MO- Nun speaks out against bishop

Nun speaks out against bishop

In rare move, she & others appeal to Pope

They want KC prelate disciplined over abuse

She was once church “insider” & helped victims

Now, she outlines several “continuing failures” by Finn

And SNAP praise those seeking justice through church channels 

WHAT:

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

--an unusual new formal complaint filed by a priest, a nun, and several KC Catholics, and

--why concerned KC Catholics believe Pope Francis should take action against their bishop.

They will also explain

–how Bishop Finn continues to fall short in dealing with clergy sex crimes and cover ups, and

--why those who see, suspect or suffer clergy sex crimes should keep coming forward and calling police.

And they will urge Catholic laypeople across the US to consider taking similar action when their bishops are caught concealing child sex crimes.

WHEN:

Monday, Feb. 17 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Outside the KC Catholic diocesan chancery office/headquarters, 20 W. 9th Street in downtown Kansas City

WHO:

A Kansas City nun who is spearheading the effort, some concerned Catholic lay people and members of a support group called SNAP (the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) 

WHY:

On Saturday, the New York Times reported that a small group of Kansas City Missouri Catholics – led by an outspoken nun who advocates for clergy sex abuse victims – is formally urging Pope Francis to discipline  

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/us/pope-pressed-on-bishop-who-supervised-pedophile.html?emc=edit_tnt_20140214&tntemail0=y  

For the first time since this effort has been disclosed, the nun and her supporters will speak publicly about it.

They emphasize that their motives are justice, healing and prevention. And they stress that they believe the Fr. Shawn Ratigan case is just one of several ways in which Finn is acting recklessly, callously and deceitfully in clergy sex cases.

Clergy sex abuse victims with SNAP say that many church employees and members do little or nothing to seek justice and prevent cover ups, even when kids are severely hurt because of irresponsible prelates. So they are very grateful to these “courageous and determined Catholics who realize that they are not powerless and are taking action to safeguard kids by seeking discipline for an egregious wrongdoer.”

Bishop Finn should be punished, the Catholics feel, because it's wrong – and hurtful to KC Catholics - for him to remain unscathed despite his serious mishandling of the church's on-going clergy sex abuse and cover up crisis.

They also believe that disciplining Finn is a good way to make other bishops think twice before hiding clergy sex crimes from police and prosecutors.

in the future from putting their reputations ahead of the safety of children.

SNAP leaders are skeptical, however, of internal church processes. They feel that all clergy sex crimes and cover ups should be reported to secular officials. In this case, however, the justice system has done what it can, but Finn is still in office, so Pope Francis must act.

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mo_whistleblowers_ask_pope_to_discipline_bishop_finn

CONTACT: Sr. Jeanne Christensen 816-674-1116 (mobile), [email protected], David Clohessy (314 566 9790 cell, Mike Hunter (913 634 6490, [email protected])