Diocese Reinstates Sugar Creek Priest

The Examiner
February 7, 2012

http://www.examiner.net/news/x392614723/Diocese-reinstates-Sugar-Creek-priest

Sugar Creek, MO — A Sugar Creek priest, who had been placed on administrative leave during an investigation into a complaint against him, has been cleared to return to parish work, according to a release from the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

The Rev. Matthew Bartulica was given permission to resume duties at St. Cyril Parish in Sugar Creek effective Feb. 4.

St. Cyril parishioners were told in a letter on Jan. 22 that Bartulica had been put on administrative leave – under the diocese's new rules – because of an undisclosed complaint brought to the ombudsman now acting as an independent public liaison to field and investigate any reports of suspicious or inappropriate behavior.

The Independent Review Board that recommended the leave has now recommended that Bishop Robert Finn allow Bartulica to return to parish work, according to the release from the diocese.

Bartulica, who was ordained in 2010, has been with St. Cyril's for about six months.

Barbara Dorris, outreach director for SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, questioned the speed of the investigation.

"We're disappointed that Father Matt Bartulica has been so quickly restored to his job despite allegations of sexual misconduct or abuse," Dorris said in a press release. "How thorough could an alleged church 'investigation' be if it just took a couple of weeks?

"We hope that anyone who may have been hurt by Father Bartulica doesn't feel hurt and betrayed again by Bishop Finn's premature move. We hope that other current and former Catholic employees and members will do what Bishop Finn refuses to do – beg anyone with information or suspicions about child sex crimes – by Bartulica or any clerics – to call police immediately."

Dorris also said that Jim Caccamo resigning as the head of the diocese's Independent Review Board would not help.

"… We caution KC Catholics against getting their hopes up because the head of Finn's hand-picked abuse panel is stepping down," Dorris said.