KC - Newly named accused predator is sued
- Predator priest is sued
- He’s named for 1st time as an offender
- Diocese has remained silent about for eleven years
- Crimes happened at motels, rectory, retreats, & church parking lots
- Victims group begs bishop to post names of other pedophile priests
WHAT
Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims and supporters will publicly
--announce a new child abuse lawsuit naming publicly for the first time a Kansas City priest,
--prod the bishop to post the names of credibly accused predators on diocesan website, and
--urge those who see, suspect or suffer clergy sex crimes and cover ups to keep calling police and prosecutors, not church officials.
WHEN
TODAY ------------------------Thursday, September 13 at 1:30 p.m.
WHERE
Outside the KC Catholic diocesan chancery office/headquarters, 20 W. 9th Street in downtown KC
WHO
Three-four members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a St. Louis woman who is the organization’s long time outreach director
WHY
Clergy sex abuse victims will announce a new lawsuit naming Fr. Jerry J. Wegenek and the diocese of Kansas City MO as defendants. The suit says that diocesan officials were first warned about Wegenek in 2001 when a Kansas City man reported his abuse to them.
The victim in this lawsuit was about ten years old when the assaults began. Wegenek showered him with attention, gave him beer and raped him repeatedly for years, at motels, retreats, church parking lots, and in the rectory of either St. Gabriel or St. Patrick parish in KC MO.
Wegenek worked at parishes in three western Missouri towns: Higginsville (St. Mary’s) Montrose (Immaculate Conception) and St. Joseph (Queen of the Apostle and St. James). He also worked at four parishes in Kansas City (St. Bernadette, St. James, St. Patrick and St. John the Baptist). At the latter, he worked with Msgr. Thomas O’Brien, a serial KC predator priest with dozens of victims.
Wegenek was born in St. Joseph MO and died in 2011. He was ordained in 1964.
The victim is in his early 50s and now lives in Florida.
Roughly 30 US bishops have posted names of credibly accused clerics on their websites. Despite repeated requests from SNAP, Bishop Finn refuses to take this simple, inexpensive step to better protect children and help victims heal. At the very least, SNAP says, Finn could easily and safely post the names of proven, admitted and credibly accused clerics who have died. Deceased clerics would not be be harmed, SNAP maintains, but living victims would be helped.
"Victims often find the courage to break their silence once they know they are not alone”, said David Clohessy, executive director of SNAP.
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
Showing 5 comments
This story was reported on the St Joseph news this morning, The victim is sitting in prison accused for sexual acts with children and child porn. He is blaming this particular Priest.
What I found quite odd in the story was that this morning the accuser did not even know the mans name. I was sexually abused when I was five and 47 years later I still know his name.
I appreciate SNAP but remember in America, innocent until proven guilty.