KANSAS CITY (KS)
Kansas City Star [Kansas City MO]
May 21, 2025
By Judy L. Thomas
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has revealed what it says are recent substantiated allegations of sex abuse involving three priests, bringing to nearly 30 the number of credibly accused clergy who have served in the archdiocese.
The priests all have died in recent years, according to an announcement last week by the archdiocese and St. Benedict’s Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Atchison, Kansas. The organizations said the announcement was made “with deep sorrow for the suffering of victims and survivors of abuse.”
“The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and St. Benedict’s Abbey take all allegations of misconduct by church personnel very seriously and work to respond to survivors’ needs with urgency, respect, and compassion,” the announcement said.
The information on the priests has been updated on the archdiocese’s list of “substantiated clergy offenders” found on its website. The list contains the names of 29 clergy who the archdiocese says have been credibly accused of sexual abuse.
Added to the archdiocese’s list of credibly accused clergy:
▪ The Rev. John “Fidelis” Forrester, a Benedictine monk, who was born in 1927 and ordained in 1954. He was recently found to have substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors. His estimated time frame of abuse, according to the archdiocese, was 1947 to 1961.
Forrester served in several Catholic parishes and schools during his time in the archdiocese: Camp St. Maur Hill, Maur Hill-Mount Academy and Mount St. Scholastica Academy in Atchison; Saints Peter and Paul in Seneca; and Ursuline Academy in Paola.
Forrester also served in the Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington, and in the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa. His name appears on lists of credibly accused clergy in both of those dioceses. He died in 2022.
▪ The Rev. Donald Redmond, a Benedictine monk, who was born in 1930 and ordained in 1957. His estimated time frame of abuse, the archdiocese said, was from 1960 to 1968. He previously had credible allegations of abuse against minors, but now also has credible allegations of abuse involving an adult.
Redmond served in the following schools and parishes while in the archdiocese: Saints Peter and Paul in Seneca; St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center in Lawrence; Benedictine College and Sacred Heart Parish in Atchison; St. James Parish in Wetmore; Sacred Heart Parish in Sabetha; and St. Augustine Parish in Fidelity.
Redmond also served in the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, where he is on a list of clergy with credible allegations. He was removed from ministry in 2002, according to the KCK archdiocese, and died in 2019.
▪ The Rev. Joseph Cramer, who was born in 1950 and ordained in 1977. His estimated time frame of abuse was 1987 to 1992, according to the archdiocese. He has substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors and also abuse of “a vulnerable adult.”
Cramer had numerous pastoral assignments while in the archdiocese: Cure of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood; Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park; Savior of the World High School Seminary (closed) in Kansas City, Kansas; St. Paul Catholic Church in Olathe; Divine Mercy Parish (formerly Sacred Heart Catholic Church) in Gardner; Didde Catholic Campus Center (formerly Emporia State & Schooling) in Emporia; and Assumption Parish in Reading (closed and consolidated with Sacred Heart in Emporia).
He also served at St. Leo’s Catholic Parish in Horton; St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Purcell; St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Marysville; St. Malachy’s Church in Beattie; St. Philip Neri Church in Osawatomie; Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Paxico; Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Mound City; Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in LaCygne; and Holy Name Church and Hayden High School in Topeka.
Cramer died in 2022, the archdiocese’s records show.
The announcement of the recently substantiated allegations comes as the archdiocese prepares for the May 27 Mass of Installation of Archbishop-designate Shawn McKnight as the fifth archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas.
McKnight, formerly bishop of the Diocese of Jefferson City, was appointed by Pope Francis last month to succeed Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, who is retiring.