Abusers’ names to be written on sidewalk

Abusers’ names to be written on sidewalk

All are predator priests ‘under the radar’ here

One was convicted for trying to hire a hit man

But he, nor the others, are on diocese 'perp list’

Each is ‘credibly accused’ say bishops elsewhere

SNAP also reveals settlement vs. another cleric

He’s “the most dangerous KC clergy offender”

WHAT

Using chalk and holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victim will write the names of 18 pedophile priests who are or were in KC MO but are NOT on the diocese’ ‘credibly accused’ abusers list.

They will also disclose that

--a priest who molested a boy and tried to have him murdered worked in KC MO,

-- he is NOT on the KC MO diocese’s ‘credibly accused’ list and

-- a case against Missouri’s ‘most-sued and most dangerous predator priest’ has settled.

WHEN

Wednesday, June 23 1:45 p.m.

WHERE

Outside the KC Catholic diocesan chancery office/headquarters, 20 W. 9th St., KC MO

WHO

Three-five members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a St. Louis man who is the organization’s former executive director

WHY

------1) For the first time in KC MO, SNAP is ‘outing’ two predator priests today.

Fr. John M. Fiala pled guilty in 2014 to charges of raping a boy at gunpoint and pled guilty in 2012 to charges of trying to hire a hit man to kill him. He worked in KC MO.

Fr. Julian Raymond Hartig, has been declared an abuser by three church institutions.

Both worked in KC MO. But KC MO Bishop James Johnston refuses to put them on his diocesan ‘credibly accused’ list even though both have been deemed ‘credibly accused’ molesters (by bishops in New Mexico and Kansas) and can be found listed that way on church websites elsewhere.

Both clerics are virtually unknown in KC MO.

---2) For nearly two years, SNAP has repeatedly pushed Bishop Johnston to add roughly 20 names to his ‘credibly accused’ list (largely to no avail). Bishops elsewhere have, however, honored some such requests by SNAP. These are the names that will be written on the sidewalk.

---3) A civil abuse and cover up case has just been settled with KC MO church officials stemming from child sex crimes committed at St. Gabriel’s parish against a boy named David Ford by Fr. Thomas M. Reardon, a cleric SNAP calls “the most prolific living Missouri predator priest.” Fr. Reardon still lives in KC MO.

In a deposition released in 2013, Ford testified that on more than a dozen occasions, as a 14 year old boy, he was asked to bartend for priests’ parties in 1978-1979 at which several clerics saw Ford give drinks to priests and to boys who priests brought to the events with them.” Ford testified that “priests took (youngsters) to other rooms” (like Fr. Reardon did to him).

Later, at least four times, Ford disclosed his abuse to Catholic officials (1979, 1980, 1981 and 1996). One of them was a bishop. Another was Fr. Patrick Rush (816 714 2319).

https://www.snapnetwork.org/mo_disturbing_deposition_in_clergy_sex_case_is_released

Fr. Reardon has faced at least 28 lawsuits.

DETAILS

From 1998-2001, Fr. Fiala was at the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) in Kansas City MO (likely at 3738 Tracy Ave.). He later worked at churches in two Kansas towns: Shawnee and Holton.

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/Kansas_City_KS/2020_03_06_Kansas_City_KS_Downloaded_List_Substantiated_Allegations_of_Clergy.pdf

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

Fr. Hartig worked at St. Mary’s parish in Higginsville. He has been deemed a ‘credibly accused’ abuser in a 2014 court filing, by the Franciscan religious order and by the Gallup NM diocese in 2005. (He reportedly molested a young woman on an Apache reservation in New Mexico.)

SNAP has found 16 other ‘under the radar’ clerics – also listed as ‘credibly accused’ abusers on at least one church website (mostly in other states or dioceses) – who are NOT on Johnston’s list. They are Fr. Vincent Barsch, Fr Bede Parry, Fr. Edgar Probstfield, Fr. Regis Probstfield, Fr. Gilbert Stack, Fr. Hugh Tasch, Fr. Paschal Thomas and Fr. Isaac True (all Benedictines),Fr. Donald Redmond, Fr. Lawrence Gregovich, Fr. Martin Juarez, Fr. Paul Pilgram, Fr. Burton J. Fraser, Fr. Chester Gaiter, Fr. Dennis Kirchoff, Fr. Philip Kraus and Fr. Francis Kegel. (The last six are all Jesuits.)

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/2014/12/some-names-not-included-on-diocese-abuser-list

https://dioceseofgallup.org/youth-protection/credibly-accused-list/

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2014/11_12/2014_12_09_Mike_KOAT_new_named.htm

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news555/1999_Necrology_Friars_Julian_Hartig.htm

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article233562252.html

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article222856315.html

https://www.snapnetwork.org/vatican_trial_kansas_city_predator_priest_jul19

Fr. Reardon worked most recently at the KC MO Cathedral and at St. Elizabeth’s parish (for four years each). He also worked at St. John Francis Regis, St. Gabriel Archangel, the CYO and various archdiocesan offices (all in KC), Church of Santa Fe in Buckner, and Camp Little Flower in Raytown. His photo and full work history are at BishopAccountability.org.

The Fr. Reardon victim is represented by Rebecca Randles (816 510 2704 cell, [email protected]). Fr. Reardon has been represented by KC lawyer John J. Gates (816 531 7200). Lawyers for the diocese include David Frye (816 460 5726, 816 460 5732, [email protected]) and Mara Cohara (816 460 5760, 816 460 5413, [email protected]).

CONTACT

David Clohessy 314 566 9790, [email protected], Tom White 913 927 2859, [email protected]