March 2, 2006

Dear Brother Glodek:

Once again, we find ourselves trying to persuade you to do what Jesus told us to do: reach out to the lost and wounded sheep.

There are now at least five separate allegations of misconduct against Fr. Robert Osborne. At least four of them are recent. At least three have been reported to the police.

They include:

• a report to Kirkwood police involving alleged child sexual abuse,
• a report to Kirkwood police that Osborne gave alcohol to a child,
• a second ‘similar’ report to Kirkwood police days later,
• a civil lawsuit in involving child sexual abuse, and
• an allegedly “unsubstantiated” allegation against Osborne from years ago, which your own public relations woman admitted (but only after repeated questioning at a news conference on the day the civil child molestation case was filed).

Citizens have a duty to help police solve suspected crimes. Your current and former students and staff may have information that could benefit law enforcement. But that information will likely remain hidden unless they are prodded to do so by someone in authority like you.

You have access to thousands of former staff and students. Some of them may have been hurt by Osborne. Some of them may have witnessed misconduct by Osborne. They need to be contacted.

They need to understand that secrecy hurts everyone involved. They need to be told that they are helping, not hurting, their alma mater by speaking up. They need to know that even though the criminal justice system can seem daunting, they have an obligation to tell police what they know.

Please don’t repeat the mistake you made with another accused Marianist child molester: Brother William Mueller. After pressure from our group, you sent out short, vague letters to your former students. Sadly, you made no mention of law enforcement. Instead, you simple told people they could call your office with any information.

Brother Glodek, these are alleged crimes. They must be handled by independent professionals in law enforcement, not by biased amateurs in the church hierarchy. We urge you to make this clear to all your present and former students and staff.
Finally, we ask that you correct at least some of the misinformation that has been given out to the Vianney community. Your PR woman has suggested, for example, that the victim's dad gave officials no chance to investigate or suspend Osborne before filing suit. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In fact, both the father and the boy's therapist had several conversations – in person and on the phone - with Vianney and Marianist staff before they took legal action. Like so many others who reluctantly file child sex abuse lawsuits against church officials, this family sued only when it was clear that neither Vianney nor the Marianists would take prompt action to protect kids from Osborne.

Please take corrective action soon. We look forward to hearing from you.

David Clohessy
National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
7234 Arsenal Street
St. Louis MO 63143
645 5915, 566 9790
SNAPclohessy@aol.com

Barbara Dorris
Outreach Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
6245 Westminster
St. Louis MO 63108
862 7688, 503 0003
gymsoul@hotmail.com