MO--Victims to leaflet accused priest's neighbors

Victims to leaflet accused priest's neighbors

Even after being sued, bishop kept him on the job

SNAP to diocese: “Disclose more about 2 other priests”

They’re both accused but few know about either of them

Civil lawsuits were settled against them months ago

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood pictures, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will go door to door handing fliers to homeowners. The leaflets warn that a suspended Catholic priest, who faces at least four allegations of molesting kids, apparently lives unsupervised in their neighborhood. They will also publicly push KC Catholic officials to

--move the priest to a remote, secure treatment center so that kids will be safer, and

--disclose more about two recently “outed” priests involved in the recent $10 million settlement.

WHEN

TODAY, Monday, Aug. 31 at 1:45 pm

WHERE

At the intersection of Oak St. and E. 64 Terrace in the Waldo/Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City, where Fr. Michael Tierney now lives

WHO

Three to four members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), including a KC man who was abused by the priest and a St. Louis man who is the long time national SNAP director

WHY

Last October, 32 clergy sex abuse victims resolved their abuse and cover up lawsuits with the KC MO diocese for nearly $10 million dollars. One of the accused priests involved in the settlement is Fr. Michael Tierney. At least four child sex abuse lawsuits against him have been settled. In 2010, the first of several civil abuse lawsuits against him was filed.

Even after allegations against Fr. Tierney were made public, Bishop Robert Finn kept him on the job in a parish for months. According to BishopAccountability.org, the “diocese learned of allegations (against him) in 2008” but “removed him in June 2011 for credible reports alleging sexual misconduct with minors in 1970s-1980s.”

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2010/09_10/2010_10_02_Morris_MissouriMan.htm

For the safety of kids, SNAP wants Finn’s replacement, Archbishop Joseph Naumann, to “put Fr. Tierney in a remote, secure, independent treatment center.” Until this happens, SNAP says Naumann should use pulpit announcements, parish bulletins and diocesan websites to disclose where Fr. Tierney is now and beg those “with information or suspicions about his crimes” to call police so that “he might be charged, convicted and imprisoned.”

Fr. Tierney was represented by KC attorney Brian Madden.

SNAP is also concerned about two other priests who until last October had never been publicly accused of wrongdoing - against whom lawsuits were recently settled.

http://www.kansascity.com/living/religion/article3012507.html

They are Fr. Martin H. Froeschl and Fr. Joseph Matt. SNAP wants Naumann to disclose more about their wrongdoing, their whereabouts and their work histories. Fr. Froeschl is accused of molesting a child. Fr. Matt is accused of sexually exploiting and impregnating a female parishioner he was counseling. She later gave birth to his child.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article300418/Man-sues-diocese-after-dismissal.html

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2011/09_10/2011_09_26_Thomas_SuitAlleges.htm

http://www.catholickey.com/index.php3?gif=news.gif&mode=view&issue=20061110&article_id=4219

According to internet searches Fr. Tierney lives at 412 E. 64th Terrace in Kansas City MO. A photo of him is at BishopAccountability.org

Fr. Tierney was ordained in the Kansas City diocese in 1969 and worked most recently at Christ the King parish in Lee’s Summit. He also worked at the Kansas City Cathedral, St. Elizabeth, St. Patrick, St. Charles Borromeo (all in Kansas City), St. Joseph in St. Mary’s, Coronation of Our Lady in Grandview and Holy Spirit in Lee’s Summit.

CONTACT

David Clohessy 314-566-9790, [email protected], [email protected]