Deep Thoughts: Clergy sexual abuse and missionary work

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Clergy sexual abuse and missionary work

In the United States, Christians collect money to fund missionaries who bring the word of God to the darkest corners of the world. My friend is busy collecting donations for missionary schools and medical clinics in Uganda. To him it is noble work and I understand why he does it. Yet I find story after story of abuses tied to Christianity and missionary work. You don’t have to look far for unsound advice, or the practice of what I call hostage Christianity. That is, offering superior medical care with a price tag of religious indoctrination. It’s all wrong, but I am conflicted by the dichotomy of the obvious benefit versus the visible harm.

I don’t write about this subject much. I think I should. It has bothered me for a long time. My news filter delivered a story that ties missionary work to clergy sexual abuse, so I think the time is write about it.

Rev. Kevin Hederman is the subject of a lawsuit alleging he abused a teenage boy in the 90’s while serving as pastor of North American Martyrs Church in Florissant, Mo. Hederman now works in Belize as a missionary.

Hederman met the teenager, then a student at Christian Brothers College high school, when Hederman occasionally celebrated Mass at the school's former campus in Clayton, according to the lawsuit. CBC has since moved to Town and Country.

During one visit to Hederman's residence, the priest instructed the teenager "to lie prone on the floor and then Fr. Hederman engaged in inappropriate and unwanted sexual contact with the plaintiff," according to the lawsuit.

Is it too much to hope that the Catholic Church would exercise appropriate due diligence by investigating Hederman’s activities in Belize? And why is he a missionary in predominantly catholic Belize anyway? It sounds like a scam to me.

Catholics, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Belize

Comments (55)

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Allison Hederman · 829 weeks ago

Why is he a missionary in "predominantly Catholic Belize" anyway??? Are you dumb? Do you understand how poor that country is? Being a missionary isn't all about converting, it's about taking care of God's children. Don't make stupid comments like that.

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2 replies · active 826 weeks ago

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Biograph1985 · 829 weeks ago

You're right, Mojoey. And there's an interesting bit from St. Louis NBC affiliate KMOX:

The Archdiocese website says Hederman was ordained here in 1975 and spent short stints and several local parishes.

Holy Rosary Parish (1975-1980), Blessed Sacrament Parish (1980-1981), Holy Trinity Parish (1981-1984), Corpus Christi Parish (1984-1988), St. Engelbert parish (1988-1992), St. Barbara Parish (1990-1992), and North American Martyrs Parish (1992-1996)

http://www.kmox.com/pages/4473404.php?contentType...

Short stays in so many locl parishes? Sounds suspicious...

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2 replies · active 826 weeks ago

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Allison Hederman · 829 weeks ago

Short stays in so many local parishes is suspicious? Check any other priest's record and it will be the same. There is a severe shortage of priests right now and they get thrown around often every 2-3 years. Also, I wouldn't expect you to know this but Kevin actually chose to go to Belize himself after visiting a fellow priest there. The archdiocese told him he could go for 2 years but that he had to return after that. Once he got there, he realized he wouldn't be able to leave because they need much more help than any St. Louis parishes do. The archdiocese wasn't, and still aren't, happy because he is so loved and respected by the people here. Every year they try their hardest to get him to return. Don't say ignorant things, that's what keeps making you look dumb.

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2 replies · active 625 weeks ago

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John · 828 weeks ago

Allison - Most of us sane people agree with you. Mojoey's a loon, and I point to many of his comments as evidence. My family has known Fr. Hederman for a long time. He officiated my parents wedding, and has done a lot of good in this world. We stand by him. Don't waste your time on losers like Mojoey.

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9 replies · active 826 weeks ago

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John · 828 weeks ago

You know nothing about the priest, the victim or any of the circumstances. You read an article in a newspaper and based on that you've found Fr. Hederman guilty. All cases are different.

