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	Man Who Alleges Priest Abuse Seeks Other Ozarks Victims By Kate Stacy Ozarks First November 30, 2011 http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=563647 [with video] Springfield, MO) -- A man living in the Ozarks is speaking out about abuse he says he suffered at the hands of a Catholic priest. Joe Eldred, 40, currently lives in Willard. On Wednesday, he alleged he was molested by Monsignor Thomas O'Brien and two other priests in the early 80's. Eldred spoke in front of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese offices, joined by Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) Monsignor Thomas O'Brien was a priest in the Dioceses of Kansas City - St. Joseph, but served at St. Agnes in Springfield in the early 1950's. That was before the Springfield Dioceses was established. "When I was 9 years old, I was abused by Father Honhart," says Eldred. "Within that same year, Monsignor O'Brien came to Nativity, he abused me, then shared me with Father Reardon who was a friend of O'Briens." Eldred says he's speaking out now to encourage other abuse victims to come forward. He wants the local diocese to assist with that cause. While the local diocese says it doesn't comment on events from other dioceses, Bishop James V. Johnston says the Dioceses is committed to maintaining safe environments and strives to respond to any victim of abuse to help them find healing. Statements by Joe Eldred: "I grieve for the boy I was and the innocence that was lost at the hands of men my family and I trusted who abused their position of religious authority. I grieve the premeditated, intentional abuse including group sexual abuse I experienced. I grieve for my friends who have fallen victim to their heinous acts. I grieve for the lives that have been irreparably changed or lost as the result of the abuse suffered and the facts that I have since learned that this abuse could have been prevented if these men had been removed from their posts as priests, thereby removing them from access to innocent children. While I grieve for all of this, I know that to effect change is to bring healing. By pursuing a lawsuit to counter these crimes committed I choose to effect changes in the Catholic Church by holding these men accountable as well as those who knowingly moved them from parish to parish. I do this to give victims a voice which says we will be victims no more, to send a clear message that those of us who have suffered will pave the way so innocent children will not have to suffer at the hands of malicious, criminal, immoral men. "In the last 10 years there have been 7 priests accused of inappropriate sexual behavior in the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese. Monsignor O'Brien began his ministry here in Springfield at St. Agnes. Thirty years and multiple parishes later he was transferred to Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kansas City where he almost immediately began to abuse my friends and I. In the last month, I have seen new allegations of child sex abuse in such institutions as Penn State, the Citadel, Syracuse University and 2 years ago, Kanukuk Camp in Branson. Just last week 8 former youth filed a lawsuit against a Jesuit school in Washington State. In nearly every place I just named, there were other adults involved who chose not to pursue justice but to contribute to a cover up thus allowing the abuse to continue. Greene County ranks near the top of the list for Missouri counties with reports of child abuse. Some may say that it is a good thing that we have so many people reporting. I choose to see that there are an astounding number of youth in the county being abused. Clearly this is not just a Catholic issue. This can occur within any organization that works with youth. I challenge all organizations to review their policies on youth protection and then put those policies into action. I further challenge these same organizations to provide transparency within that process so all of the public can see. And finally, I challenge anyone who has ever suffered abuse in any form to come forward and get help. You are not alone. You are a worthy creation that has a voice worth hearing and a life worth living out from under the shadow the abuse has caused." Bishop James V. Johnston issued this response via the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese: "The diocese maintains its strong commitment and the allocation of resources toward creating and maintaining safe environments. We strive to respond to anyone who comes forward as a victim of abuse with care and respect, and with assistance to find needed healing. "The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau remains vigilant in regards to providing for and maintaining a safe environment for children and youth, we also take our role in reaching out to potential victims very seriously." -Regular announcements in "The Mirror", the weekly diocesan publication which is mailed to every single registered