Accused predators NOT on Kansas City, MO church list
Help us protect kids, heal victims and learn the truth
You won’t know many of these names. That’s because your bishop refuses to reveal the names of all the child molesting clerics in your diocese. It’s painful to do, but we respectfully ask that you read each of them.
Msgr. Martin Henry Froeschl, who was sued for molesting a child. Your bishop paid $277,000 to his accuser.
Fr. Alexander B. (“Sandy”) Sinclair, who was accused of abusing a youngster. Your bishop paid his alleged victim $60,000.
Fr. James V. McCormick, who is on a church ‘credibly accused’ abuser list in the Sioux Falls SD diocese. He moved to KC MO in the 1980s where he worked for many years.
Fr. Lawrence C. Schierhoff, who is on ‘credibly accused’ abuser lists in two dioceses - St. Louis and Jefferson City. He was at Christ the King Church for ten years. oversaw construction of the early childhood center there and was a 43-year member of St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church, all in KC MO.
Fr. John M. Fiala, who tried, while in jail, to hire a ‘hit man’ to kill one of his child sexual abuse victims. He was at SOLT (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity) in KC MO from 1998-2001 and worked at churches in two Kansas towns: Shawnee and Holton.
Fr. Warren Discon, who was deemed ‘credibly accused’ of abuse by his direct supervisors, the Vincentians. He was at St. Vincent parish in KC MO.
Fr. Victor Heinen, who was publicly named as ‘credibly accused’ of abuse by two church entities (the Bismarck Diocese and Conception Abbey, in the KC MO diocese, where he worked and lived).
Fr. Julian Hartig, who worked at a Higginsville parish in the KC MO diocese. He was deemed a ‘credibly accused’ abuser by both the Franciscan religious order and the Gallup NM diocese. Hartig reportedly molested a young girl on an Apache reservation in New Mexico. He also worked in TX, KS, KY and China.
How you can help
Urge Bishop Johnston to add these men, and ALL proven, admitted or credibly accused child molesting clerics (priests, nuns, seminarians, brothers, monks and bishops) to his ‘credibly accused’ abuser list on the diocesan website.
Ask your loved ones if they were hurt by any of these men. (There are now 40+ publicly accused KC MO predator priests. See BishopAccountability.org for their names).
Or ask them if they were hurt by these OTHER predators who are/were in the KC MO diocese but are NOT on Johnston’s list: Fr. Vincent Barsch, Fr. Bede Parry, Fr. Edgar Probstfield, Fr. Regis Probstfield, Fr. Gilbert Stack, Fr. Hugh Tasch, Fr. Paschal Thomas and Fr. Isaac True, Fr. Donald Redmond, Fr. Lawrence Gregovich, Fr. Martin Juarez, Fr. Paul Pilgram, Fr. Burton J. Fraser, Fr. Chester Gaiter, Fr. Dennis Kirchoff, Fr. Philip Kraus and Fr. Francis Kegel.
Or if they were hurt by ANY cleric of ANY denomination.
And urge them to contact us for help. SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) is a confidential self-help support group. For the sake of wounded victims and vulnerable kids, please share with us any information or suspicions you may have about local clergy.
Finally, contact police or prosecutors with anything you know, have heard or suspect about potentially harmful or criminal behavior by any adult toward any child, no matter how old or vague or seemingly insignificant it may seem to you. Sexual abuse is a devastating crime. It should be reported to the independent, unbiased professionals in law enforcement, not to biased amateurs in church positions. If this is difficult, talk first to a loved one, a therapist, an attorney or a support group. And remember: Those who commit and conceal child sex crimes count on us to be silent.
Thank you!
David Clohessy
SNAP Missouri volunteer director