Will Archbishop Dolan Replace Cardinal Egan?

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Now that Pope Benedict XVI has ended a visit that drew enthusiastic crowds in New York, there is renewed speculation that Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan may be a strong candidate to replace the Archdiocese of New York's Cardinal Edward M. Egan.

Egan routinely submitted his resignation to the pope last year after reaching retirement age, 75. It is not unusual for popes to let cardinals serve longer, but Egan reportedly wants to leave whenever the pope is ready to accept his resignation.

John Allen, a widely respected American author and journalist who covers the Vatican for the National Catholic Reporter, said Thursday in a telephone interview from Rome that "the two names that I hear talked about the most, kind of around the water cooler, would be Tim Dolan of Milwaukee and (Archbishop) Wilton Gregory of Atlanta." But he also cautioned against putting stock in "the buzz meter," saying predictions of bishops' appointments often are wrong.

Both are the right age - Dolan, 58, and Gregory, 60. Neither is from New York or the East Coast - a minus - but both have played on the national stage. And both could remedy Egan's lack of a strong public profile in a bully pulpit whose holder is seen as the premier spokesman for the Catholic Church in the United States, Allen said.

..."I don't think it's automatic that it's going to be either Wilton or Tim," Allen added. "I will say this, and this is on the basis of some insider knowledge. I'm quite confident they're both going to get serious looks for the job. . . . There has not been a significant opening in the American church in the last two or three years for which Tim Dolan wasn't on the short list of candidates. So, whether it's New York or something else, the point is that a lot of people see him as an important future leader of this church."

I can understand why a lot of people see Archbishop Dolan as an "important future leader of this church."

It would be a great honor to replace Cardinal Egan. I think Dolan is an excellent candidate.

That said, I think it would be very hard on the people of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to lose Dolan.

The Archdiocese is facing tremendous challenges, mainly due to the effects of the clergy sex abuse scandal. The challenges go beyond the financial matters, with the Archdiocese teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and working through massive job cuts impacting ministries.

There's also the matter of Archbishop Rembert Weakland. I don't think the wounds from the scandal are healed, but I do think that the leadership of Dolan has been a tremendous help in restoring people's confidence in the Church.

After such a horrible betrayal, it's difficult to trust again. It's difficult to write out checks, knowing in the past nearly a half million dollars in hush money was paid out in Weakland's case.

Dolan has been a great comfort to many people whose faith in the Church was shaken by the abuses of Weakland. If Dolan were to leave now, it would be a setback for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and I think his departure could result in serious long term consequences for the future of the Church in southeastern Wisconsin.

Obsessed With Scandal in the Church

I get the feeling that much of the editorial "Toward Reconciliation" in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was written before Pope Benedict even set foot on U.S. soil.

The Editorial Board had to commend the Pope for repeatedly addressing the clergy sex abuse scandal and for meeting one-on-one with victims during his visit to the United States; but it still had to get in some shots.

Expected to address the matter only once, the pope returned to the issue repeatedly. He talked about the crisis as a cause of "deep shame." He told American bishops that the problem sometimes has been very "badly handled" and said it was their duty to heal the wounds caused by abuse. He asked Catholic parishioners at a Mass on Thursday "to do what you can to foster healing and reconciliation and to assist those who have been hurt."

And he apologized to victims, meeting with a handful on Thursday for 25 minutes. Two Boston-area victims of abuse shared details of the meeting in interviews late Thursday with The Associated Press. One man who had been abused as an altar boy said he placed his hand over Pope Benedict XVI's heart as he pleaded with the pope to fix the problem of sexual abuse of minors. The pontiff apologized for his poor grasp of English and for "everything," according to another victim.

The meeting was believed to have been the first time a pope had met with victims of clergy sexual abuse and was an extraordinary moment in a dark chapter. But it was also simply the right thing to do, something that should have been done.

What's needed now are more such moments. American bishops and parishioners have to take the pope's words to heart. Thousands of victims of the more than 4,000 priests accused of molesting minors in the U.S. since 1950 are still in pain. Their claims need to be effectively addressed. The Catholic Church and its officials need to be much more open about the accusations, the accused and the complicity of the church hierarchy in what happened.

Why doesn't the Board note that Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan has taken the Pope's words to heart, long before his trip to America and even prior to him becoming the Pope?

Why not mention that the Church has paid out more than $2 billion as a result of the scandal?

Why not note that the overwhelming majority of priests were NOT molesting minors, but devoting their lives to ministering to others?

The scandal was a terrible betrayal. Without a doubt, how these cases of abuse were handled by Church officials was inexcusable. But clearly, the claims of the victims are being addressed.

