MANHATTAN (KS)
KSNW TV
August 20, 2019
An advocacy group is calling on the Salina Catholic Diocese to be more transparent in allegations of priest sexual abuse.
Standing in front of a Manhattan church where two accused priests once served, David Clohessy and Larry Davis are demanding action.
“We want to bring the people that are suffering, an avenue for peace and justice,” said Davis.
Davis and Clohessy are members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, Clohessy serving as the Missouri Director. They said they chose the Seven Dolors parish in Manhattan, because two of the priests that served at this parish, were listed as priests with substantiated allegations of abuse against minors.
The Salina Diocese released a list of 14 names of priests in March of 2019 along with the parishes they served in and the estimated time of abuse. Among the names, Father William Merchant, who died in 1975, and Father John Moeder, who died in 2012. Both served at Seven Dolors, although the Diocese does not list when they served there, or where the men were serving when the alleged abuse happened. That’s one of the things that both Davis and Clohessy are asking to be released.
“The Bishop didn’t disclose their whereabouts, didn’t share their photographs and didn’t go into the full details of their work history, we think that’s the absolute bare minimum he should do to both protect kids and heal victims and help the church turn a page,” said Clohessy.
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