Today, we honor the life and legacy of our friend, fellow survivor, and courageous activist, Nate Lindstrom.
Dear friends,
Today, we honor the life and legacy of our friend, fellow survivor, and courageous activist, Nate Lindstrom.
Five years ago today, Nate's life was cut short when he took his own life — a heartbreaking reminder of the deep and lasting wounds caused by abuse and betrayal. Yet, Nate’s strength, compassion, and relentless fight for justice continue to inspire us.
It is fitting that we are writing to you from Rome on the anniversary of Nate’s passing, in partnership with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) to represent survivors during this critical moment of potential transition to a new pope. We are here to ensure that the global crisis of clergy sexual abuse — and the systemic cover-ups that have enabled it — are central considerations in the election of the next pontiff.
Nate dedicated his entire adult life to demanding zero tolerance for sexual violence within the Catholic church. He understood that without accountability, the cycle of abuse and concealment would persist. Tragically, Pope Francis has failed to implement this essential standard — a failure that cannot be repeated by his successor. The next pope must not only reject cover-ups, but must enact and enforce a true universal zero tolerance law for the global church, ensuring that no survivor is silenced, no perpetrator is protected, and no bishop who has enabled abuse remains in power.
As the church faces the possibility of new leadership, we cannot allow the mistakes of the past to dictate the future. We owe it to Nate — and to every survivor worldwide — to make sure that those who cast their votes for the next pope do so with the unwavering conviction that protecting children and vulnerable adults from sexual violence must be a non-negotiable priority.
Nate's voice may no longer be with us, but his mission lives on — and we will not rest until the Catholic church fully embraces the zero tolerance standard he fought so hard to achieve.
We love you Nate, and we have always believed you. We wish you were here with us now, but we feel your presence every time we speak up for survivors.
In solidarity with survivors and gratitude to all our supporters,
The Nate’s Mission Team