The Board preaches that "parishioners have to take the Pope's words to heart," as if we've ignored the scandal to date.

Note to Board: We've been dealing with the scandal -- FOR YEARS.

Is the Journal Sentinel Board really as clueless as its editorials make it out to be?

Brett Favre Welcomes Pope Benedict to America

From 620 WTMJ:

The Pope... [will] hear from Milwaukee's top two Catholic leaders and Wisconsin's most legendary Catholic athlete while he's in [Washington, D.C.]

"There's just a sense of excitement," said Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who will join a U.S. Catholic delegation in meeting with Pope Benedict XVI tomorrow in Washington, D.C.

"He's like the earthly sign of unity in the Church. It's like your recognizing an old friend, it's like your recognizing the father of your family, the Holy Father."

Auxiliary Bishop Richard Sklba will also join the Pontiff on Thursday as part of an interfaith discussion in Washington with Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and other religious leaders.

Along with one Brett Favre.

The legendary Packers quarterback is not showing up in Washington D.C. to meet with the pontiff, but Favre, who's Catholic has taped a message for the Pontiff's Thursday Mass at Nationals Park in D.C.

According to Packer News, "A number of American Catholics, including Favre, have taped 15-minute segments welcoming the pope to the United States. They'll be shown on a large video screen at the stadium."

That's quite an honor.

This is even more of an honor:

Ever get a good opportunity at a bad time? That's what happened to Brett and Deanna Favre in the days before Favre announced his retirement from the Packers.

The Packers' chaplain, the Rev. James Baraniak, called the Favres at their Mississippi home to invite to Pope Benedict XVI's Mass in Washington, D.C., next month, according to a report by Jeff Kurowski of The Compass, the newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. The papal advance team had invited the Favres and Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

Baraniak had a little trouble reaching the Favres. When he finally spoke to Deanna, she apologized, saying it was "an intense time," and that they weren't taking all their calls. Now we know why.

"When I shared with her the proposal, she said if it was entirely up to her, she would give me an answer immediately, but she had to talk to Brett. 'You know that husband of mine,' she said," Baraniak told Kurowski.

If only my husband had been the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers for sixteen seasons and won a Super Bowl I bet the papal advance team would have invited us to the Mass.

Oh, well.

I'm just one in a billion.

Pope Benedict and the Clergy Abuse Scandal

Here's stunning news: Pope Benedict isn't proud of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.

In a way, I'm glad the media jumped on this while the Pope was on the plane to America. Maybe they got it out of their system, though I'd be surprised if the scandal isn't somehow tucked into every report on the Pope's visit to America.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE -- Traveling on his first papal journey to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI confronted the clergy sex abuse scandal, saying Tuesday that he was "deeply ashamed" of the problem and vowing to keep pedophiles out of the priesthood.

Benedict had only begun his six-day journey when he addressed sex abuse, the most painful issue for the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S.

The American church has paid more than $2 billion in costs related to the scandal since 1950 — the majority of that in just the last six years.

"It is a great suffering for the church in the United States and for the church in general and for me personally that this could happen," Benedict said. "It is difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betray in this way their mission ... to these children."

"I am deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future," the pope said on the flight from Rome to Washington, speaking in English as he responded to questions submitted by reporters ahead of time.

Benedict pledged that pedophiles would not be priests in the Catholic Church.

"We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," Benedict said. "It is more important to have good priests than many priests. We will do everything possible to heal this wound."

The pope's promise failed to mollify advocates for abuse victims, however. They said the problem is not just molester priests, but bishops and other church authorities who have let errant clergymen continue to serve even after repeated allegations.

"It's easy and tempting to continually focus on the pedophile priests themselves," said Peter Isely, a board member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "It's harder but crucial to focus on the broader problem — complicity in the rest of the church hierarchy."

The sexual abuse of children is a heinous crime.

It was inexcusable of the Church of the shuffle around abusive priests rather than report them to authorities.

A criminal is a criminal.

The Holy Father is personally bearing the shame and vowing to cleanse the Church of pedophiles.

The Church has paid out more than $2 billion. Abuse victims still aren't satisfied. When will they get enough?

The Milwaukee Archdiocese is cutting 37 jobs to "wring out $1 million in cost savings and close a $3 million budget deficit."

"We worry about the many services and ministry areas that appear to be cut, while we place our faith in God's promise of new growth and new life that will result from the 'pruning.' And that takes faith," [Archbishop Timothy] Dolan said in the letter.

He also did not side-step the cause of the budget problems facing the archdiocese.

"We are frustrated that money is tight and we have to make these cuts," he said. "This is heightened because we know it is caused largely by the financial impact from the actions of those priests who sexually abused minors."

