Priest Abuse Victim Speaks out

By Tyler Mcghee
Siouxland News
June 22, 2016

http://siouxlandnews.com/news/local/priest-abuse-victim-speaks-out

[with video]

At just 12 years old, Tim Lennon says he was raped by Father Peter Murphey after the priest joined the Blessed Sacrament parish in 1960.

"That sadness, or depression, anger, they don't leave," said Lennon.

Lennon, who's lived in California for years, was one of 12 in an Irish-Catholic family. His sister Cathy Frisch who lives in Dakota Dunes, says there was always something "different" about her brother compared to other kids.

"I do see some things that he went through in high school," said Frish. "He's pretty reclusive at times. It wasn't that he didn't have friends; he did go out, but it just didn't seem like he was happy."

Lennon believes it was his twin daughters turning 12 a few years ago, the same age he says he was molested that the memories started resurfacing, long after Father Murphy passed away in 1980. It was through newspaper ads Lennon posted in Father Murphey's previous parish locations. Lennon says he learned he wasn't the only one.

"I had four people come forward talking about reports of him abusing other children or themselves and they reported it to church authorities," said Lennon. "My abuse could have stopped if the church had removed him from ministry, reported him to police, but what the church did was send him to Sioux City."

Nearly a decade ago Lennon says he reached out to the Diocese of Sioux City to tell them about the alleged abuse. And in April he and one of his 17-year-old daughters met face to face with Bishop R. Walker Nickless in Sioux City.

"I took the personal apology of Bishop Nickless's sincere," said Lennon.

Lennon feels the meeting, overall, was successful but his daughter does not. Fiona Lennon says she sent this letter to Bishop Nickless to address her concerns.

"Despite your gracious invitation, I found the tone of the meeting very condescending," said Fiona Lennon. "Your corrupt institution killed my father, the man he could have been, who he should have been."

In a statement, the Diocese said, in part, "The Diocese is continuing to work with Mr. Lennon addressing several issues. A notice has been made in the diocesan newspaper requesting information concerning Father Murphy. A similar request is being made in the bulletins of the parishes where he served."

Lennon says his work isn't finished. He's now a leader in the California branch of "SNAP", the "Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests." He tells us he won't stop until all "credible" allegations of abuse by priests in the Sioux City Diocese Church are made public.

"In 2004, the Diocese of Sioux City said there was 10 clergy that they knew were abusers. Except, in public knowledge we only know of seven and I asked the bishop that the other three that they know about, or at least admit to knowing about, that there names also be known."

Lennon says he's working with the Woodbury County Attorney's office to make sure those stories are heard. However, so far we've received no response from the county attorney about Lennon's efforts.