Mother of Catholic church abuse victim in Kansas laments ‘third-degree burns to the soul’
Janet Patterson ripped the blinders off when her adult son killed himself shortly after revealing a priest sexually abused him as a child.
For three decades, Catholic church leaders in Wichita, Newton and Conway Springs ignored reports of children suffering at the hands of Robert Larson. At least five victims committed suicide.
“Suicide is a very real thing,” Patterson said. “Not only suicide but dying slowly on the vine, so to speak, when you have third-degree burns to the soul. Nobody can see those burns, but they hurt, and they hurt so badly that they influence everything in your life.”
Patterson urged a Senate panel Wednesday to approve legislation that would require faith leaders in Kansas to report sexual abuse to authorities.
Larson was quietly removed from priesthood in 1988 and pleaded guilty in 2001 to abusing three boys. He died in 2014 at a Missouri facility for priests who engage in sexual misconduct.
The church knew sordid details of Larson’s abuse when he arrived in the early 1980s in Conway Springs, where Patterson’s son was an altar boy. The church knew that a few years earlier, a young man who killed himself was abused repeatedly by Larson at pool parties.
Patterson’s son died in 1999.
“When we found out that the bishop knew this priest was a pedophile, and the church knew before they sent him to our parish, we felt so betrayed as parents,” Patterson said. “We weren’t allowed to protect our children, and it’s just inconceivable to me that I could walk back into that institution and be part of it. It doesn’t mean I don’t believe in God. I do. Very fervently. But that relation...
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