Kansas City Deacon suspended as suit claims sexual abuse of teenage boy

Church leaders said the incident is alleged to have happened more than once between 1982 and 1984 in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. An initial internal investigation was immediately launched to “determine any potential connection to Deacon Ralph Wehner.”

Based on the findings of the initial investigation, Bishop James Johnston launched a higher-level investigation on Wednesday. Deacon Wehner, whose staff directory page revealed he hails from St. Louis, has now been placed on precautionary suspension from the ministry.

However, the Diocese noted that a precautionary suspension from ministry should not be viewed as a punishment or indication of wrongdoing. This is a protective measure for everyone involved.

Church leaders indicated that they take allegations of misconduct by personnel seriously and work to respond to the needs of survivors with urgency and respect.

The lawsuit, filed in the St. Louis County Circuit Court, lists 26 victims who were all minors at the time of the alleged sexual abuse. The plaintiffs claimed that the Archdiocese of St. Louis and Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski covered up the abuse for decades.

One of the plaintiffs, W.C., a male who was born in 1969, claimed Wehner had sexually abused him between the ages of 13 and 15. W.C.’s father, a very religious man, pushed him to be an altar boy and would punish him if he did not want to attend mass.