$312,500 is paid to six victims of five pedophile priests

SNAP will leaflet neighbors of St. Louis’ most widely accused predator priest

WHAT
Clergy sex abuse victims will go door-to-door warning neighbors about a defrocked predator priest and
disclose the settlement of six child molestation cases against five St. Louis are priests and the archdiocese.

WHEN
TODAY, Monday July 7, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE
In Richmond Heights, outside 1433 Hawthorne Place, the home of a predator ex-priest who faces more accusers and lawsuits than any cleric in St. Louis (It’s a block east of Big Bend off Dale)

WHO
The mother of one of the priest’s victims who is doing public interviews for the first time (her son commited suicide) and two-four members of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY
The predators are
One lawsuit was settled against each of the following archdiocesan priests: Fr. Robert F. Johnston, Fr. James A. Funke, Fr. Donald “Duck” Straub, and Fr. Joseph P. Lessard. Two lawsuits were settled against Fr. Michael S. McGrath. None of them are currently face criminal charges, though Funke went to prison in 1987 for child molestation, Johnston was arrested and charged (but released) in 2006, and Lessard admitted abusing kids in a 2002 Post Dispatch interview.

Last known addresses for the predators are: Lessard (1212 Thrush Dr, Prairie Du Rocher IL), Straub (943 Briarton in South County, 961-5682), Funke (7881 Dittmer Rd, Dittmer, 636-274-2703), Johnston (Regina Cleri, an archdiocesan center, in Shrewsbury 968-2240), and McGrath (Richmond Heights, 781-7688).

The crimes took place between 1966-1988 when the kids (all boys) were between 8 and 15 years old. They’re now between 32 and 52 years old. All but one still live in Missouri. Settlement amounts ranged from $90,000 (to a McGrath victim) to $20,000 (to a Lessard victim). One victim insisted that his abuser, Johnston, contribute to the settlement, so the ex-priest is paying $4,000 of the settlement cost.

The abuse happened at one school (Blessed Sacrament in north city, by Lessard) and five parishes: St. Pius X in Glasgow Village (Johnston), St. Bernadette in Jefferson Barracks (Funke), St. George in south county (Straub), St. Simon the Apostle in south county (McGrath) and St. Ferdinand in Florissant (McGrath).

SNAP leaders will also spell out four non-monetary reforms or concessions the victims fought for and won during settlement talks.

The settlements were finalized over the past few weeks/months in mediation. Four of the victims filed lawsuits, two did not (one abused by Lessard and one abused by McGrath).
McGrath is believed to live at this home in Richmond Heights (781-7688). He faces at least 19 accusers and most of their lawsuits against him have been settled. SNAP is convinced that if law enforcement officials were diligent, he could still face prosecution because of his prolific crimes.

CONTACT

David Clohessy 566-9790 cell,

Barbara Dorris 503 0003,

Mary Ellen Kruger 962 0964