The archdiocese is under financial strain as it pays off a loan incurred to cover about $4.6 million of its $8.25 million portion of a nearly $17 million settlement of 10 sexual abuse lawsuits in California in 2006.

Services and ministries are being hampered because of the high price the Church is paying for the actions of a few criminals.

Yes, the abusive priests and nuns were inexcusably protected by the Church. I don't object to victims bringing lawsuits. The enormous cost of the settlements is fitting punishment. I am in no way excusing or diminishing the severity of the crimes of the abusers or the Church's botched handling of the matter.

But when will the abuse victims be satisfied that justice has been served?

I see no end in sight.

Perhaps Pope Benedict can crawl on broken glass to meet with the still angry victims. Would that make things better?

I doubt it.

Job Cuts for the Milwaukee Archdiocese

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is in desperate straits. It faces a huge budget deficit and some jobs must go.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced Friday a major restructuring to eliminate 37 central office jobs early next month, wring out $1 million in cost savings and close a $3 million budget deficit.

The plan was revealed this week by Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan in an e-mail sent to more than 4,300 people in the central office, parishes and schools, as well as church volunteers.

"We worry about the many services and ministry areas that appear to be cut, while we place our faith in God's promise of new growth and new life that will result from the 'pruning.' And that takes faith," Dolan said in the letter.

He also did not side-step the cause of the budget problems facing the archdiocese.

"We are frustrated that money is tight and we have to make these cuts," he said. "This is heightened because we know it is caused largely by the financial impact from the actions of those priests who sexually abused minors."

Why would Archbishop Dolan "side-step" the cause of the budget problems?

He has been upfront about the scandal. There's been no effort to deny it.

...Under the restructuring, 37 of 150 central office positions will be eliminated. Eight of the eliminated positions are already vacant. In addition, 15 new positions will eventually be created.

Prominent positions to be eliminated include: the Vicar for Hispanic Ministry, Director of African-American Ministry, Co-Director of Asian Ministry, Coordinator of Corrections Ministry and Coordinator of Health Ministry.

"These ministries don't end," said Jerry Topczewski, Dolan's chief of staff. "They are happening every day in all parts of the diocese. They're not reliant on a person in a centralized place to continue."

A new structure will provide needed services in new ways, Topczewski said.

Thirty-seven positions are being eliminated. That's a dramatic reduction.

It think it's interesting that the JS chose to highlight the five positions that they did -- "the Vicar for Hispanic Ministry, Director of African-American Ministry, Co-Director of Asian Ministry, Coordinator of Corrections Ministry and Coordinator of Health Ministry."

It seems to me like a not too subtle attempt to suggest that the Archdiocese considers Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Corrections, and Health ministries to be expendable.

Why would the JS just chose to highlight those? What were the 32 other positions eliminated? Not worth mentioning?

Jerry Topczewski is right. The restructuring doesn't mean that those ministries will end. Certain paid positions are being eliminated so they will be addressed in new ways.

It's horrible that sexual abuse lawsuits involving Milwaukee priests have resulted in millions of dollars in debt for the Archdiocese. So many people are being impacted by the disgraceful actions of a few.

That's the price of the scandal.

Archbishop Dolan and Sheriff David Clarke

On last weekend's episode of Living our Faith, Archbishop Timothy Dolan talked with Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke talks with Archbishop Dolan about how his upbringing and faith life influences his work as a law enforcement official.

Watch the segment.

Archbishop Dolan and Mayor Tom Barrett

This past weekend, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was Archbishop Timothy Dolan's guest on Living our Faith, a half-hour weekly TV program meant to inspire Catholics and encourage participation.

Barrett isn't the first politician to appear on the show. In December, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker was a guest. With the New Year approaching, the focus of discussion was on how the Church and the community can work together to improve people's lives and provide hope for positive changes in 2008.

In the February 9 episode, Archbishop Dolan welcomed Barrett to discuss "how the city and the church are tackling the issue of poverty in the city of Milwaukee."

To begin, Dolan said that he was impressed with Barrett's emphasis on taking a holistic approach to combating poverty, that it has to be a community endeavor.

Barrett said he needs the churches to be involved.

He said, "We've got limited resources and I can hire 8,000 cops; but if we don't have families that are involved in raising their children, if we don't have churches involved in putting hope into people's lives, we're in a world of hurt."

Regarding poverty, Barrett said a turning point came for him in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina.

He said the same day the hurricane hit was the same day the U.S. Census Bureau came out with its poverty statistics.

It showed that Milwaukee had gone from the city with the 11th highest percentage of people living in poverty to the cith with the 7th highest percentage of people living in poverty....

