KANSAS CITY (MO)
KCTV TV
December 7, 2018
By Chris Oberholtz
A Roman Catholic Jesuit province that covers 13 Midwestern and Southern states, Puerto Rico and Belize said Friday that it has found “credible allegations” of sexual abuse involving 42 priests and other ministry leaders dating back to 1955.
The Jesuits U.S. Central and Southern Province, which is based in St. Louis, also released the men’s names. Most are deceased and others are no longer Jesuits. A spokeswoman said four are still members of the province but are not active in ministry and live in supervised housing.
The list names mostly priests, but it also names some brothers, who serve some ministry functions but who are not ordained, and “scholastics,” which are men training to become priests.
Six priests on the list had pastoral connections at some point to either Rockhurst High School or Rockhurst University. Click here for the full list.
Rockhurst High School President David Laughlin sent the following statement to the entire Rockhurst community:
On December 7, 2018 the United States Central and Southern Province of the Society of Jesus released the names of Jesuits who ever belonged to the Province or served in any ministry within the Province against whom “credible claims of sexual abuse of a minor have been made”. Five of these Jesuits were assigned to Rockhurst High School at some point in their ministry. The last year in which any of these five individuals served at Rockhurst was 1984.
All three reports of alleged misconduct related to any Jesuit’s time at Rockhurst were immediately reported to the Province. No Jesuit with a credible accusation currently serves in public ministry.
Rockhurst High School prays for all victims of sexual abuse and their families.
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