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	More Controversy for Ex-Vianney President By Matt Gamewell CW11 August 1, 2007 http://cw11tv.trb.com/news/kplr-news-080107-11,0,632960.story Kirkwood — There's more controversy in the St. Louis Catholic community. The former President of Vianney High School, who lost his job amidst sexual abuse allegations, is now giving mass at a Kirkwood parish. Father Robert Osborne is a visiting priest at St. Peter's Parish in Kirkwood, just a few miles from the school he was forced to leave last year. Now a Catholic watchdog group is speaking out against the St. Louis Archdiocese and questioning why church leaders are letting Osborne say Mass and be near children. Criminal charges were never brought against Father Osborne after two Vianney students accused him of sexual abuse early last year. Investigations were conducted by Kirkwood Police and St. Louis County prosecutors, as well as the Marianist community. "In all three instances, they were found, the allegations, not to be credible," said Reverend Monsignor Richard Stika, Episcopal Vicar of the Office of Child and Youth Protection. "It's a presumption that he's innocent, especially when the investigations were done by non-church entities." A statement from the Marianist Province echoes the same sentiment, "These allegations were not found credible, and Father Osborne's faculties have been reinstated, and he may function as a Catholic priest." But that's not good enough for SNAP, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. "We believe that this violates the most fundamental pledge bishops across America have made time and time again over the past five years, which is that any priest that is credibly accused of molesting a child, will be removed from ministry," said David Clohessy of SNAP. SNAP believes that since Osborne lost his job at Vianney, he should also lose the right to be a priest. "We just think this is an incredibly hurtful and callous move to the two boys who reported being molested by Father Osborne, and we think it's an incredibly reckless move on the part of the Archbishop. In June, the family of a Vianney student reached an out-of-court settlement on the lawsuit they brought against Father Osborne for sexual abuse. Terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but the Archdiocese says Osborne did not admit guilt. Osborne and church officials were not available for comment.
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