Victims praise new MO Supreme Court ruling

Victims praise new MO Supreme Court ruling

And they announce new settlement vs. KC priest

The cleric has never been sued or ‘outed’ before

Group to bishop: “Add names to your predator list”

SNAP: A dozen child molesters are still being hidden

“Stop splitting hairs & making excuses!” victims plead

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will

• announce and discuss a new Missouri Supreme Court that makes it easier for abuse victims to file lawsuits, and
• announce a new settlement against a KC MO priest who’s never been sued or exposed as a child molester before.

They will also urge the KC MO Catholic bishop to

• add more names to his ‘credibly accused’ clerics list (including about ten religious order offenders), and
• post photos, work histories and ‘last known whereabouts’ for all predator priests, to help parents, police and victims and bring healing to the church.

WHEN

TODAY, Wednesday, April 7, 11:15 a.m.

WHERE: 

Outside the KC chancery (diocesan headquarters) at 20 West Ninth Street in Kansas City MO 

WHO

Three members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, including a St. Louis man who is the group’s former long-time executive director

WHY

---1) Yesterday, in a case against a St. Louis Catholic school and a since-convicted clergy abuser, the Missouri Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling. It essentially makes it easier for victims of child predators to seek justice and expose wrongdoers in court. SNAP hopes it will prod others who are still suffering in shame, silence and self-blame” to come forward.

---2) SNAP has discovered that KC MO Bishop James Johnston is keeping silent about at least two ‘credibly accused’ abusive diocesan priests, including one who has never been publicly accused before. Settlements have been paid to victims of both clerics and SNAP says Johnston should add their names to his ‘credibly accused’ list on the diocesan website. They are:

--Fr. Alexander B. “Sandy” Sinclair, who worked at five KC MO parishes: Holy Trinity, Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Raphael’s, St. Gabriel Archangel and Coronation of Our Lady. A previously undisclosed settlement was reached three weeks ago with a Missouri man who was molested by Fr. Sinclair as a child. Fr. Sinclair also worked in Chillicothe, Holden, Savannah, Warrensburg and as an Air Force chaplain He died in September.

--Fr. Martin H. Froeschl (sometimes spelled Froeschel), who worked at St. Mary’s in Independence and at least two KC MO parishes: Holy Cross and Guardian Angel. One of his victims received a $277,000 settlement in 2014. So for 7 years, KC MO church officials have basically hidden his crimes.

---3) At least two more religious order clerics should also be on the KC MO ‘credibly accused list. They are:

--Fr. Warren Discon, who was revealed as a ‘credibly accused’ abuser just four months ago by a Cincinnati-based religious order called the Vincentians. He worked at St. Vincent’s parish in KC MO and at a New Mexico ‘treatment ’center for ‘troubled’ priests.

--Fr. Victor Heinen, who was quietly added last year to the Benedictines’ ‘credibly accused’ list of the Conception MO- based Benedictine religious order. He worked in Conception MO.

---4) Over the past 1.5 years, SNAP has repeatedly urged Johnston to add at least eight other names to his list and more information about every predator priest.

Most of these clerics abused elsewhere, are on official church ‘credibly accused’ lists elsewhere but also spent time in the KC MO diocese.

They include Fr. James V. McCormack, Fr. Donald Redmond (KC), Fr. Richard C. Colbert (Liberty), Fr. Martin Juarez (KC), Br. Richard Geimer (KC), Fr. Edgar Victor David Probstfield (Tarkio, Trenton, Burlington Junction, Conception Junction and Parnell): Fr. Roger Hough (Rockhurst, Conception MO) and Fr. Deusdedit ‘Deo’ Mulokozi (Sedalia, Liberty).

The KC MO bishop has only added one: Juarez.

BACKGROUND

The first list of ‘credibly accused’ KC MO clerics was posted in Sept. 2019. Here is the latest version of that list.

A more detailed, inclusive and independent list of KC MO predators can be found at BishopAccountability.org). It includes photos of many of the alleged predator priests.

CONTACT 

David Clohessy 314 566 9790, davidg[email protected]