JEFFERSON CITY (MO)
KFVS [Cape Girardeau, MO]
September 19, 2024
By Hannah Falcon
A dozen Missouri priests and clergymen are accused of sexual abuse in two new federal lawsuits filed this week.
The priests are from two Dioceses: Jefferson City and Springfield-Cape Girardeau. Both of these lawsuits are asking for a jury trial, but no court date has been set.
In one of the two lawsuits filed September 13, seven priests and clergymen from the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Catholic Diocese in the 1980s and ‘90s asked for $75M in damages. The lawsuit alleges Diocese leadership knowingly covered up abuse allegations, leading to prolonged suffering for the victims.
The men accused are:
- Fr. Leonard Chambers
- Fr. John Harth
- Fr. Reeker
- Fr. Thomas McCarthy
- Fr. Thomas Reidy
- Msgr. John Westheus
- Fr. Michael McDevitt
Three plaintiffs could not recall the name of their abuser. Another plaintiff said their abuse was committed by an unnamed youth pastor.
In a statement, the diocese outlines its policy for investigating claims and says it has a zero-tolerance policy. The diocese also says, “Any violation of this policy will be grounds for discipline up to and including termination.”
Five people accused the Jefferson City Catholic Diocese of covering up their abuse. This lawsuit is also asking for $75M in damages.
The men accused in this lawsuit are:
- Fr. Francis Gilgannon
- Fr. Dave (no last name given)
- Fr. David Darr
- Fr. Gerald Howard, previously Carmen Sita
- Fr. Thomas Duggan
In a statement, the Diocese says none of the accused clergymen are currently working for the Diocese, and three are deceased. The Jefferson City Diocese is investigating claims against one deceased priest who did not have previous allegations. It’s also working to identify who Dave is, as the lawsuit could not identify them by a full name.
David Clohessy with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests wrote the names of the living accused priests and clergymen on the sidewalk in front of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, where its said abuse took place.
“The simple truth is that child molesters always have and always will gravitate towards positions of power over kids and access to kids, and the ministry is perfect for that,” Clohessy said.
Clohessy knows the plight of the victims because he was once abused.
“It’s not like I lost my faith. I feel like my faith was stolen from me,” Clohessy said.
Clohessy and SNAP’s complaint is that the Dioceses are not sharing what the living accused clergymen are currently doing, whether they continue to work in a different area of the Catholic Church or continue to be around children in some fashion, or the details of the investigation.
“It is important that church officials share what they know about these men, because that kind of information really, really helps survivors feel validated and feel some degree of closure and comfort,” Clohessy said.