MN--Victims call on University to release full report

By Verne Wagner
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
October 8, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mn_victims_call_on_university_to_release_full_report

St. Thomas University officials claim they’re blameless in the case of Fr. Michael Keating. No one should believe them until they release the full report of their so-called “investigation.” Even then, people should be skeptical.

http://www.twincities.com/education/ci_26682445/st-thomas-officials-did-not-know-priest-sex

First, there’s no “independent” review or investigation when those being investigated pick and pay those doing the investigating. This law firm had no subpoena power. They could see only what university officials said they could see. So it’s at stretch, at best, and inaccurate, at worst, to call this an “investigation.”   

Second, if the university did nothing wrong, why conceal the report and release only snippets? On its face, that doesn’t pass the smell test.

Third, if the university unknowingly put its students at risk – by keeping an accused child molester on its staff and campus – it needs to take action. For starters, it needs to work harder to find out whether any student or employee or employee’s children were hurt by Fr. Keating. And it needs to deter future deceit and recklessness by at least publicly denouncing the Catholic archdiocesan officials who acted irresponsibly and protected Fr. Keating while endangering the St. Thomas community.

St. Thomas’ next step is pretty simple – seek out victims, release the full report and chastise the wrongdoers. Otherwise, school officials look timid, insincere and ineffectual.

We urge anyone in the St. Thomas community – whether victim, witness or whistleblower – to speak up now and safeguard innocent kids and vulnerable adults by exposing wrongdoers. We especially call on current and former university employees to act responsibly and share what they know or suspect about Catholic clerics who commit or conceal child sex crimes with the police, prosecutors, parishioners and the public right away.