ST. LOUIS (MO)
SNAP
October 5, 2018
By David Clohessy
September 20, 2018
Dear Attorney General Hawley:
We’re concerned about your inquiry into abuse and cover up in Missouri catholic dioceses. We desperately want it to be helpful. Based on our nearly 30 years of experience with this crisis, here are some of our recommendations:
1) Don’t play politics and rush it.
You’ve already said that a cursory overview of Archdiocesan files show that they are ‘voluminous.’ You’ve also publicly committed to hearing from victims. To do this right, it will take months, not weeks.
A doctor’s first duty is to do no harm. That should be yours as well. A hasty, inadequate review, rushed to completion before Nov. 7 for seemingly partisan purposes will only rub more salt into the already deep and often still fresh wounds of hundreds of victims of chlld molesting clerics. It’s far more responsible to take a careful, thorough approach than leave victims, parents, police, prosecutors and parishioners feeling betrayed by a hurried inquiry apparently timed to meet an electoral deadline.
2) Team up with a local prosecutor or two.
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