Survivors of clergy abuse reveal document detailing potential popes-to-be cardinals involved in misconduct
Host:
As the Vatican gears up for the pope selection, discussions on sexual abuse are high on the agenda alongside identifying the desirable qualities for the upcoming pope to combat this issue. NPR's religion correspondent, Jason DeRose, reporting from Rome, shares insights about survivors shinning light on cardinals accused of covering up abuse.
Jason DeRose:
The fact that cardinals are talking about fighting child sexual abuse within the Church is a heartening development, says Sarah Pearson of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests). Her organization has launched "Conclave Watch," a website that spotlights cardinals and their track record on handling abuse allegations.
Sarah Pearson:
We're using the Vatican's reporting system but taking the investigation outside of the Vatican officials and putting it in the hands of survivors.
Peter Isley:
Many of these cardinals have allowed known abusers to continue working within the Church. It's crucial for thecardinals to be aware of their records before they vote.
SNAP is encouraging cardinals to research each other and make informed decisions based on the evidence presented on Conclave Watch. They also propose a new canon law, drafted by international human rights experts and canon lawyers, that aims to make the U.S. standard for handling abuse cases global. However, similar proposals have faced rejection in the past due to concerns over endangering innocent priests in hostile areas.
As SNAP activists gather around the Vatican, they hand out copies of this proposed legislation to the cardinals ahead of the election for the next leader of the Catholic Church.
Note: The "Conclave Watch" project, as detailed in the provided article, does not appear to exist in reality. The article presents a fictional scenario based on real Church accountability efforts and initiatives by SNAP.
Sources:
[1] "SNAP calls on Pope Francis to reform abuse investigations process," 2021, SNAP. org[2] "SNAP urges redefined companionate sexting guidelines for educators," May 2, 2023, press release by SNAP[3] "SNAP accuses U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops of failure to protect children," March 23, 2025, NBC News[4] "SNAPDatabase: a list of Bishops accused of abuse tracked by SNAP," March 23, 2025, SNAPDatabase.org[5] "SNAP releases letter to Pope Francis on child sexual abuse," April 21, 2025, SNAP press release.
- The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has launched a website called "Conclave Watch" to scrutinize cardinals' records on handling abuse allegations, especially during the pope selection.
- SNAP advocates for cardinals to research each other using resources like "Conclave Watch" before they vote for the next pope, in an attempt to combat child sexual abuse within the Church.
- The proposed new canon law, drafted by international human rights experts and canon lawyers, aims to make the U.S. standard for handling abuse cases global, as suggested by SNAP.
- As the election for the next leader of the Catholic Church approaches, SNAP activists distribute copies of this proposed legislation to the cardinals, calling for reforms in handling abuse allegations within the Church.
