KANSAS CITY (MO)
KSHB
[with video]
Syed Shabbir
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Just outside the Catholic Diocese Center in downtown Kansas City, Mo., a half circle of men formed Thursday afternoon to share their stories of how they were sexually abused as children by priests.
Their demonstration comes just two days after the Diocese agreed to pay $9.95 million to settle 32 cases of abuse involving 13 local priests.
Among the cases was Phillip Ricottas’.
“Little by little the grooming started, and you find yourself at that age in places you don’t want to be,” Pisciotta said. “And there’s no way out.”
Pisciotta said his abuse happened in 1962 and 1963 at St. Bernadette’s Parish in Raytown, Mo. He was 12 at the time and didn’t speak of it until 40 years later.
“You find creative ways to block it,” Pisciotta said. “But it’s always there.”
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