Victim of notorious priest speaks for first time

Victim of notorious priest speaks for first time

SNAP wants all accused abusive clerics “outed”

But church officials in both KC MO & KC KS are refusing

Dozens of Catholic officials across the US are now posting such lists

Group also blasts KC MO prelate for letting disgraced Finn to come back

WHAT

Holdings signs at a sidewalk news conference, abuse victims and concerned Catholics will

--call on Catholic officials in both KS & MO to post names of accused priests on their websites, as dozens of US bishops have done recently, and

-- blast KC MO’s current bishop for letting his predecessor – who was convicted of failing to report suspected child abuse – back into the KC diocese recently for a church event.

A Nebraska man who was allegedly abused by one of Kansas City’s most prolific abusers, will also speak, using his name publicly for the first time ever.

WHEN

Monday, Dec. 10 at 1:15 p.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the KC Catholic headquarters (“chancery office”), 20 West 9th Street (at Baltimore) in downtown Kansas City MO

WHO

Three-four concerned KC area Catholics along with two-three victims of clergy sexual abuse who are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

WHY

1) Over the past three months, dozens of US bishops have disclosed and posted names of accused priests on church websites, a move that SNAP calls “a simple, long-overdue step toward protecting kids and healing victims.” It wants the two KC area bishops (KC KS Archbishop Joseph Naumann and Kansas MO Bishop James Johnston) to “honor their pledges of transparency” and do this.

2) At least once in recent months, Bishop Robert Finn,  convicted of failing to report suspected child abuse, was in the KC MO diocese to publicly perform duties at a service.

SNAP believes this “rubs salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of many victims and Catholics” and “essentially minimizes Bishop Finn’s crime and deepens the church’s unhealthy culture of accepting or ignoring horrific harm caused by bishops’ misdeeds.” It wants Bishop Johnston to stop this practice immediately.

3) Kevin Smith reports having been sexually assaulted as a child by Msgr. Thomas Reardon, who has been accused of molesting at least 24 boys in at least a dozen positions in the KC MO area. Smith has filed a lawsuit, but has never spoken publicly before about his experiences. The survivor is very upset about how Catholic officials continue to hide predators and endanger kids. As far as SNAP can tell, Kansas City was Msgr. Reardon's last known whereabouts.

Smith is represented by by KC MO attorney Rebecca Randles (816 931 9901, 816 510 2704 cell,[email protected])

CONTACT

Jim McConnell 816 741 9882 or 816 590 4752, [email protected], [email protected], David Clohessy 314 566 9790,[email protected]