SPRINGFIELD (MO)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Each abused in CA but spent time in MO
The clerics worked in Springfield-Cape diocese
And so did Missouri’s most notorious pedophile priest
Victims blast Spgfld Catholic officials for “continued secrecy”
SNAP to bishop: “Reach out to others who may be in pain right now”
WHAT
Holding signs at a sidewalk news conference, clergy sex abuse victims will urge Springfield – Cape Girardeau Catholic officials to
–publicly disclose the release of long-secret files about two child molesting clerics,
–announce the recent death of Missouri’s most notorious predator priest, and
–post the files and the announcement on diocesan websites and parish bulletins urging more victims, witnesses and whistleblowers to come forward (so that those who committed or concealed crimes will be prosecuted and kids will be safer and victims will get help).
WHEN
Saturday, Oct.26 at noon
WHERE
Outside the Springfield Catholic diocese headquarters (“chancery office”), 601 South Jefferson Ave., (corner of E. Harrison) in Springfield, MO
WHY
More than 200 pages of records about two predator priests who worked in the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese have recently been released.
More info about both men can be found at BishopAccountability.org and here:
http://www.semissourian.com/story/2005690.html
http://www.lorpb.com/documents/Clergy-September/Vincentians-(Farris).PDF
http://www.lorpb.com/documents/Clergy-September/Vincentians-(Ruhl).PDF
And last week, Missouri’s most notorious predator priest, Msgr. Thomas O’Brien passed away. He worked at St. Agnes parish in Springfield in the 1950s and has been sued dozens of times for sexually assaulting kids, mostly in the Kansas City area.
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