Victims blast Spgfld-Cape Girardeau diocese

Victims blast Spgfld-Cape Girardeau diocese

Seven accused clerics missing from its list, group says

SNAP begs those who “saw, suspected or suffered abuse” to speak up

It specifically urges victims, witnesses & whistleblowers to call MO AG

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, a clergy sex abuse victim and advocate will prod southern Missouri Catholic officials to

--add seven more names to their official list of “credibly accused” priests and

--blast them for their secrecy about abuse and cover ups.

They’ll also urge those who “saw suspected or suffered” abuse to “call police and get help.”

WHEN

Wednesday, January 16 at 10 a.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Annunciation, 615 William Street in Cape Girardeau

WHOTwo abuse victims: a St. Louis man who is theSt. Louis volunteer leader of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (and the organization's former long time executive director) and a Chicago man who is the group’s Chicago volunteer leader

WHY

In October, the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Catholic diocese added the names of three "credibly accused" priests to its list: Fr. John Brath, Msgr. John Rynish and Fr. Fred Lutz.

https://fox2now.com/2018/10/08/springfield-cape-girardeau-diocese-names-3-priests-accused-of-sexual-abuse/

http://dioscg.org/wp-content/uploads/13DioPriestsAccusedR121118.pdf

But the diocesan list does not include the names of seven other clerics accused of abuse who spent time in southern Missouri, mostly in parishes and other church settings:

--Fr. John Edward Ruhl, who was sued in October for abuse. He worked at St. Mary's Seminary in Perryville and St. Vincent's College in Cape Girardeau.

https://www.andersonadvocates.com/documents/LA%20Release/1_31/Ruhl,%20John.pdf

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2018/09_10/2018_10_17_Miller_FourCatholic.htm

https://www.semissourian.com/story/2005690.html

http://www.lorpb.com/documents/Clergy-September/Vincentians-(Ruhl).PDF

--Fr. John “Jack” V. Farris, who was sued for child sexual abuse in California and worked for St. Mary's Seminary and Christ the Savior Church in Perryville and the Evangelization Center in Cape Girardeau.

https://www.andersonadvocates.com/PriestList/810/Father-John-V.-Farris.aspx

https://www.semissourian.com/story/2005690.html

http://www.lorpb.com/documents/Clergy-September/Vincentians-(Farris).PDF

--Fr. Thomas Gregory Meyer, who lived in Belleville IL as recently as 2012. In 2017, his name was added to the St. Paul-Minneapolis archdiocese list of clerics with “substantiated claims of sexual abuse of a minor." Meyer worked in Mansfield MO

https://www.andersonadvocates.com/documents/posts/Meyer,%20Thomas%20assignment%20timeline.pdf

http://bishop-accountability.org/priestdb/PriestDBbylastName-M.html

--Fr. James Vincent Fitzgerald, who lived in Belleville until 2009 and worked in Ava, Mansfield and Gainesville and at two orphanages. He’s accused of abusing several boys and one girl. In 2015, one of his victims was awarded $8.1 million by a jury.

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/assign/assign/Fitzgerald_J_Vincent_OMI.htm

--Fr. Michael Charland, who is accused of abusing boys, including a teenager in confession. In 2015, his supervisors disclosed his name along with other clerics as “credibly accused” of abuse.  He was a psychologist in the Twin Cities area in 2015.Charland attended seminary at Our Lady of the Ozarks in Carthage. 

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2015/07_08/2015_07_07_Chao_Tribune_Religious_of.htm

http://www.bnd.com/news/local/article26737747.html

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/07/07/oblate-names-released

https://www.andersonadvocates.com/documents/posts/Michael%20Charland%20Assignment%20Timeline.pdf

--Fr. John G. O'Flaherty, who worked in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Monett MO. He was accused of abuse in a 2011 civil lawsuit filed in Colorado.

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/assign/OFlaherty_John_G_sj.htm

---Msgr. Thomas J. O’Brien, who worked in Springfield but reportedly abused dozens of kids in Kansas City.

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/assignOBrien_Thomas_J.htm

https://www.examiner.net/x1760396537/Another-lawsuit-alleges-sexual-abuse-by-local-priests

Ruhl and Farris are/were members of the St. Louis-based Vincentian order. Meyer, Fitzgerald and Charland are/were members of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. (mami@oblatesusa.org,1-888-330-6264). O'Flaherty was a member of the Society of Jesus (“Jesuits”).

Since these seven priests all belonged to religious orders and were not diocesan priests, it seems that Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocesn hierarchy does not believe it is responsible for order priests within its territory. That’s a technicality, SNAP contends. What matters, the group says, is that these priests worked in diocesan churches with diocesan staff and around diocesan kids, all of which are under the control of the diocesan bishop. SNAP notes that Jefferson City Bishop Shawn McKnight and other bishops included religious order clerics on their lists.

As head of the diocese, Bishop Edward M. Rice should “aggressively seek out others who may have seen, suspected or suffered” crimes by these clerics,” share that information with law enforcement and offer help to the wounded,” SNAP says.

Photos of all but Meyer and O'Flaherty can be found in the links above. Meyer and O'Flaherty are deceased, as are Farris and Fitzgerald.

CONTACT

David Clohessy, 314 566 9790, [email protected], Larry Antonsen 773 255 3382, [email protected]