Missouri advocate alleging priest abuse gets $40,000

MISSOURI
The Rolla Daily News

By Summer Ballentine
Associated Press

Posted Sep. 10, 2015

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.
A Missouri advocate who says he was sexually abused by a priest as a teenager said Thursday that he received $40,000 from the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City.

A spokesman for the diocese, Deacon Dan Joyce, confirmed Thursday that the diocese provided $40,000 to David Clohessy, who serves as the national director of an advocacy group for victims of clergy sexual abuse. The diocese did not provide further details about the out-of-court settlement.

Joyce said that staff met with Clohessy earlier this year after he contacted them regarding his allegations of abuse by the Rev. John Whiteley.

Joyce said Bishop John Gaydos later wrote to Clohessy “to extend to him an apology for the abuse that he reported.” Joyce said the diocese last month gave Clohessy money to “help him with his needs for healing.”

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