News & Events

We are deeply troubled to learn of the arrest of a priest in the Diocese of Duluth, Fr. Brian M. Lederer, Hibbing, Minn., on expected charges of sexual abuse of children.  The sexual abuse of children among clergy is a real and present danger.  Although the Catholic Church may argue that the scourge of clerical childhood sexual abuse is a thing of the past, the arrest of Lederer and more recent cases such as Curtis Wehmeyer in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and Shawn Ratigan in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph tell us otherwise…

Former Lindwood Arts School Janitor Walter Happel was sentenced to 10 years in prison today for sexually abusing numerous children over the course of 30 years.  We applaud the courageous survivors who came forward and spoke the truth in order to see justice done.  Happel was convicted of three counts of criminal sexual conduct for his sexual abuse of minors.  We are alarmed and saddened whenever students are sexually abused by a school employee.   When serial predators work with unsupervised access to children in an elementary school, a very dangerous risk is posed…

Finally, Pope Francis did something about one of the world’s most notorious and noxious examples of clergy pedophilia cover up: he accepted the resignation of criminally convicted Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert W. Finn today. http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article19121754.html It’s a step in the right direction. But we will watch to see if it leads to more Vatican action to hold complicit bishops accountable. Because much more needs to be done.
In September 2012, Finn was convicted of failing to report suspected child abuse, a misdemeanor, after he learned of child pornography fo…

Finally,
Pope Francis did something about one of the world’s most notorious and noxious
examples of clergy pedophilia cover up: he accepted the resignation of
criminally convicted Kansas City-St. Joseph Bishop Robert W. Finn today. It’s
a step in the right direction. But we will watch to see if it leads to more
Vatican action to hold complicit bishops accountable. Because much more needs
to be done.In September 2012, Finn was convicted of failing to report
suspected child abuse, a misdemeanor, after he learned of child pornography found
on the computer of a priest, Shawn Ratigan. …

Last week, Bishop John LeVoir and the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota released an online video discussing, and apologizing to Survivors for, the terrible harm caused by clergy sexual abuse. LeVoir said in the video that he has learned from listening to Survivors that sexual abuse by clergy results in a “hurt so great that it never goes away.” Unfortunately, LeVoir follows up what appears to be a sincere, heartfelt apology to Survivors with an invitation to them to return to the church. Bishop LeVoir says that returning to the church is in fact the only way for Survivors to heal.

In thirty years of representing Survivors of clergy sexual abuse I have learned that the Catholic Church knew it had a problem with sexual abuse long before anyone in the unsuspecting public did. Bishops like John LeVoir have encountered Survivors of sexual abuse for decades and presumably learned of its terrible effects and the severity of the harm it causes.

Last week, Bishop John LeVoir and the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota released an online video discussing, and apologizing to Survivors for, the terrible harm caused by clergy sexual abuse. LeVoir said in the video that he has learned from listening to Survivors that sexual abuse by clergy results in a “hurt so great that it never goes away.” Unfortunately, LeVoir follows up what appears to be a sincere, heartfelt apology to Survivors with an invitation to them to return to the church.