MO - Kc Catholic Diocese Admits 18 Years of Secrecy about Predator

By Barbara Dorris
SNAP
September 14, 2012

http://www.snapnetwork.org/mo_kc_catholic_diocese_admits_18_years_of_secrecy_about_predator

Kansas City Catholic officials are now admitting that they kept secret for 18 years about credible child sex abuse allegations against a local priest.

18 years of secrecy. That gives a predator many more opportunities to victimize children, destroy evidence, intimidate victims, threaten witnesses, discredit whistleblowers, fabricate alibis, and escape detection.

Shame on every single current and former church staffer, volunteer and member (and there were likely a dozen or more) who knew of or suspected Fr. Wegenek's crimes and stayed silent. How do they live with the realization that for years and years, they let a credibly accused child molester live and work among unsuspecting families and probably sexually assault more kids?

We hope every person who was hurt by Fr. Wegenek steps forward. We hope every person who saw, suspected or knew of Fr. Wegenek’s crimes will find the decency to speak up.