New Milwaukee archbishop appears to have USA’s “worst record” in dealing with child sex abuse reports
From an email from SNAP’s Peter Isely.
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NOTE: Change in location and time. SNAP will now make remarks outside of St. Francis Seminary (at street sign) immediately following 10:00 am press conference bythe archdiocese.
New Milwaukee Archbishop appears to have nation’s “worse record” on dealing with child sex abuse reports
Bishop Listecki’s diocese of La Crosse left higher percentage of priests accused of child abuse in ministry than anywhere in country
64 percent of accused priests left in ministry in La Crosse as opposed to under 10 percent nationwide
Listecki also wrote Eau Claire police chief in April he won’t change reporting policy to notify law enforcement
WHEN
Saturday, November 14, immediately after the 10:00 archdiocese press conference
WHERE
At the sign at the entrance of Saint Francis Seminary , 3257 S. Lake Drive, St. Francis
WHAT
Victims of clergy sex abuse will respond to the appointment this morning of Bishop Jerome Listecki of La Crosse to run the Milwaukee archdiocese. The new appointment raises several “grave” concerns according to victims.
Of the 28 priests that the La Crosse diocese says, as of 2004, were alleged to have assaulted children, 18 were left in ministry. That number represents the highest “clearance rate” for priests accused of abuse in the United States.
According to the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, “ A 2004 study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice found the church had cleared 64 percent of priests in the La Crosse diocese accused of sexual abuse. Nationwide, the clearance rate was about 10 percent, according to a report commissioned by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.” (http://www.andersonadvocates.com/NewsListing.aspx?ID=191)
Equally alarming, the official policy of the diocese of La Crosse is to have child sex abuse by priests reported directly to the bishop not to civil authorities as urged to do so by law enforcement.
In April of 2009, Eau Clair police chief Jerry Matysik (see below) wrote Listecki to change the diocese abuse notification policy. Listecki refused to do so. According to Matysik in a letter to the Eau Claire Leader Telegram. “Until the diocese adopts a policy of public transparency, the loss of trust in the church will be hard to rebuild. Crimes involving the abuse of children are of the highest priority, and these matters must be handled promptly, professionally and in the light of day by public agencies designed to do so.”
–For abuse figures from the La Crosse diocese: http://www.bishop-accountability.org/usccb/natureandscope/dioceses/lacrossewi.htm
–SNAP January 2009 release on La Crosse “clearance rate” of abusive priests: http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_statements/2008_statements/062708_la_crosse_burke_tribunal_rome.htm
CONTACT
Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director, 414.429.7259
Mike Sneesby, SNAP Milwaukee Co-Director, 414. 915.4374
4/2/09 LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM EAU CLAIR POLICE CHIEF TO EAU CLAIRE LEADER-TELEGRAM CONCERNING BISHOP LISTECKI
Updated: 4/2/2009
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The Catholic Diocese of La Crosse regularly publishes the following notice in the The Catholic Times newspaper: “Anyone wishing to make a report of an allegation of sexual abuse should send that report to Bishop Jerome E. Listecki.” I believe the wording of this public notice is misguided. A similar notice published by the Diocese of Superior states, “Any current incidents of sexual abuse of a minor by anyone must be reported to civil authorities.” This notice sends the correct message. Members of the Diocese of La Crosse need to know that sexual abuse is a crime and should always be reported to police before notifying the organization where the crime occurred. Church leaders will be notified at the appropriate time by investigating authorities. I am not questioning Bishop Listecki’s motives, and I believe he is well-intentioned. However, proper procedures shouldn’t rely on our trust in this or any future bishop. I exchanged letters with the bishop about my concerns. He disagrees with my suggestion to change the notice. This simple change would demonstrate that the diocese supports an impartial investigation and ensure that the church could not cover up the matter even if tempted to do so. One reason the Catholic Church has a sex abuse crisis is because it handled these matters internally without notifying civil authorities. Sadly, many church leaders were more interested in the reputation of the church than the welfare of victims. Until the diocese adopts a policy of public transparency, the loss of trust in the church will be hard to rebuild. Crimes involving the abuse of children are of the highest priority, and these matters must be handled promptly, professionally and in the light of day by public agencies designed to do so. JERRY MATYSIK Chief, Eau Claire Police Department Eau Claire |
8 Responses to “New Milwaukee archbishop appears to have USA’s “worst record” in dealing with child sex abuse reports”
November 15, 2009 at 4:48 am
The bishops are soon to find that their office is not above the law in any country. When they conceal the truth, it harms everything that the Church stands for…it crucifies trust and credibility.
November 15, 2009 at 10:18 am
How is it that Christ whom was innocent stood a hearing?,
and was convicted based upon allegations?.
Yet, when one of the flock members suffers, the leaders of this flock say to “rejoice” in your suffering, unite your suffering to Christ, and yet when all of these leaders use their cunning tactics to fight against what is right, and cry anti-catholicism, no-one tells them to unite their suffering to Christ, they would rather tell the sheep to do it than heed their own words,
Seems to me they use 2 different decks of cards in this tree of life,
one stacked in their favor called fervor & the other used for the least of Christ’s brethren!.
November 15, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Are you saying that there is something lop-sided about the way hierarchy is treating the laity? Are you saying that they have become akin to the same temple custodians that Christ spoke against and drove from the temple? You’re not saying that their narrowism and closemindedness was the cause for doing great harm to others throught the history of Christianity are you? Are you thinking that there was great truth in some of the writings that they rejected and destroyed? You’re not saying that the same organization who rejected the Gospel of Thomas, also abuses and then reject’s it’s sheep are you? I believe that what you’re saying is that this Church needs to come out of the darkness and change before it self-destructs!
November 15, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I am sayin that we need to steadfastly fight for justice in this Church and and change for the Glory of God and all that is right with Him….and to support organizations such as SNAP and others who continue to fight for justice and support our own who were wounded by clerical corruption.
November 16, 2009 at 2:43 am
Yes, I am “Saying it!”.
and yes, I totally agree with SNAP, “and to support organizations such as SNAP and others who continue to fight for justice and support our own who were wounded by clerical corruption”.
May the Glory of God truly reign!
November 16, 2009 at 5:19 am
And I concur as well!
November 17, 2009 at 2:52 am
I think you should question the Bishop, and never assume anything when it comes with dealing with this institution.
It is an institution first & foremost!. Everything that this church proclaims 2b comes in last!
February 7, 2010 at 4:46 am
Yes, Bishop Listecki seems to be the hands-down winner for the most obnoxious, arrogant and hubris-filled US Church Leader of 2010. As a former law enforcement official, I know that Police Chief Matysik has a right to be outraged since any prior interference by any individual or organization in a criminal matter can only hamper or adversely impact such an investigation when taken over by the police.
But, with a little research, I think I have found at least one of the reasons for Bishop Listecki’s ignorant and child-endangering behavior and conduct…………..he is a civil attorney. Civil attorney in charge of a diocese…….sounds familiar to me,……..in Philadelphia, our retired Cardinal Bevilacqua is a civil attorney and his true colors are readily apparent in the proceedings of Philadelphia Grand Jury Investigation and Report of 2005 on Clergy Sexual Abuse.
And, yes, by the way, he also has another strike against him. Like this writer, he is of Polish descent.