I thought I've got to go back and see what the poverty is in Milwaukee compared to New Orleans....

In both years that were measured New Orleans was 12th. So, pre-Katrina we had more people living in poverty in the city than New Orleans did. And I think the national images of New Orleans were about poverty.

That is pretty amazing. New Orleans became the symbol for poverty in America after Katrina. Conditions in Milwaukee, pre-Katrina, were significantly worse.

Barrett said, "We have to find more jobs in this community."

He said, "We have pockets in the city in particular where literally there is no hope for the kids."

Barrett said that's why he focused on the summer job program. He said that's why he needs help from employers.

Dolan then tried to steer Barrett on to the importance of faith.

Dolan said:

Mayor, as you know, the emphasis of this show is living our faith. Here we are in Lent, first week of Lent. This is one of the times the Church gives an invitation to people to greater service, greater acts of charity.

If somebody came up to you and said, 'Mayor, how could I get involved? Tell me a tangible way that I can help fight poverty and violence in the city.' You got any tips?

Barrett said he had two:

First, he recommended that people participate in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.

Second, he urged people to volunteer with the Laubach Literacy Center.

To counter the relentless bombardment of bad news, Dolan asked the mayor to share some of the good news, some positive things.

Barrett cited the summer job program as being a great success. He also cited the work he's doing to improve education.



(May I suggest that Barrett can help by supporting the School Choice program?)

Dolan ended the interview by bringing up "Ceasefire Sabbath." Barrett said it was scheduled for May and he commended the Archbishop for his support of the effort.

Dolan concluded, "We're happy to be a partner. Thanks for your leadership, Mayor."

Of course, this discussion was meant to urge viewers, Catholics and others, to volunteer and be part of the solution to the city's problems.

In addition however, I think it highlights what an important role the Catholic Church and all churches play in the community.

While some people choose to dwell on the sexual abuse scandal in the Milwaukee Archdiocese and criticize Archbishop Dolan, perhaps those individuals should step back and consider how much good the Church does.

The Church is not a scourge in the community. It's so utterly wrong to portray it that way.

______________

All the episodes of the Living our Faith series can be found online.

Mike Gousha Interviews Archbishop Dolan

On UPFRONT with Mike Gousha, Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan addressed the most recent revelations about the Church and the sexual abuse scandal in the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

Newly-released documents are raising questions about a possible cover-up by the Milwaukee Archdiocese years ago, and there is renewed debate over opening a window for more lawsuits against priests. A proposed state law would give past victims of sexual abuse, in cases where the statute of limitations has expired, a three-year window to file a lawsuit.

I don't see how anyone can claim that Archbishop Dolan is PART of the cover-up. That's entirely unfair and flat-out false.

He speaks so openly about the scandal. Dolan was so candid in the interview. He understands how difficult it is for the "brave victim survivors," "Catholic people," and the "faithful and loyal priests" -- their shame and suffering.

Dolan said, "It's just a tough time to be a Catholic."

He condemns how cases of sexual abuse by clergy were handled by the Church decades ago. He's not an apologist. He makes no attempt to deny the situation. In short, he's taking responsibility and wants to continue to make progress in remedying the situation.

Dolan readily admits, "This wasn't handled right."

He says, "Boy, when I look back, I just keep thinking, 'How could you do that, you know, when you knew what this man (Franklyn Becker) had done?' "

When Gousha asked about people using the word "cover-up" to describe the actions of the Church, Dolan said, "I hope that people aren't using the word 'cover-up' now... If the word 'cover-up' has been used in the past, I'm just hoping that it cannot and will not be used now. And that's about the only thing that I can do something about, Mike, is the 'now.' "

Exactly.

Dolan said that the Becker case was "particularly hideous in that it was repeat. He's not the only one. I wish he were."

Dolan certainly isn't mincing words or hiding.

He spoke out against the proposed legislation to remove the statute of limitations. He said the truth is already coming out and victims are coming forward.

He said that this legislation isn't going to "land anybody in jail."

Dolan said:

I kind of wish sometimes, Mike, we would talk about the criminal part of it, that they'd like to go after some of those offenders. I'd chip in on the handcuffs for that.

No, what this is talking about is not going after the offenders, not putting the guilty people in jail, but suing the Catholic Church today for things that were done by a tiny minority three decades ago. I don't see where that is going to accomplish the laudable goal of bringing this to light and truth.

It's ridiculous for anyone to suggest that Dolan is avoiding the truth about what happened. Moreover, he's not being dishonest about the impact that the scandal will have on the financial future of the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

I think Archbishop Dolan is handling this horrible situation incredibly well. He's an inspiration.
__________________

Watch the interview.

