KANSAS CITY (MO)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Dorris on May 29, 2012
On Friday, in his diocesan newspaper Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn quietly disclosed his promotion of Fr. Patrick Rush, a priest who is closely connected with a number of proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting clerics. For years, he was the second-in-command of the diocese. He has been named as a defendant, because of that role, in a number of child sex abuse and cover up lawsuits.
If Finn keeps picking and promoting long-time church insiders and those with close ties church insiders, the chances for change are greatly reduced.
As vicar general, in 2002, Rush publicly defended the decision to keep Fr. Thomas Ward in parish ministry, despite the fact that the diocese paid a settlement to his accuser.
Rush admitted that parishioners had not been officially informed by the diocese of the allegations against Ward.
That same year, Rush refused to identify four priests who had been accused of molesting kids.
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