MISSOURI
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Oct. 9
Dear Bishop Johnson:
We are urging you to take tangible and immediate steps to safeguard the children of your diocese. Children are the most precious resource of the Church and the Church must not spend her parishioners’ donations on empty gestures that do not protect children.
Roughly 30 US Bishops have posted on their diocesan websites the names of local predator priests. Bishop Robert Finn refused to do this, repeatedly ignoring this simple request. It was the very least he could have done. And now you have the opportunity to take this simple move that would help begin the process of healing and help increase the chance of prevention.
To further aid the healing of your diocese, and the protection of children, we request you contact your colleagues in Wyoming and make sure they publicize the credible allegations against Bishop Joseph Hart who assaulted young boys in Kansas City. We further request the same warning and information to parishioners in Nevada about Fr. Thomas Cronin. He molested a young girl here (Finn settled this case). As you know, there is no known cure for a pedophile, so church officials are, even now, knowingly endangering children in Wyoming and Nevada (as well as several states).
Bishop we respectfully request that you make a clean break with the deeply documented and troubling track record on children’s safety in this diocese. We beseech you to act like a caring shepherd of your precious flock, and not as the cold and calculating bishop that your predecessor proved to be. Act as you know a Christian should act, especially a Roman Catholic Christian.
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