Milwaukee Archdiocese: The Price of Abuse

Hindsight is 20/20.

I'm sure Church leaders are regretting the way they chose to handle priests and nuns accused of abusing children.

But, really, how difficult was it to see that protecting the predators was wrong?

How could they not understand that it was wrong to cover up crimes?

How could they not know that they were risking lawsuits down the road?

How could they not know in their hearts that failing to deal with the victims in a responsible and compassionate manner was wrong?

Was that a Christ-like approach to take?

As sexually abusive priests were being moved from parish to parish, and children were continuing to be put at risk, how could they possibly think that was the right thing to do?

Church facing wave of trouble

With Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan at the helm, the Catholic Church here is navigating turbulent times with a growing storm of financial pressures, embarrassing documentation of old sexual-abuse coverups, and the opening of long-closed routes for childhood victims of clergy molestation to file lawsuits in Wisconsin.

Dolan cautioned parish leaders last week to prepare to be rocked by the release of Milwaukee church documents from a California lawsuit that show how an abusive priest with multiple accusations was quietly moved from parish to parish years ago.

The larger question is whether the archdiocese or any individual parishes could be capsized by a wave of red ink from new lawsuits.

Faced with pending trials and mounting claims by victims of priest abuse, five dioceses in the United States filed for bankruptcy in the past 3 1/2 years - an option cited by Dolan as a possibility here. The Archdiocese of Portland, Ore., was the first to seek Chapter 11 protection, followed by the dioceses of Tucson, Ariz., Spokane, Wash., Davenport, Iowa, and San Diego.

They haven't closed or sold parishes or schools, but their cases offer other lessons on what the future could hold for the church in southeastern Wisconsin.

...[Fred Naffziger, a corporate attorney and professor of business law at Indiana University South Bend who has followed the diocesan bankruptcies,] sees bankruptcy as having mixed results for dioceses. It's intrusive, forcing dioceses to open up their financial and business activities. And attorneys' fees and other costs can easily exceed $1 million in just a year in a contentious bankruptcy.

On the other hand, it "brings order out of chaos" by moving all civil suits and other legal actions into one court, he said. It provides a balanced distribution of the assets, and it lets dioceses avoid punitive damages for gross negligence when cases go to trial.

"Dozens of dioceses have threatened bankruptcy," said David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "It's an extraordinarily powerful negotiating ploy and threat. The five dioceses that have chosen bankruptcy, we are absolutely convinced, have done so to protect secrets, not assets."

The church hierarchy does not want to have to get on the witness stand and testify, he said. They learned that when Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law had to give sworn depositions and then resigned amid the furor over his handling of sexual abuse, Clohessy added

Jeff Anderson, a St. Paul attorney who represents clergy-abuse victims, said, "In every instance, except in Tucson, (the bankruptcy filing) was on the 11th hour of the first trial that was going to fully expose the secrets that have been kept so long by that diocese."

...Whatever happens in the coming months, the archdiocese - which says it already is financially strapped - has millions of dollars of potential exposure in new sexual-abuse lawsuits.

So far, seven people have lawsuits pending against the archdiocese in Milwaukee County as a result of a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling last year that allows churches to be sued for fraud if they moved abusive clergy from parish to parish without warning parishioners.

And a bill pending in the state Legislature could allow many more lawsuits by giving childhood victims of sexual abuse a limited time to file lawsuits for negligence no matter how long ago the abuse occurred, and by eliminating time limits in future cases.

Victims have long said that limits should be changed in these older cases because they often have not realized the damage done to them - or been psychologically able to come forward - until decades later.

Opponents have cited the difficulty in mounting a defense decades later. Dolan has opposed the bill, telling a legislative committee last month that the archdiocese had made many changes to protect children, reached mediated settlements with nearly 170 victims, sold property, cut back programs and is "at the limit of our ability to pay massive tort settlements."

State Sens. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) said they are hopeful that negotiations will let the Legislature pass the bill, but time may run out, since the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn in less than six weeks. Lassa and Taylor are among a group of co-sponsors.

I pray for the abuse victims, and hope the mediated settlements and any future lawsuits bring some healing to them.

This is so painful. It never should have become such an enormous mess.

The Church did not respond properly, and now we have to pay.

I trusted and now I feel betrayed.

I don't know what else to say.

Franklyn Becker and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee

The way the Catholic Church chose to deal with sexually abusive priests is incomprehensible to me.

As a Catholic myself, I react with shock, anger, and disgust.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Hundreds of pages of just-released documents that the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese compiled over four decades reveal a coverup of pedophilia that involved top church leaders and touched a prominent law-enforcement official.

