Victims seek update on church abuse probe

By David Clohessy
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
November 07, 2019

https://bit.ly/2NAB4z2

Victims seek update on church abuse probe

KBI should issue ‘preliminary report,’ SNAP says

Group also wants more outreach and funding for it

KS attorney general asked for investigation one year ago

Bishops must update & expand their ‘accused’ lists, SNAP pleads

Victims to prelates: “Warn your flock about clerics who prey on adults too”

WHAT

Clergy sex abuse victims will hand out fliers door-to-door near churches listing recently-disclosed predator priests who are or were in eastern Kansas. Holding signs and childhood photos at sidewalk news conference, they will urge the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to

--issue an update on its statewide probe of clergy sex crimes and cover ups,

--do more outreach so that “every victim, witness and whistleblower can be heard.”

They will also urge lawmakers to

--increase funding for the on-going investigation, and

--reform archaic, predator-friendly Kansas child safety laws.

And they’ll urge all four Kansas bishops to

--expand their recently but ‘inadequate’ lists of accused clerics, and

--add clerics who sexually exploited adults.

Finally, they’ll urge “every current and ex-church staffer and member who has seen, suspected or suffered abuse to call the KBI immediately so kids are safer, wrongdoers are exposed and cover ups are deterred.”

DATE

Wednesday, Nov. 6

WHERE/WHEN

Blue Rapids: at 11:15 p.m., St. Monica/Elizabeth Church, 1007 East Ave., (785 363 7911)

Frankfort: at 12:30 p.m., Annunciation Church, 213 E. 5th St. (785 292 4462)

Seneca: at 1:30 p.m. Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, 411 Pioneer St. (785 336 2128)

Valley Falls: at 3:15 p.m., Immaculate Conception Church, 902 5th St. (785 945 3544)

WHO

Two concerned men (one from Kansas, one from Missouri) who are members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY

1) Last November, KS Attorney General Derek Schmidt asked the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to investigate clergy sex crimes and cover ups across the state. In July, the KBI revealed that nearly 120 reports of clergy abuse had been filed, leading to at least 74 investigations in 33 counties.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article233015237.html

SNAP wants the KBI to issue another progress report (like the Illinois attorney general did last December with her probe of the church) and to “more aggressively reach out” to “find every victim, witness and whistleblower.”

SNAP also wants legislators to provide more funding for the project so the investigation can be “as thorough as possible and protect as many kids as possible.” (Michigan’s governor recently asked lawmakers there for more money for a similar probe.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/03/13/whitmer-2-m-investigation-catholic-clergy-abuse/3138949002/)

And it wants lawmakers to ‘reform or repeal’ what it calls “Kansas’ archaic, predator-friendly statute of limitations” which prevents most victims from exposing child predators in court. (Many states are relaxing or removing these deadlines, most notably California, New York and New Jersey.)

2) SNAP also wants Archbishop Joseph Naumann (whose territory includes most of eastern Kansas) to make public the names of clerics who have sexually abused, exploited or harassed ADULTS, not just kids.

Earlier this year, Pope Francis adopted a new abuse policy that contains, in the words of one prominent Catholic writer, an “eye-catching” re-definition of who can be a victim of sexual abuse,” to include “vulnerable adults.” But US bishops are ignoring that edict, SNAP says.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/analysis-pope-francis-issues-new-definition-of-vulnerable-adult-74015

In 2006, Naumann admitted in a church newsletter that two of his priests were accused of sexual misdeeds with adults. One of them, Fr. Anthony Kiplagat has reportedly fled back home to Kenya (from his parishes in Osage City and Scranton). The other, Fr. George Seuferling, faces multiple allegations, was suspended seven years ago, and now is reportedly being defrocked.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2014/05_06/2014_06_24_Judy_Star_Kansas_inappropriate.htm

http://issuu.com/theleaven/docs/leaven_02-26-16/7?e=17554527/33886202

Another of Naumann’s priests, Fr. Paul E. Hosler, is accused of breaking his vow of celibacy and sexually exploiting at least one married adult parishioner. Larry Davis of Lenexa KS saw his 11 year marriage “wrecked” when his wife was reportedly sexually manipulated by Fr. Hosler. Davis has writtten Vatican officials seeking a reversal of the annulment of his marriage. https://www.snapnetwork.org/ks_man_appeals_to_vatican

SNAP suspects Fr. Hosler has hurt other families with similar clerical misconduct. So the group is leafleting at/near parishes where he worked to find and help others “who are in pain.”

The group wants Archbishop Joseph Naumann to tell his flock about Fr. Hosler’s predatory actions and discipline Fr. Hosler for it. Naumann should also explain why Fr. Hosler has been on leave for 19 years, with little or no church supervision, a very unusual situation since church officials often complain about a “priest shortage,” SNAP says.

Fr. Hosler has also worked at Catholic Charities of San Diego. SNAP wants Naumann to warn California Catholics about Fr. Hosler. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-hosler-15237ba9

“Many know about child molesting Catholic clerics. But few realize priests abusing vulnerable adult parishioners is as or more widespread but still deeply hidden,” said former SNAP director David Clohessy. “It’s always wrong and hurtful for doctors to have sex with patients, therapists to have sex with clients and ministers to have sex with congregants. That’s especially true in Catholicism, where parishioners are taught, from birth, to respect and trust priests as holy celibate men who can forgive sins and get them into heaven.”

“Parishioners are safest when those who commit and conceal misdeeds or crimes are exposed, prosecuted and jailed,” said Clohessy. “For the safety of the flock, Fr. Hosler should be exposed.”

Fr. Hosler worked in these KS parishes: St Patrick’s in Kansas City, Most Pure Heart in Topeka, Annunciation Parish in Frankfurt, St. Elizabeth Parish in Blue Rapids, St. John the Evangelist in Lawrence, Holy Spirit in Overland Park. He also spent time in Manhattan and Valley Falls KS (NOTE: Fr. Hosler has NOT been accused of hurting children.)

SNAP suspect there are other similar offenders still in eastern Kansas parishes. The group hopes their victims will come forward soon too. The group is urging anyone who has suspicions or information about these accused wrongdoers, or other abusive clergy, to call independent sources of help like police, prosecutors, therapists or support groups, instead of church officials.

BACKGROUND

SNAP is also leafleting and holding a news conference today in Manhattan at 10:30 a.m. outside St. Isadore’s Catholic Church, 711 Denison Ave. (corner of Anderson) in Manhattan KS (where an accused serial predator priest, who has been ‘outed’ by the local diocese, worked)

For info on the statute of limitations in Kansas (and other states): https://www.childusa.org/sol