The day after the mediation I felt good, I had made my point, they told me they believed me and, the Archbishop was sending me and my parents a personal apology! I believed I had made a difference. Kids were a bit safer.

A few days later SNAP had a holiday party. Kim and I went and had a great time. As I talked to some of the guests one asked me about my settlement, and I told her of my pending apology letter.

“Don’t hold your breath!” She said.

“What? What are you talking about?

“They promised me one too, that was almost a year ago.”

“Why haven’t you got it?”

“I don’t know. You know how they are. I doubt I ever get it.”

“I WILL! That’s the centerpiece of my settlement.”

“Well, I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”

The next day I called Ken (my lawyer) and explained in great detail how important this apology was to me and to make sure everything was in place and to make sure I was going to get it. He assured me that the Archdiocese would send me my apology. A few days went by, no letter.

About two weeks had passed now. Anne called from Ken’s office. My check had come in. “Ok, where is my apology?” I thought. We went up and signed the check, in a few more days I got my part of the settlement and I put it in the bank. The check cleared... Still no apology. I called Mom and Dad everyday, “Did you get anything?” Everyday the same answer, “No.” How long does it take to jot a quick note that says:

Dear Tim,

I’m sorry about what happened to you at the hands of Fr. Christian. We should have done a better job.

Yours truly,

Archbishop Burke

It didn’t seem like it was that hard to me. Ken kept telling me it was coming. He would talk to Bernie Huger (one of the Archdiocese lawyers) Mr. Huger would tell him the Archbishop was very busy. We were now approaching two months. Bull! I had had it. On February 3rd 2005 I went public. Kim, the kids, Carol, several members from SNAP, and myself met in front of the Chancery, along with most of the St. Louis news media. Carol and I talked on camera and on radio.  Then I went inside and hand-delivered 3 self-addressed stamped envelopes to the Archbishop’s receptionist (the Archbishop and his spokesman former investigative reporter Jamie Allman were too busy to have a personal meeting with me and the press right then). As we left, my 10 year old son said the most wonderful thing to me. He looked up at me as we walked out the door and said.  “Dad I think that guy (the archbishop) is here. I think he is just afraid to talk to you.” My son was not intimidated by any of this. He has learned that respect is earned by your actions and not your title. Later Mr. Allman came out and stuck his foot in his mouth to the press.

Burke spokesman Jamie Allman says the archdiocese just needs a mailing address.

"The archbishop has had this letter ready to go for two months now, but Mr. Fischer's attorneys and the attorneys for SNAP simply haven't bothered to give us Mr. Fischer's address," Allman said.

How hard is it to get my address? They were able to get me a check in a timely manor. By the way, in a side note SNAP does not have lawyers and they were in no way (other than support) involved with my mediation.

The day before Tim’s story was to run I got my apology (form letter), it was dated February 18, 2005. Click here to read Tim’s follow up story