The documents, which a California court released as part of a $16.65 million settlement of civil lawsuits in that state, paint more than just another graphic story of a priest who sexually abused children: They could be a harbinger of things to come for the church here as victims of abuse press their cases in the courts and the Legislature.

The archdiocese fought to keep sealed the documents, which focus on Franklyn Becker, an archdiocesan priest who has been accused of sexually abusing nine teenage boys in Wisconsin and one in California, the first case dating to just two years after his ordination.

The records indicate that as early as 1983, church officials sought the advice of E. Michael McCann, then Milwaukee County district attorney, about a priest's record of sex abuse, without identifying Becker by name. The documents say McCann, a Catholic, advised the church to take the priest out of ministry "for about five years, and if no complaints come forth in that time perhaps he can be given another chance."

McCann said Thursday that at the time, he was not told of any criminal activity involving Becker.

He said the conversation about Becker, referred to in a 1983 document, involved a phone call from an archdiocesan official who spoke of concerns about a priest who was "spending way too much time with a particular boy." McCann recalled being told that the boy's mother supported her son's relationship with the priest. The boy had made no allegations of inappropriate conduct, and there were no allegations of criminal misconduct, McCann said.

"Do you think, for God's sake, if they told me he committed a crime that I would say keep him away (from the boy) for five years? . . . If they told me he had committed a crime, I would have acted on it," McCann said.

But a log entry made by Father Joseph Janicki, vicar for the archdiocese at the time, indicates McCann told him the priest "has been given adequate warnings and enough chances and that he should not be assigned anywhere where he could come in contact with youngsters."

Michael Finnegan, an attorney working for the victims, said McCann's recollection that he had been told of only one boy, and that no one chose to make a complaint, seemed inconsistent with the document.

I don't know how accurately McCann can recall events that took place 25 years ago.

Who knows what McCann knew, when he knew it, what he said, when he said it?

Of more concern to me is that this Becker was a known pedophile, "accused of sexually abusing nine teenage boys in Wisconsin and one in California."

TMJ4 reports:

The Archdiocese now admits to having reports of Becker’s abuse from as far back as the 1970's, but very little was done to stop it.

He was sent to nine different parishes in southeastern Wisconsin over 20 years. Becker was finally restricted from ministry in 2002. Months later, he was arrested for sexual assault.

That's inexcusable. I don't know how anyone could permit it.

NINE different parishes?

NINE?

...Becker's misconduct and that of the late Siegfried Widera, another archdiocesan priest who served for a time in California, cost the archdiocese millions in out-of-court settlements in California, as well as legal fees and payments for psychological treatment for both the victims and the abusive priests.

The archdiocese has acknowledged that it knows of more than 40 priests who have been credibly accused of sexual misconduct, but it has refused to release clergy personnel files - such as those released in California.

Last year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court opened a door to lawsuits by victims of sex abuse by priests, saying the church could be sued for fraud for not telling the public about abusive priests before placing them in public ministry. At least seven people have already filed suit.

Further, a bill is pending in the Legislature that would allow lawsuits to be brought despite the age of the allegations - a step that would remove what has been a principal roadblock for victims.

The archdiocese said this week that it faced a $3 million deficit in the current fiscal year and that further cases could push it toward bankruptcy.

Jeff Anderson, a lawyer from St. Paul, Minn., who represents victims here, called the release of that news a "shameful public relations tactic, timed to the release of these documents."

It's not a shameful public relations tactic to put out news of the reality that the archdiocese faces a deficit in the millions and it's likely to grow, possibly to the point of bankruptcy.

It is what it is.

When the abuse victims are awarded money, it's got to come from someplace. The archdiocese's funds aren't unlimited.

As the Church in southeastern Wisconsin faces this crisis, we are so blessed to have Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

Read Archbishop Dolan's Letter to the Catholic Community.

He writes:

[O]ur faith tells us that our Church must acknowledge that poor decisions were made, regardless of how these decisions were reached. And, the Church’s decisions about Becker were badly misguided.

So what do we do next? Do we hide in the corner while the scab of this mess is once again picked open? No! The good work of Jesus Christ and His Church continues, despite this mess and despite any of us. The mistakes of the past do not change the needs of our people today, the needs of today’s community, or the needs of our world.

Nor, do these things diminish the good work that has been done over the past years as the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has ardently worked with victims/survivors and the wider community to bring healing and resolution. Nothing changes our commitment to continue to work together to ensure that we do everything in our power to protect our children and young people of today and tomorrow.

...May I ask that you please pray for people who are victims/survivors of sexual abuse, especially for those whose abuse came about by clergy and Church personnel?

