Click here to read the first of a three-part series exposing what O'Connell's victims have tried to tell us for so long. Read the very thorough investigative reporting of Pat O'Connor in the Sunday, 11/14/04 edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Secrets, sins and silence - 11/14/04
Coming to terms, confronting the church - 11/15/04
Woman told of allegations by students at seminary - 11/15/04
Dad is haunted by family friend's abuse of son - 11/15/04
As scandal breaks, the search for truth begins - 11/16/04
First Meeting with Bishop Kurtz which began the Journey of SNAP in Tennessee
We have tried to get the images of Anthony O'Connell off of walls in churches and schools in the diocese of Knoxville. The diocese has remained insensitive to the requests of victims to do so. Here is the first correspondence that we had on the issue.
Press Release from May 6, 2004, by five former seminarians abused by O'Connell can be found here.
Click here to view the letter that was sent out by five victims of Anthony J. Connell on May 6, 2004. Click here for letter in Word format. Click here for webpage version of letter.
Christopher Dixon wrote a letter to the Knoxville News Sentinel to express the viewpoint of a victim/survivor of Anthony J. O'Connell on having pictures/portraits/busts, etc. allowed to remain on display in the Diocese of Knoxville. His letter was printed on May 1, 2004. (By the way, there are no images of Anthony J. O'Connell on display in the diocese of West Palm Beach according to the director of communications for that diocese.) Click here to read Chris's letter.
John Lantigua, Staff writer for the Palm Beach Post, went to Mepkin Abbey after finding out that Anthony J. O'Connell has been there since a few days after resigning as bishop of Palm Beach on March 8, 2002. O'Connell admitted molesting teenaged seminarians. Click here for the article. Click here for webpage version of article.
GREG BULLOUGH explains clearly why the Diocese of Knoxville should take down all images of O'Connell.
Re-Writing History: Why Clerical Sex Abusers’ Names Must Not Be Honored
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Read the NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER article about the issue of the diocese of Knoxville still displaying images of Anthony J. O'Connell.
John V. Doe v. Holy See, et al., File No. CV 02 430 BR. Click to view pdf. (185k)
Gomez v. Holy See, et al., Court File No. 02-2692C1-19 Click to view pdf. (142k)
John CC Doe v. Most Rev. Anthony J. O’Connell, et al. Click to view pdf. (39k)
Correspondence and e-mails from Bishop Anthony O'Connell
The following information is written by Mike Wegs, a victim/survivor of Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell.
Here is an introduction to Mike in his own words:
"I was affiliated with the Diocese of Jefferson City for more than 10 years (1967-1979): one-fifth of the history of this Church in Missouri. In addition, I want to state publicly that the allegations of sexual misconduct that I brought in a John Doe lawsuit against Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell are valid (Doe v. Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, et al., CV302-142CC). Marion County Court Judge David Dardin ruled in my case: churches can be held to the same standard as any other entity that is in the position of caring for children."
Here are links to information. Please know that some of this information is disturbing so read this with that fact in mind.
Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell and St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church . . . Read the letter that Mike wrote for publication in one of the local newspapers. Neither the secular nor the diocesan papers would print this letter.
Open letter to Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz of the Diocese of Knoxville from Mike Wegs and Timothy Link, another victim/survivor of O'Connell. . . Neither the secular nor the diocesan papers would print this letter.
Letter to Bishop Wilton Gregory requesting the removal of Cardinal Law of Boston. Written by Mike Wegs.
The Sound of Rachel Weeping by Mike Wegs. A gripping account of victim's pain and the corruption that causes it.