The Kansas City Star
22 June 2011
By JUDY L. THOMAS
The vicar general for the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph no longer will oversee sexual-abuse allegations against priests, the diocese announced Wednesday.
Monsignor Robert Murphy, who has come under fire for his handling of a priest recently charged with possessing child pornography, will be replaced in that role, according to the diocese.
The Rev. Joseph Powers has been named the vicar for clergy, a new position.
The announcement came on the same day that a legal step was taken by plaintiffs who received a $10 million settlement from the diocese in 2008 in a sexual-abuse lawsuit.
On Wednesday, plaintiffs demanded the case be sent to an arbitrator, claiming the diocese has failed to abide by some of the settlement’s terms that were designed to protect children from abuse. The diocese has said it is complying in all ways.
The diocese’s announcement about Powers said he will assume some of the duties previously assigned to Murphy.
“As Vicar for Clergy, Father Powers will serve as a liaison for diocesan priests and oversee assignments as well as pastoral effectiveness,” the diocese said in a statement. “Father Powers also will assist the bishop with any allegations of clerical misconduct and will serve as an ex officio member of the Diocesan Independent Review Board.”
Powers will continue as pastor of the Co-Cathedral in St. Joseph, the diocese said.
“With Father Powers assuming the duties of Vicar for Clergy, we strengthen our administrative oversight of the diocese and draw upon Father Powers’ pastoral experience in urban, rural and suburban parishes throughout the diocese,” Bishop Robert Finn said in the statement.
Murphy will continue to have responsibility for general administration, directly supervising chancery employees and serving on diocesan boards and committees, Finn said. He also will remain as pastor of St. Bridget parish in Pleasant Hill.
Powers will become an ex officio member of the diocese’s review board, which is charged with assessing sexual-abuse allegations against priests and making recommendations to the bishop. Murphy no longer will serve on the board.
The diocese’s statement provided no explanation of why Murphy was being removed from his duties of handling sexual-abuse cases, and the diocese did not answer further questions about the action.
Jim Caccamo, chairman of the review board, said he recommended that Finn remove Murphy because of recent allegations reported by The Kansas City Star.
“We met and I suggested that given the newspaper article, it would be hard for Monsignor Murphy, regardless of the allegation’s fact, to be seen as impartial,” Caccamo said. “I recommended that the bishop replace him.”
On June 9, The Star reported that Murphy himself had been accused of past sexual improprieties. A Kansas City psychologist wrote Finn four years ago, alleging sexual harassment by Murphy in 1984.
Finn had said the allegations were unfounded.
Murphy also has been prominent in the case of the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, who was charged last month with three counts of possessing child pornography. Ratigan pleaded not guilty to those charges in Clay County Circuit Court and remains in custody on $200,000 bond.
After Ratigan’s arrest, it was revealed that the principal of St. Patrick School in Kansas City, North, had given diocesan officials a memo more than a year ago detailing concerns teachers and parents had about Ratigan’s interactions with children. Finn told reporters that Murphy briefed him about the memo at the time but that he did not ask to read it.
“Monsignor Murphy told me that he had thoroughly discussed these concerns with Shawn Ratigan and how he was to change his behavior,” Finn said.
A victims’ advocacy group said the diocese’s actions Wednesday would have little effect.
“Coverups of clergy sex crimes run deep in this diocese, so changing job titles for one or two clerics isn’t going to change much,” said Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Some plaintiffs in the 2008 settlement had sent a letter to diocesan officials on June 8, asking for proof that the diocese had complied with a number of agreed-upon reforms. The settlement included non-monetary commitments, such as establishing victims’ advocacy programs and immediately reporting any abuse or suspicion of abuse to law enforcement authorities in accordance with Missouri statutes.
The diocese responded in a letter dated Monday, saying it “has complied with and continues to comply with each of these items.”
On Wednesday, plaintiffs said the diocese has not abided by some of those terms.
The 47 plaintiffs “endured five years of litigation, insisting upon protections for the future as the first item of negotiation,” said attorney Rebecca Randles in a letter demanding arbitration. “Evidence strongly suggests the diocese is violating those commitments and breaching their 2008 agreement.”
Randles said the request for arbitration is essentially the same as filing a lawsuit.
“As part of the settlement agreement, we had agreed that all disputes would be handled by the arbitrator,” she said.
In response to Wednesday’s arbitration demand, diocesan spokeswoman Rebecca Summers referred The Star to a “community update” on the 2008 settlement agreement posted this week on the diocese’s website. According to the document, since July 1, 2008, the diocese has provided 547 counseling sessions to 34 victims or their family members who have reported sexual abuse at some time.
The cost, the diocese said, has been $82,562. The document also said that Finn has written 118 letters of apology to plaintiffs or their families.
In Wednesday’s letter demanding arbitration, Randles said the diocese had issued statements about three priests that have raised doubts about whether it has complied with the agreement. The priests were Ratigan, Murphy and the Rev. Michael Tierney, who was removed from duties last month because of what the diocese said were credible reports of sexual misconduct with minors.
For example, Randles said, diocesan officials admitted knowing of a picture of a naked girl on Ratigan’s computer but didn’t immediately report it to authorities. She said the diocese also knew of Ratigan’s troubling behavior for a year but apparently chose not to warn parents, parishioners or teachers.
“Diocesan handling of abuse appears not to have changed,” Randles wrote.
Robert Bates, one of the plaintiffs in the 2008 lawsuit, issued a statement Wednesday saying he was “disappointed and hurt” at the diocese’s handling of the Ratigan case.
“It seems very obvious that Bishop Finn has no intention to honor the agreement he made with us in 2008,” Bates said. “The diocese’s indifference and lack of integrity is very sad and disheartening.”