KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Late Friday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation released the results from a four-year investigation into abuse in Kansas’ Catholic Churches.

It found cover ups, systemic problems within church leadership, and conducted 125 criminal investigations.

Ultimately, it passed along 30 affidavits to local prosecutors that could have resulted in cases against 14 members of the clergy.

KBI admits prosecutors likely won’t bring any cases because the statute of limitations has passed for many of the crimes.

The investigation started when departing Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt requested it in 2018 after Kansas City Archdiocese Archbishop Joseph Naumann asked to have each diocese investigated.

It found all four dioceses in Kansas not only had clergy members who abused children between 1950 and the 2000’s, but also helped cover up those crimes.

The report says the Church would conduct its own, biased investigations, intentionally minimize allegations through euphemisms, and not follow its own procedures when leaders were presented with evidence that a Priest was abusing children. Often times, those Priests were allowed to continue working in another parish.

“Rather than using a word such as rape, they would indicate an allegation such as inappropriate contact,” the report writes. “Rather than characterizing a priest as a criminal or rapist, they would soften the language and indicate the priest may have boundary issues.”

The report blames at least 15 suicides on clergy sexual abuse.

The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph has a webpage for the Office of Child and Youth Protection. It includes a list of clerics from the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph who have substantiated allegations of sexual abuse against them.

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