KANSAS CITY (MO)
Fox 4
June 13, 2012, by Jason M. Vaughn
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph has been ordered into arbitration to determine if it violated the terms of a 2008 settlement with alleged priest abuse victims.
According to a report in the Kansas City Star, the ruling by Jackson County Judge Peggy Stevens McGraw comes after lawyers representing 42 alleged abuse victims said that the diocese and Bishop Robert Finn failed to meet the terms of a $10 million settlement made in 2008.
Two diocese priests, Rev. Shawn Ratigan and Rev. Michael Tierney, have been accused of sexual misconduct. Ratigan will go on trial in August on federal child pornography charges, while Tierney faces a number of civil lawsuits alleging that he abused children decades ago.
In a statement, SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) says that they are grateful for the judge’s ruling.
“We’re confident it will mean that dozens and dozens of KC area victims are a step closer toward healing and closure,” said Barbara Dorris of SNAP. “We hope it will mean that Bishop Finn and other Catholic officials really will start implementing the 19 prevention steps they promised victims they’d take four years ago.”
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