Catholic in the diocese. Clear link placed on the diocesan web site top dropdown menu: http://safeenvironment.dioscg.org/index.cfm/NewsItem?ID=274591&From=Home -Clear visible links located on "The Mirror Web" site: http://the-mirror.org/NewFiles/Reporting%20Misconduct.html -Post periodically on diocesan Facebook page -Immediate updates provided to parishes in the bi-weekly diocesan newsletter for inclusion in their parish bulletins. The following appeared in the November 23, 2011 Diocesan Newsletter. This information is publicly available on the diocesan web site as well. The Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese says Judy St. John, LPC, NCC, has been appointed as a Victim Assistance Coordinator. It says her name and phone number are posted on the Diocesan web site along with the name and number of another Victim Assistance Coordinator, John K. Kreymer, Psy.D., DAPA,. -Special full page bulletin inserts will be included in every parish bulletin and distributed after all Masses. -11"x17" posters with information reaching out to potential victims and ways they can receive help are displayed at every parish. Statistics from this fiscal year on individuals trained throughout the diocese to recognize inappropriate behavior and how to report: Total Number Children and Youth 8253 Priests 85 Deacons 15 Candidates for Ordination 8 Educators 343 Diocesan/Eparchial Employees 31 Parish/School Employees 384 Volunteers/Others 1367 "The diocese is in the ministry of healing. Any individual who has suffered any form of abuse, Catholic and non-Catholic, are encouraged to come forward. These individuals may be at different places in their lives, yet the care and concern of the Church is open and welcome to assist in any way." The Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph released the following statement to KOLR/KOZL: The SNAP media release states that the diocese knew of the abuse and took action to cover-up wrongdoing. Over the past 27 years, neither Joe Eldred nor anyone acting on his behalf ever made contact with the diocese to report the abuse. Regarding Father Mark Honhart Born in Pennsylvania, Father Mark Honhart entered a religious community and was ordained for the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity in 1980. With the approval of his superiors, he requested and was assigned to parish ministry in the Diocese of Kansas City ~ St. Joseph. He served in six parishes - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Independence; Holy Cross and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, in Kansas City; St. Patrick, in St. Joseph; Immaculate Conception, in Richmond; and, St. Rose of Lima, in Savannah. In 2001, Father Honhart requested permission to move to New Mexico to care for his 90-year-old mother. Over the next two years, he cared for his mother and was appointed by parish ministry by the Diocese of Albuquerque. When his mother returned to Pennsylvania in 2003, Father Honhart requested permission to become a member of the clergy of the Diocese of Scranton. Over the 21-year period of Father Honhart's ministry in the Diocese of Kansas City ~ St. Joseph, there were no complaints of sexual misconduct brought to the attention of his superiors. Regarding Thomas J. O'Brien Thomas O'Brien was ordained in 1950 and retired from parish ministry in 1984. In 1983, the diocese received a complaint accusing O'Brien of sexual misconduct. O'Brien's file contains four subsequent similar complaints from this time period. Although O'Brien denied the allegation, Bishop John J. Sullivan removed him from parish ministry and required him to undergo psychological in-patient evaluation and treatment. Bishop Sullivan retired in 1993 and died in 2001. In 2002, the U.S. Bishops adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. In July 2002, Bishop Raymond J. Boland informed O'Brien that he could not present himself as a priest and was permanently barred from any form of ministry. Regarding Thomas M. Reardon Thomas Reardon was ordained in 1967. Over the next 22 years, he served in five parishes. He left ministry in 1989 and, since that time, has not functioned as a Roman Catholic priest or served in any capacity for the diocese. Currently, he is the subject of a process for laicization from the clerical state through church courts. Making a Confidential Report Concerning the Sexual Abuse of a Minor Through a public liaison and ombudsman, the diocese has made in known that it will respond to all allegations of the abuse. Reports are received in confidence, investigated thoroughly, and reported to law enforcement. To ensure that the diocese has lay involvement in resolving complaints, the ombudsman meets with an Independent Review Board comprised of lay professionals. The board has responsibility for making recommendations to Bishop Finn concerning continued the suitability for ministry or employment of any person accused of wrongful conduct. The ombudsman can be reached at (816) 812-2500.
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