Kansas City Catholic principal faces 16 accusers; Archbishop blasted

Statement by David Clohessy of SNAP

First, Kansas Catholic officials knowingly hired an accused child molester, Phil Baniewicz, to not work at but to lead, not one but two Catholic schools for years.

When Baniewicz was accused of misconduct involving kids a second time, archdiocesan staff did the bare minimum.

Then, the archbishop did nothing to protect kids or warn parents while the 5th, 10th and even 16th report of abuse or cover up were made or discovered. Even now, not a single church or school staffer is using school email lists, family phone numbers, church mailings and news conferences to prod parents, witnesses, whistleblowers and victims to immediately call law enforcement so others might be spared devastating child sex crimes. 

I am appalled that Catholic parents haven't stopped giving, starting taking kids out of Catholic schools and insisting on real reform by their church hierarchy.

So-called ‘church restrictions’ on a former lay employee are laughable and meaningless. Archbishop Shawn McKnight should make sure no Catholic institution anywhere hires him for any job.