KANSAS CITY (MO)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Mike Hunter on August 02, 2012
We hope Fr Shawn Ratigan’s guilty plea today will help deeply wounded families recover more quickly. While trials can be cathartic, they can sometimes cause more trauma for survivors and families.
We applaud these families for bravely cooperating with law enforcement to help get a dangerous Catholic cleric away from kids. Too often, victims’ parents stay trapped in fear, shame and self-blame. Wanting desperately to protect their loved ones from any more pain, they shun the legal process. Sadly, when this happens, predators go on to assault others. So again, we are grateful that these struggling families are acting responsibly by helping police and prosecutors pursue Fr. Ratigan and keep him away from kids, like Bishop Finn refused to do.
Nothing Fr. Ratigan or Bishop Finn can do will erase the terrible harm and betrayal they have inflicted on victims, families, and parishioners. Action can be taken to ensure other children are not hurt and other victims get healing. It is still important for other victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to keep coming forward.
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