Notice of substantiated abuse allegations

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — With deep sorrow for the suffering of victims and survivors of abuse, the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, announce that Father Roderic Giller, OSB, who retired from parish ministry in July 2013, has been the subject of substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of minors during the time he was serving at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Seneca.

While the archdiocese and abbey first received these allegations in July 2004, they were treated at that time as boundary violations would be today. Further investigation was undertaken recently due to updated safe environment protocols and additional information. A better understanding of the events has resulted in the allegations being substantiated. The Catholic Church has a zero-tolerance policy for the sexual abuse of minors, which is applied in the broadest sense of the term. In making this announcement, the archdiocese and abbey reaffirm their commitment to all who have been harmed by an agent of the church, to atone for the harm and to accompany survivors using restorative processes as they work toward healing and peace.

Father Roderic served in the following parishes/schools during his parish ministry in the archdiocese:

• St. John, Atchison
• St. Benedict, Atchison
• St. Joseph, Atchison
• St. Patrick, Atchison County
• St. Ann, Hiawatha
• Sacred Heart, Sabetha
• St. Augustine, Fidelity
• Sts. Peter and St. Paul, Seneca
• St. Joseph, Wathena
• St. Charles, Troy
• St. Benedict, Bendena
• St. Benedict’s Abbey,  Atchison

The archdiocesan Substantiated Clergy Offenders listing on the website has been updated and can be found here: Substantiated Clergy Offenders — Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and St. Benedict’s Abbey take all allegations of misconduct by church personnel very seriously and work to respond to survivors’ needs with urgency, respect and compassion. We encourage anyone with knowledge about any misconduct by a church volunteer, employee, religious or clergy member — regardless of when the abuse may have occurred — to contact civil authorities first, and then call or text the archdiocese’s confidential report line at (913) 276-8703 or online at: www.archkck.org/reportabuse.