We’re reaching out to you in an effort to shine some light on yet another Catholic Church lawsuit regarding alleged sexual predator abuses. This sexual abuse occurred in Knoxville, TN, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.  The first bishop of Knoxville, Anthony J. O’Connell, is named in the lawsuit as well as others. Michael Boyd has stepped forward and is the first person to name O’Connell as a sexual predator during O’Connell’s 10 years in East Tennessee.  Growing the profile of this story will help the others who were sexually abused and help Michael tell his story so this does not happen to anyone else.  

This is the first lawsuit in the Knoxville area.  We’re looking to raise the profile of the story, get local media to pay more attention, and help additional survivors have the courage to come forward. Michael Boyd suffered from sexual, psychological and physical abuse starting at the age of 10 from negligence in the duties of the Catholic Church authority figures in the Knoxville Diocese. Numerous figures were involved, including Bishop Anthony O’Connell, who later transferred to Palm Beach Diocese and resigned in disgrace after admitting that he abused boys at a high school seminary in Missouri before coming to Knoxville.

How many people were abused by The Church who haven't come forward?

The Catholic Church has had a long history of covering up sexual abuse by clergy members. The Knoxville Diocese is now accused of conspiracy to cover up abuses that occurred right here in Knoxville.  Indeed, Bishop Anthony O'Connell left Knoxville for the land of underage sex trafficking inhabited by Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach, Florida. Did their paths of child predatory sexual abuse cross? We don't know, but their timelines do.

Survivors of clergy abuse often find it hard to come forward. Michael Boyd has stepped forward publicly and wants his story told.  Help Michael spread the word far and wide. Please consider signing up for a small recurring monthly donation to help fund this social media campaign and empower survivors to come forward to hold clergy accountable for their behaviors and actions.

Please help us spread the word and support our movement for victims that went through through the same situation but haven't came forward with their story yet!