As of 06/05/2006,
1550 days since March 8, 2002, when Anthony J. O'Connell admitted to sexually abusing "one maybe two" young seminarians under the age of 17. O'Connell was the first bishop of Knoxville from 1988 to 1998. What did the diocese of Knoxville do about this?
- St. Mary's parish grudgingly took O'Connell's name off the building they had dedicated to him. It took almost a year to get the name of this admitted pedophile off this building even though the building housed the gym for the parish elementary school. What message to children? Pedophiles will get the easy treatment, and adults will have to "ponder and pray" about whether to remove the dedication of a building from a man who admittedly is an abuser. Pitiful response from people who should know better. The parish priest did not think it was a good idea to let two of O'Connell's victims to attend the ceremony removing the name from the building. "Not appropriate." What is not appropriate is the continuing refusal to believe the extent of the abuse by O'Connell. It is a slap in the face of the many men who have come forward to accuse O'Connell of abuse.
- Pictures of O'Connell can still be found in churches and schools throughout the diocese. Why do they still honor this pedophile? "Because he did so much good . . ." Ask his many victims what he did to them. "Because he is part of our history . . . " Then put a plaque on each of these many pictures still on your walls that says "Admitted child molester" so that "history" will be really correct. As it is, the diocese of Knoxville is still satisfied with lies. The bishop and the priests don't care if the truth is never told. They would like the people in the pews to remain ignorant. So far, it has worked. Stand up and demand the truth. Bishop Kurtz refuses to call the victims who want to talk to him. Will YOU listen to them?
(Click here to update the day counter since O'Connell's public admission of abuse)