BishopAccountability.org
	Diocese Removes Top Official from Overseeing Sex Abuse Claims By Judy L. Thomas Kansas City Star June 22, 2011 http://www.kansascity.com/2011/06/22/2967962/diocese-removes-top-official-from.html The vicar general for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph will no longer oversee sexual abuse allegations against priests, the diocese announced today. Msgr. Robert Murphy, who has recently come under fire for the way he handled the case of a priest charged last month with possessing child pornography, will be replaced in that role, according to the diocese. The Rev. Joseph Powers has been named the Vicar for Clergy, a new position. The announcement by the diocese came on the same day that plaintiffs who won a $10 million settlement in 2008 in a sexual abuse lawsuit against the diocese demanded that the case go to arbitration. The plaintiffs said the diocese has failed to abide by some of the terms agreed to in the settlement that were designed to protect children from abuse, although the diocese responded with a letter saying it had complied in all ways. The diocese announced it will give Powers some of the duties previously assigned to Murphy. “As Vicar for Clergy, Father Powers will serve as a liaison for diocesan priests and oversee assignments as well as pastoral effectiveness,” the diocese said in a statement. “Father Powers also will assist the bishop with any allegations of clerical misconduct and will serve as an ex officio member of the Diocesan Independent Review Board.” Powers will continue as pastor of Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in St. Joseph, Mo., the diocese said. “With Father Powers assuming the duties of Vicar for Clergy, we strengthen our administrative oversight of the diocese and draw upon Father Powers’ pastoral experience in urban, rural and suburban parishes throughout the diocese,” Bishop Robert Finn said in the statement. Murphy will continue to have responsibility for general administration, directly supervising chancery employees and serving on diocesan boards and committees, Finn said. He also will remain as pastor of St. Bridget Parish in Pleasant Hill. Powers will become an ex officio member of the diocese’s review board, which is charged with assessing sexual abuse allegations against priests and making recommendations to the bishop. Murphy no longer will serve on the board. The diocese’s statement provided no explanation of why Murphy was being removed from his duties of handling sexual abuse cases, and the diocese did not answer further questions about the action. Murphy has been prominent in the case of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who was charged last month with three counts of possessing child pornography. He pleaded not guilty to those charges in Clay County court and remains in custody on $200,000 bond. After Ratigan’s arrest, it was revealed that the principal of St. Patrick School in Kansas City, North, had given diocesan officials a memo more than a year ago detailing concerns teachers and parents had about Ratigan’s interactions with children. Finn told reporters that Murphy briefed him about the memo at the time but that he did not ask to read it. “Monsignor Murphy told me that he had thoroughly discussed these concerns with Shawn Ratigan and how he was to change his behavior,” Finn said. On June 9, The Kansas City Star reported that Murphy himself had been accused of past sexual improprieties. A Kansas City psychologist wrote Bishop Finn four years ago, alleging sexual harassment by Murphy in 1984. Judy L. Thomas, jthomas@kcstar.com
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.