Btw...I didn't say he was guilty or innocent. I'm providing a refute to your hatefilled comments and defending Fr. Hederman against them. Why didn't this person file a criminal suit? Why is it only civil? Money.

Besides, you're not commenting on this case to decide guilt or innocence. Your motives are much more sinister: attempting destroying a faith and God's presence on this earth.

And name calling is nothing compared to the insults you've spewed on this ridiculous blog.

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2 replies · active 828 weeks ago

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JD115 · 828 weeks ago

My press release is included in the attached thread, make your own conclusions, pull the case filed. The purpose is to get people to TALK about this and let the truth come out:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf...

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7 replies · active 625 weeks ago

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Beth · 828 weeks ago

Here's the thing. People call you names because you are clearly worthy. You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about but yet Mojoey, you make ridiculous posts about a good man who has been falsely accused. My wish for you is that tomorrow you wake up and someone anonymously accuses you of something that will make them money and tarnish your name. Then I can comment on your misery and the misery of those around you in a trivial way, make jokes and criticize your overall integrity with a flippant attitude. You have no idea who this man is but are judging him without merit. JD115 you seem to be blogging all over the place, posting press releases, waiting 20 years to tell a story put together by yourself, a psychiatrist, and SNAP. Either you are mentally disturbed or just soulless, in either case, the only truth connected with you is that you are a liar.

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6 replies · active 826 weeks ago

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SB Wright 110p · 828 weeks ago

I am sure being falsely accused is terrible. How many cases of alleged clergy abuse have been found to false? Compare this to the tidal wave of convictions.

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1 reply · active 828 weeks ago

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SB Wright 110p · 828 weeks ago

It is funny though how the catholic church in Ireland has made it all about the money and protecting the abusers.

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Mims Carter · 828 weeks ago

Those of you defending Mr. Hederman have given typical responses to the accusations against him. You know him well, he is a relative, he was your priest, he performed your sister's marriage, he did so much in the community, everybody loves him, etc. This is typical. We tend to think of sexual predators as drooling monsters in greasy raincoats, flashing in the park or dragging children in to alleys. This is not the case. Most of them wear a disguise as pillars of the community, the most trustworthy people you could imagine, the type of person you would trust your child to in any circumstance. They depend on our well-documented ability to see what we want to see, to trust in the uniform and the aura of spiritual authority, our gullibility. How many times have we heard after the fact that people, close friend, relatives, active members in a religious community, were shocked to find out that the person they thought they knew so well was a sexual predator? I don't know if Kevin Hederman is guilty or not, that is for the courts to decide. I do know that the reasonable course of action in this case would be to pull him from his missionary work and re-assign him to some other duties until the issue is settled in court. Especially in light of the cascade of documented cases of catholic clergy abuse around the world, and the equally documented pattern of church authorities trying to cover up these cases. I agree with mojoey, the pattern of parish hopping is not typical. It is a red flag of a problem. Please, my catholic friends, step back and try to see this as a legitimate concern, and not just as a knee-jerk reaction by atheist god-haters.

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5 replies · active 625 weeks ago

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The-Truth-Hurts · 782 weeks ago

Majoey,

I was wondering if you would be interested in posting a write up I could do about my brother's own sexual abuse by Fr Kevin Hederman and the lawsuit that was filed. This is not the same as JD115. Our case was settled years ago. It would be way to long as a comment post.

I would like to address the reasoning of staying anonymous, filing a lawsuit and why it was settled out of court. I don't want to hijack your blog but thought it might be of interest.

Please let me know.

Thank you.

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2 replies · active 782 weeks ago

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The-Truth-Hurts · 782 weeks ago

Thanks for posting. If people are interested here is the link to my post on here:
http://mojoey.blogspot.com/2010/04/guest-post-vic...

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3 replies · active 625 weeks ago

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Cruz · 722 weeks ago

we love Fr. Kevin Hederman and continue to do so..................... from Belize with love

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1 reply · active 625 weeks ago