MO- Convicted predator is back in St. Louis area

By David Clohessy
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
July 15, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mo_convicted_predator_is_back_in_st_louis_area

Civil case against him settled last week

Victims blast archbishop for “crossing a line”

Carlson publicly attacked an alleged rape victim

His goal, groups say, is “to intimidate others to stay quiet”

SNAP to Carlson: “Defend yourself without being cruel to accusers”

Group also wants church officials to disclose names of 63 “credibly accused clerics”

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will disclose that a notorious local predator priest is now back in the St. Louis area (and provide his address and phone number). 

They will also urge St. Louis’ archbishop to:

–warn his flock about the predator's whereabouts,

–disclose names of 63 credibly accused child molesting clerics who he is keeping secret, and

–apologize for and pledge to never repeat his attacks last week on an alleged clergy sex abuse victim.

WHEN

TODAY, Tuesday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.

WHERE

Outside of the “new” Cathedral on Lindell near Taylor in the Central West End

WHO

A man who has never spoken publicly but whose friend was abused by a notorious predator priest who was the subject of a recent, high profile settlement, along with two concerned Catholics and three-four clergy sex abuse victims who belong to a confidential support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

WHY

SNAP has learned that a high profile serial predator priest – who was convicted of abuse and involved in last week's historic settlement of a civil clergy sex abuse and cover up case – is now living in St. Charles. (Recent news accounts said he lives in Arkansas.) SNAP wants Archbishop Robert Carlson to warn his neighbors about him.

During that litigation, Carlson was forced to admit that 115 archdiocesan employees, mostly clerics, have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse. (A research group, Bishop Accountability, had already posted names of 52 of them.)

SNAP wants Carlson, for the safety of kids, to identify the 63 accused archdiocesan clerics who have been accused of abuse but whose identities he is keeping secret. SNAP also wants him to apologize and pledge to stop disclosing private information about alleged victims.

A week ago, in an unprecedented move, Carlson publicly attacked a 22-year-old woman who was reportedly molested – dozens of times, sometimes brutally – by a convicted predator priest who faces several other allegations. Through a spokesperson, Carlson claimed that:

--the woman “has a medical condition” that causes her to “falsify claims (&) exaggerate symptoms,”

--her family members disputed her abuse reports and

--her allegations “contained multiple inconsistencies.”

(Here's the archdiocesan statement)

Others have a very different view of this young woman:

--Veteran St. Louis city prosecutor Jennifer Joyce said she “has full confidence in” this woman.

--She is represented by the most experienced clergy sex abuse attorney in the U.S and the most experienced clergy sex abuse attorney in St. Louis.

--A SNAP leader has spent hours and hours with her and believes her.

After a long and hard fight, archdiocesan officials settled her civil suit a week ago.

SNAP says that:

--Defendants can disbelieve an accuser without violating his/her privacy or making hurtful, misleading statements and him/her, and

--Catholic officials must make it easier, not harder, for those victimized by sexual violence to step forward, by welcoming and supporting accusers, not vilifying and frightening them into continued shame, self-blame, confusion and silence.

SNAP believes that Carlson's “mean-spirited tactics” stem from his “dreadful fear” of two other pending civil cases that are well within the statute of limitations and could go to trial. Both involve proven predator priests.

One is brought by parents of a Lincoln County girl who was molested in 2012 by Carlson's close friend Fr. Joseph Jiang.

The other is brought by parents of a boy who committed suicide in 2009 after having been molested by Fr. Bryan Kuchar.

Fr. Joseph Ross has been defrocked. KWMU recently reported that he lived in Little Rock. (He was arrested there years ago on charges of soliciting a prostitute.

The case, called “Jane Doe v. Fr. Joseph (Dixon) Ross and the St. Louis archdiocese,” settled on 7/7. The suit charged that Ross molested a girl from 1997-2001 at St. Cronan’s Catholic church in the Grove neighborhood of St. Louis city. In 1988, Ross pled guilty to sexually assaulting an 11 year old boy. But after his sentence was completed, Catholic officials quietly put Ross at St. Cronan’s and warned no one of his criminal past. Ross was finally suspended from active ministry in 2002.

Ross worked in the St. Louis archdiocese for 30+ years with assignments in Richmond Heights, Woodson Terrace, University City, Jennings, Crestwood and Saint Louis city,