Victims blast abuse report by KC Catholic diocese

For immediate release: Thursday, September 5, 2013

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 862 7688 home, 314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])

As part of the carefully-orchestrated public relations campaign to restore his shattered image, Bishop Robert Finn’s staff has released a report that doesn’t protect a single child from a single child molesting cleric.

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/09/05/4458061/calls-to-child-abuse-ombudsman.html

The document gives numbers of abuse reports. But Catholic officials refuse to disclose any names of any offenders, even those who they deem “credibly accused.”

A parent can’t protect her child from a number. A parent needs – and deserves – to know who child molesting clerics and church staff are. That’s what every US bishop pledged to do more than a decade ago. That’s what this report, and Bishop Finn, still refuse to do, in case after case.

According to the KC Star, “two people tied to the diocese were removed from ministry” last year because of “boundary violations.” But Finn and his staff won’t say who or where they are. So both could now be working in public schools or private day cares.

One person reported abuse “from more than two years ago.” That’s very likely within the criminal statute of limitations, so that child molester might well be prosecuted, convicted and put behind bars away from kids. But Finn and his staff won’t say who the offender is.

Finn and his public relations team work hard to imply that this report is a voluntary move on their part. It isn’t. The KC Star points out “A Jackson County judge also demanded regular reports on child welfare in the diocese after convicting Finn a year ago of failing to report suspicions of child abuse, a misdemeanor.”

Valenti was picked by and is paid by a bishop proven to have endangered kids. She works for and in a very corrupt diocese that, even now, is protecting proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesters. We hope that no one ever calls her about child sexual abuse. Instead, we hope KC Catholics will call independent sources – police, prosecutors, therapists and support groups – and other institutions that have proven, over decades, to help victims, not perpetrators.

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])