreciate all of you. It is the willingness of everyone to be face up to our abuse, work at being healthy and trying to prevent future abuse that is the lifeblood of our movement. Don’t know how to say this better, trust you understand. I am grateful. My feeling at the end of the day is overwhelming gratitude. Good night!

By Barbara Blaine

While SNAP folks are on the ground in Rome and over 10,000 priests are converging there I saw this article about the priest’s meeting in America magazine. Here is the link:
http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&entry_id=2986

It seems to me they are missing a key element. I sent this to the magazine as a comment.

“Promises are usually easy to make, hard to keep, and broken often if there’s no oversight or penalties. That’s crucial to keep in mind with church abuse policies in an institution with no checks and balances or real accountability mechanisms. And that’s why such policies, even now, in the US and elsewhere, are so frequently ignored.”

For many weeks we have heard from different sources that the Vatican may issue a new policy regarding abusive priests and clergy. If such a document is promulgated, we’ll be scrutinizing it to see if there is any indication that those who fail to follow the policy will be punished. Our experience in the United States has been that those who violate the church policy are not punished and receive no consequences. If anything, after seemingly violating the policy church officials even receive promotions. One example that comes to mind is the experience of the priest, Father Dan McCormick in Chicago. Here’s a link to a story explaining what happened to the church officials here who allowed the predator to work with children.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/01_02/2008_01_24_Hogan_TheCardinal.htm

We’ll keep watching for what comes next!

By Barbara Dorris

Arrived in Rome in time to help with our first press event with media from around the world. Reporters from about 30 news organizations attended! They stayed for well over an hour listening to our concerns about the safety of children and how reckless it is to allow predator priests to live in unsuspecting communities.  The noted the woundedness of survivors and how devastating abuse by a priest is to each victim and to their family members.

One interesting question was:  “Isn’t it better to keep them as priests rather than defrocking them and allowing them to go out on their own?” While we agree that defrocking is not a magic cure we pointed out that the notion that church officials are monitoring the predators still on their payroll is a falacy.  We have learned that many predator priests “removed from ministry” still come and go as they please. While it sounds good in theory that if the predators remain “priests” church officials have some form of control. But the important part is “control.” To exercise appropriate “control” over predators they should live in independently-run secured facilities for the rest of their lives. Many if not most are permitted to be monitored by other priests and religious brothers who have little, if any training, in understanding or monitoring sex offenders. It amazes me that church officials seem to have so much difficulty in recognizing that the predators are dangerous criminals who may hurt more innocent children.
Wish I could tell you more. So many questions and so much activity here but I am exhausted. The jet lag from traveling across the Atlantic ocean is catching up to me and I will get some sleep now. More tomorrow.
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By Barbara Dorris

We are off like a herd of worms!

Joelle in St. Peter's Square

Joelle and Peter arrived in Rome today and are busy getting the logistics nailed down for our events.  I am currently in the airport in Chicago and getting ready to board the next flight to Washington DC and then off to Rome early this evening.

Peter in St. Peter's Square

Not sure how sitting in airports and on planes can make you tired but it sure does.

By Barbara Blaine

As three SNAP leaders from the US are beginning their journeys to Rome (and other cities in Europe) SNAP folks in Chicago held an event to spread the message. Seven of us met in front of the Cathedral and passed out flyers as parishioners were leaving mass. (The seven included: Therese Albrecht, Rick Springer, Matt McCormick, Carolyn and Terry Lemle, Diane Dugard and  myself.)

The goal was to prepare for the papal apology expected to come later this week. We asked everyone to “ignore the apology, insist on the action.”

Many sources have indicated that sometime this week, as the Pope and thousands of priests from across the globe hold a celebration to close the “Year of priests” the Pope will issue an apology for the abuse by priests. SNAP wants the Pope to “end the excuse-making & blame-shifting.” We urge Pope Benedict to take action that will help protect kids now.

We asked parishioners to:

–ignore the upcoming papal apology about pedophile priests,

–insist on real reform, especially an external investigation and monitoring of sex cases, and

– ask the Pope to disclose the names of all predator priests worldwide.

We also urged secular authorities across – Europe and North America – to

—launch independent investigations into clergy sex crimes and cover ups, as the Irish government has done, and

—eliminate “predator-friendly” statutes of limitations which prevent child sex abuse victims from exposing predator priests and corrupt bishops in court.

Lastly, we asked that the parishioners urge anyone who sees, suspects, or suffers clergy sex crimes to call police officials, not church officials.

WHY?

Many Vatican observers believe that this week, during a large celebration, Pope Benedict will issue another apology for the crimes of pedophile priests.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/04/28/vatican-pope-apologize-abuse-priests/

But SNAP wants the pontiff to avoid blaming gays, journalists, therapists and allegedly “anti-Catholic” bias for the crisis, and minimizing the scandal by claiming the crimes are “years ago,” the cover ups are “history,” and that abuse is allegedly as common in other institutions.

Instead, the group wants Benedict to squarely place responsibility where SNAP believes it belongs: on reckless, deceitful and callous church officials who have and continue ignoring and concealing sex crimes against children.

And the organization is urging the Pope to take proven steps to safeguard children now. One such step is to publicly list, on diocesan websites across the world, the names and whereabouts of all proven, admitted and credibly accused pedophile priests. (Roughly 24 US dioceses have taken this step, including the Chicago Archdiocese.)

In a letter sent today by fax and e mail to Pope Benedict, SNAP will ask the pontiff to “go beyond mere words, and take real steps to expose, discipline or remove child molesting clerics and complicit church officials immediately.”

We passed out over 200 flyers, held posters with our contact info and childhood photos of victims of abuse by priests. The event was a great success. We were fortunate too, because as soon as we packed up to leave and said our good-byes it started pouring rain. Luckily, the rain held off until we completed our mission.

We send our best regards to those heading to Rome to provide the perspective of victims and are grateful that they are going! We are also both humbled and grateful that so many donated to help raise sufficient funds to send our folks to Europe. We’ll keep posting updates as they travel during these upcoming days! Please check back to keep up-to-date!