May I also ask that you pray for our Church, especially our Church in southeastern Wisconsin, that the Holy Spirit continue to guide us and give us strength to get through this, and that His Church be cleansed, purified and renewed by the agony of this scandal, sin and suffering.

Archbishop Dolan is dealing with the crisis openly. He's not sugarcoating or withholding this very disturbing information. He's not making excuses for the wrongs.

The mistakes of the past weren't of his making yet it's left to him to guide the Church in southeastern Wisconsin through this. What an enormous, difficult task!

I think he's handling it with great compassion and grace.

There's still a long way to go but I have faith there will be healing.

Scott Walker and Archbishop Timothy Dolan

Last week, I stumbled upon Living Our Faith, a half-hour TV show hosted by Bob Dolan featuring his brother, Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

Living Our Faith is a broad identity-building, awareness effort that serves as a large umbrella for other diocesan initiatives. Planning began in 2005 and focused on three key areas:

1. Inspiring Catholics to recognize the power and effect of Jesus and His Church on their lives;
2. Encouraging more active participation in the life of the Church, especially the sacraments and Sunday Mass, as well as the parish community; and
3. Creating a sense of connectedness throughout the diocese and among our parishes.

Over the last five years, there has been a great deal of attention paid to a very negative aspect of the Catholic Church. Despite this, there are wonderful, meaningful things that happen each and every day within the Catholic community of southeastern Wisconsin. Living Our Faith allows Catholics to turn their focus to the positive and emphasize the joy of being Catholic.

I really enjoy the show. The format includes a guest, a feature segment, answers from the Archbishop to viewer e-mail, and the Archbishop's closing reflection.

There's a heavy dose of humor which makes the program entertaining as well as informative and inspirational.

For example, this week's episode started off with Bob Dolan and the Archbishop having a little conversation.

Bob commented that Midnight Mass at St. John's was beautiful.

The Archbishop replied, "I'm glad you were there. The snoring didn't come through the microphone I hope during the homily."

The topic for this week's segment was the New Year and resolutions.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker was the guest.

Watch here.

Sticking with the idea of resolutions, Walker talked about goals for Milwaukee County in 2008.

He touched on the drop out rate in schools, teen pregnancy, and some of the horrific violent crime the county has seen, but he said there is a "tale of two cities out there." Although he acknowledged that there's a need to face those challenges head on, there is a lot of opportunity and reason for hope in the new year.

Walker noted the good things going on in the county. He spoke of the surge in new construction and the airport's record traffic as a barometer for business.

He said you can't just talk about despair. The Archbishop agreed that we need to accentuate the positive.

Walker made a Biblical reference, citing Paul's letter to the Romans and how he talked about suffering. Walker said that through the moments of suffering, along with character and perseverance, there's hope.

As an example of a positive accomplishment, Walker mentioned that the county and the city worked together to break ground for a new housing project for people with mental illness, providing housing as well as support and compassion for those suffering.

Saying that great minds think alike, the Archbishop noted that Pope Benedict XVI's new Encyclical will be on Hope. Archbishop Dolan stressed the importance of hope in people's lives.

He concluded, "Good homily, Scott. Not bad. You want to run for Archbishop?"

In closing, Bob said to Walker, "I guess I shouldn't ask you about a resolution for 2010. Should I? No, no... one that you may have two years from now."

Walker replied, "As my father always says, 'One day at a time.' In this case, one year at a time."

Though some may charge that Walker's appearance was political, the emphasis was really on the Church and the community working together to improve people's lives and provide hope for positive changes in 2008.

During the e-mail segment, one question was about the saints and praying to one's patron saint.

Archbishop Dolan told a story from when he was in second grade. The nun asked him which saint he was named after. The Archbishop replied, "St. Timothy." The nun asked which St. Timothy. He didn't know.

So, the Archbishop went home and asked his mother.

She told him, "You're named after your grandpa, and he's no saint."

I think that's what's so engaging about the program. The Archbishop connects so well with people. He makes faith accessible because he's accessible. He's a wonderful role model for how to live one's beliefs.

I highly recommend the program, and not just for Catholics.

Archbishop Dolan isn't just a Catholic leader. He also plays a role as a community leader. Southeastern Wisconsin is blessed to have him.

Father Leonard Van Vlaenderen

I'm sure the parishioners of St. John Vianney never expected this season of Advent to be rocked by their pastor being arrested for possession of crack rocks.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Brookfield and former priest-secretary to now-retired Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, was charged Tuesday in Milwaukee County with misdemeanor possession of cocaine.

