KANSAS CITY (MO)
Kansas City Star [Kansas City MO]
December 27, 2024
By Kendrick Calfee
A Kansas City church deacon, who was being investigated by the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph for a sex abuse claim in a St. Louis lawsuit, has returned to full-time ministry, according to a diocese spokesperson.
Ralph Wehner, a Kansas City deacon at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Kansas City, is back to work in ministry after facing a precautionary suspension while the diocese investigated the sex abuse claim. The lawsuit, filed July 24, accuses St. Louis church officials of covering up abuse by clergy and staff for decades. Dozens of plaintiffs are listed on the suit, including one Ralph Wehner.
But even after the investigation has closed, the diocese has still not confirmed or denied whether the man accused of sex abuse is the same man working in Kansas City.
One plaintiff, W.C., alleged that “Brother Ralph Wehner” had groped and fondled him at least three times when W.C. was a teenager. The plaintiff’s attorney, Todd Mathews, said in an email earlier this month that W.C. voluntarily dismissed the claim for personal reasons, but no other information was available.
Mathews said he appreciates the public respecting the survivor’s privacy in the matter.
“We look forward to continuing to vigorously represent all of those survivors who have suffered horrific sexual abuse by vicious predators,” Mathews said in an email.
Ashlie Hand, a spokeswoman with the Diocese, said in an email that an independent review board did not establish whether the Ralph Wehner accused in the St. Louis lawsuit is the same man working at Our Lady of Good Counsel.
The investigation did not turn up evidence disputing the claim either, she said.
But in August, Hand said the diocese in Kansas City was “able to identify enough additional details to make a potential connection to Dcn. Ralph Wehner.”
The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph said in a statement Thursday that it made every effort to conduct a thorough investigation, but found no information corroborating the accusation.
Hand also said no parishioners have shared concerns about Wehner throughout the course of the investigation.
“Bishop Johnston has lifted the precautionary suspension from exercising diaconal ministry and restored Deacon Ralph Wehner to active ministry,” the Diocese said in the statement.
Hand said the investigator was unable to gather any additional evidence or information prior to the complainant dropping his lawsuit earlier this month.
Hand told The Star in a Dec. 4 email that the claimant was unwilling to cooperate with the Diocese’s investigation.
“The complainant has been unresponsive to our requests through legal counsel to participate in our investigation into the accusations,” Hand said in an email.
Our Lady of Good Counsel’s website says Wehner originally hails from St. Louis and came to the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in 2009.
David Clohessy, the Missouri director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, has called on the diocese to be transparent with church members throughout its investigation into the sex abuse claim.
Clohessy said that Missouri Catholic officials should have been able to determine if the Kansas City deacon is the same man who was accused in St. Louis.
“Kansas City’s bishop refuses to even confirm or deny that his deacon is the same cleric who is accused of abusing a St. Louis boy,” Clohessy said in an email. “That hurts families and insults parishioners.”
The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph said in the statement about Wehner’s return that it is committed to investing time and resources to “stop the abuse of minors, prevent future abuse and foster healing for survivors and their families.”
“Since 2002, 41,000 adults working or volunteering with the Church in our diocese have been trained in how to recognize and report child sexual abuse, establishing a strong culture of prevention,” the statement reads.
The diocese said it takes all allegations of misconduct by church personnel seriously and works to respond to survivors’ needs with urgency, respect and compassion.
“We encourage anyone with knowledge about any misconduct by a church volunteer, employee, religious or clergy member — regardless of when the abuse may have occurred — to contact civil authorities first, and then call or text the diocese’s confidential report line 816-812-2500 or email ombudsman@diocesekcsj.org,” the diocese said in the statement.
Kendrick Calfee covers breaking news for The Kansas City Star with a focus on public safety. He holds a journalism degree from Northwest Missouri State University, where he also studied broadcasting. Before joining the Star, he covered education, local government and sports at the Salina Journal.
kcalfee@kcstar.com