BishopAccountability.org
	Abuse Victims Call Diocese Shake-up Pr Move By Rob Low Fox 4 June 22, 2011 http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-abuse-victims-call-diocese-shakeup-pr-move-20110622,0,4659944.story [with video] KANSAS CITY— The number two man in the Kansas City-Saint Joseph Diocese has been pushed to the side, though Catholic leadership refuses to call it a demotion. But now Monsignor Robert Murphy will no longer sit on the independent review board that examines allegations of sex abuse by clergy. The news came within minutes of a press conference demanding arbitration with the local diocese. The press conference was held by the leaders of SNAP, the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests, and Voices of the Faithful. Both groups have been highly critical in the wake of the Father Shawn Ratigan and Father Michael Tierney cases. Ratigan is charged with possessing child porn and Bishop Robert Finn has apologized for not turning Ratigan over to police sooner, despite some major red flags. Tierney was allowed to minister to kids nine months after he was named in two different sex abuse lawsuits. Now the 47 victims of clergy sex abuse who settled with the Kansas City-Saint Joseph diocese in 2008 say the agreement to protect kids was lip service. One of them says the bishop's decision to replace his number two guy is window-dressing. "Had to do some sort of PR, he's in a very bad place right now," John Phinney said. Victims of clergy sex abuse say the right to demand arbitration was part of their 2008 settlement. The diocese has not said if it will agree to arbitration. In the meantime, Monsignor Murphy will no longer assist the bishop with allegations of clerical misconduct. Those duties will now be handled by Father Joseph Powers out of St. Joe, and he will now sit on the independent review board as a non-voting member.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.