: Warrensburg, Mo. News
Diocese pays $10 million to end sexual abuse suits
Aug 20, 2008, 3:33 PM
By LORA POWELL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two priests who had served parishes in Warrensburg, Holden and Clinton are named in a tentative $10 million settlement regarding 47 claims of sexually abusing children involving 12 priests in the Jackson County area.
Hugh F. Monahan served at Sacred Heart in Warrensburg and St. Patrick in Holden. He has been accused in five different abuse cases, according to previous news reports.
In 2003, an anonymous man, then 33, said Monahan began abusing him in the late 1980s while he was attending Holy Cross Church in Kansas City, reports stated.
The abuse began when he was 16 and he lived with Monahan before he turned 18, according to reports.
The suit stated three priests and a deacon knew about the abuse, but did nothing about it.
Christopher Beirsmith, who attended St. Peter's Church in Kansas City, came forward in 2003 at the age of 38. He said Monahan began abusing him when he was 11 and continued for five years, reports stated.
John R. Tulipana, who served at the Holy Rosary in Clinton during the early 1980s, was accused of raping a 12-year-old boy multiple times while serving at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Independence in 1978, reports stated. In 2006, a civil case was filed against him by J.B. Doe in Jackson County, according to Case.net. The case type is listed as "other miscellaneous actions" and the charges are unavailable. However, the case is still pending, according to a Jackson County civil records spokeswoman.
The elementary school at the Holy Rosary Church in Clinton has been in operation since 1962.
Bishop Robert W. Finn, of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, said Tuesday that the agreement is subject to his approval after he consults with two diocese boards. The $10 million tentative agreement includes several nonmonetary conditions.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs say it's the nonmonetary conditions that make the proposed settlement so important.
Among those stipulations is that the diocese will publicly announce and acknowledge the wrongfulness of sexual abuse by its priests.
The deal will settle all current sexual abuse lawsuits pending in Jackson County against the diocese and its priests for incidents alleged to have occurred between 1951 and 1992.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Hugh F. Monahan served at Sacred Heart in Warrensburg and St. Patrick in Holden. He has been accused in five different abuse cases, according to previous news reports.
In 2003, an anonymous man, then 33, said Monahan began abusing him in the late 1980s while he was attending Holy Cross Church in Kansas City, reports stated.
The abuse began when he was 16 and he lived with Monahan before he turned 18, according to reports.
The suit stated three priests and a deacon knew about the abuse, but did nothing about it.
Christopher Beirsmith, who attended St. Peter's Church in Kansas City, came forward in 2003 at the age of 38. He said Monahan began abusing him when he was 11 and continued for five years, reports stated.
John R. Tulipana, who served at the Holy Rosary in Clinton during the early 1980s, was accused of raping a 12-year-old boy multiple times while serving at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Independence in 1978, reports stated. In 2006, a civil case was filed against him by J.B. Doe in Jackson County, according to Case.net. The case type is listed as "other miscellaneous actions" and the charges are unavailable. However, the case is still pending, according to a Jackson County civil records spokeswoman.
The elementary school at the Holy Rosary Church in Clinton has been in operation since 1962.
Bishop Robert W. Finn, of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, said Tuesday that the agreement is subject to his approval after he consults with two diocese boards. The $10 million tentative agreement includes several nonmonetary conditions.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs say it's the nonmonetary conditions that make the proposed settlement so important.
Among those stipulations is that the diocese will publicly announce and acknowledge the wrongfulness of sexual abuse by its priests.
The deal will settle all current sexual abuse lawsuits pending in Jackson County against the diocese and its priests for incidents alleged to have occurred between 1951 and 1992.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
