Diocese of Des Moines Posts List of Clergy Accused of Abuse, SNAP Urges Further Outreach

ST. LOUIS (MO)
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

April 4, 2019

We are grateful that the Diocese of Des Moines has published a list of clergy accused of abuse. This move is the first step that church officials in Des Moines can take towards protecting children in their diocese and helping survivors heal.

Now that they have taken this first step, we call on Bishop Richard Pates to take several more in order to demonstrate his commitment to transparency, accountability, and prevention.

First, Bishop Pates should include on his list the names of not only diocesan priests, but also those of religious order priests and nuns who have been accused of abuse – whether in Des Moines or elsewhere – and spent time in his diocese.

Second, Bishop Pates should also update his list to include information regarding when church officials at the Diocese of Des Moines first received the allegations against each named person and what actions they took in response to those allegations. Only by knowing what went wrong in the past can we know how to improve for the future and prevent future cases of child sexual abuse.

Third, now that this list has been published, Bishop Pates should personally visit each parish where these accused priests served, notify parishioners about the list, and urge victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers to come forward and make a report to police and prosecutors.

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