The man in the background above is Chris O'Leary of St. Louis. Chris is a survivor of sexual predation by a priest. The story he tells is tragic, shameful and shockingly cruel.
I came across Chris on Twitter, I've had some communication with him. Chris is in a hard place right now. Something you may not have considered is how hard this publicity is on the victims as it provokes the anxiety, memories, rage and PTSD associated with the events. Yet, it is also helping because it brings to the fore the absolute evil and the need for justice.
Chris is in a hard way, surviving from the abuse, cancer and the impact all of this has had on him. The treatment that he has received from the Archdiocese of St. Louis for a number of years is disgraceful. Friends, I believe this includes the years under Raymond Cardinal Burke. Let us not hide behind anything that may have perpetuated this. I am publishing below, Chris' story and his pleading for assistance on GoFundMe.
If you think you can help Chris, take that envelope you were going to give today to the parish and diocese that has raped and abused boys like Chris and then covered it up, and send it to him.
AT THE TIME OF THIS BLOGPOST, CHRIS HAS $540.00 BY FIVE PEOPLE IN FIVE MONTHS. Vox.
My name is Chris O'Leary and I'm a survivor of abuse by a Catholic priest.
And worse.
- The Second Scandal
Most recently, I told my story -- and described the plight of survivors -- to EWTN.
- Why Two States Might Begin a Probe Into Clergy Sex Abuse
In sum...
1. I've spent the past year -- coincidentally, EXACTLY a year -- fighting to force the Archdiocese of St. Louis to recognize the (continuing) plight of survivors like me. And to help us. Actually. This week my efforts were rewarded and my prayers were answered with the announcement that the Attorney General of Missouri is opening an investigation into the actions of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
2. The Archdiocese of St. Louis and the Catholic Church promise treatment for survivors of abuse by priests, but what I received was only torment; psychological abuse on top of my original sexual abuse. A year ago I did receive a settlement of $9,000 (net) from the Archdiocese, but I lived off of that settlement over the past year as I fought to help the other survivors who have contacted me and the others who I know are out there. And that money is now gone.
3. I was forced to settle for that small settlement, instead of going to trial, due to the (sadly successful) efforts of the Archdiocese of St. Louis to create a problem with the Statute Of Limitations by first Gaslighting me and then giving me the Run-Around. And I'm not the only survivor the Archdiocese of St. Louis did that to.
4. I was fighting Cancer (Malignant Melanoma) at the same time (2013-2016) I was fighting the Archdiocese of St. Louis -- which they knew due to the lawsuit I filed and the discovery process -- leaving me with $6,000 of unpaid medical debt to SLU hospital and my surgeon.
As a result, I'm broke.
Bankrupt.
When I last checked, I had $.40 to my name.
Yes, 40 cents.
Fighting the Archdiocese of St. Louis, forcing them to open their files to the Attorney General of Missouri, and financing that fight with my settlement, was worth it.
Completely.
But it's left me mentally and physically exhausted.