Father Leonard Van Vlaenderen, 49, was arrested by St. Francis police after they got a report about 6:20 p.m. Saturday of a suspicious car in the parking lot of a vacant commercial building in the 3500 block of E. Lunham Ave., said St. Francis Police Chief Brian Kaebisch.

The responding officer found Van Vlaenderen alone in an impaired condition and, concerned about his health, called for medical assistance. Tire tracks indicated that the car had been driven on the sidewalk for at least one block before stopping, Kaebisch said.

Searching Van Vlaenderen, the officer found two clear plastic bags in a front pants pocket. Each contained a yellowish-white rock that turned out to be crack cocaine weighing a combined total of 4.7 grams, according to Kaebisch and the criminal complaint.

Van Vlaenderen told the arresting officer that he was under the influence of cocaine and that the cocaine that was found on him was not for delivery, the criminal complaint says.

If convicted, Van Vlaenderen faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. He made his first court appearance Tuesday and entered a plea of not guilty. He is free on $250 bail.

He's been at St. John Vianney, one of the largest parishes in the 10-county archdiocese with more than 7,900 registered parishioners, since mid-2002, said Kathleen Hohl, archdiocesan spokeswoman. The archdiocese was taking steps to work with Van Vlaenderen on health-related issues and to arrange for the pastoral care of St. John Vianney Parish, she said.

The arrest and charges startled parishioners, though it was widely known that Van Vlaenderen had struggled with personal issues. He had returned to the parish in September after about a nine-month leave of absence for what parish leaders and other parish members understood to be mental health reasons, said Frank Pasternak, of Brookfield, a member of the parish council.

Obviously, Fr. Len has been struggling with personal issues.

It's terribly sad.

In a letter to parishioners issued Tuesday, Archbishop Timothy Dolan said that Van Vlaenderen will need to step down from his post.

"Last January, after receiving various reports of concern for Father Len's health from parishioners and others, I insisted that Father Len take a health leave from the parish. He himself admitted to a variety of health-related struggles and spent the next seven months under the care of health professionals. Last August, with assurances from his doctors that he was ready to return to full-time ministry, I allowed him to resume his pastorate. Now, with this news, it is clear that Father Len will need to step down as pastor and cooperate fully with the law," the letter says.

I can hear the Catholic-bashers chuckling right now.

Ooooh. Another scandal. A crackhead priest.

I don't think Catholic priests have cornered the market on depression and addiction. People from all walks of life are afflicted with those conditions.

Guess what?

Priests are human beings. It's true. They're human.

Human beings aren't perfect. Priests have challenges just like everyone else.


Father Len and the parishioners of St. John Vianney are in my prayers, for peace and healing as they prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:34-40)

Catholics and Wisconsin's Marriage Amendment

In typical Old Media style, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is campaigning and shilling for liberals.

True to form, the views of a handful of Left-leaning individuals are given far more weight than they deserve.

Why? The views promote the lib agenda.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

After Wisconsin's Catholic bishops weighed in with a letter to support a marriage amendment to the state's constitution, Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan said he was eager to "encourage, educate and exhort" parishioners without actually instructing them how to vote.

It turns out even some priests have publicly joined the debate. In recent weeks, a small number of priests have expressed reservations about the amendment, which would define marriage "as between one man and one woman" and deny "a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals."

"SMALL NUMBER OF PRIESTS."

I repeat, a "SMALL NUMBER OF PRIESTS" have reservations about the amendment.

There are always dissenters. Does this small group warrant front page status?

When large groups of conservatives hold rallies or protests that counter the liberal agenda, the JS manages to ignore them.

Bias? What bias?

One theologian even called for the amendment's rejection last month in a "guest opinion" for the Catholic Herald, where Dolan is not only a columnist but the publisher.

GASP! Dolan allowed a voice of dissension in his newspaper!

That's newsworthy?

The implication is that Dolan is Stalin.

Of course, the "guest opinion" wasn't silenced. That should come as no surpise.

The JS once again demonstrates how clueless it is in terms of the Catholic Church.

Father Bryan Massingale, an associate professor of moral theology at Marquette University, wrote a lengthy essay in which he struggled with the idea that "the amendment, read in its entirety, poses a dilemma for many faithful people."

"The amendment upholds certain beliefs about the uniqueness of marriage," he wrote in the Sept. 21 issue. "But it does so at a cost, namely, potentially damaging impacts upon the welfare of individuals and their children."

He also dealt with the issue of homosexuality.

"Too often, discussions of this issue treat 'those' people - specifically, gays and lesbians - as if they were an alien species," he wrote. "They are not. They are our sons and daughters; our sisters and brothers; our aunts, uncles, and cousins; our friends, neighbors, students and co-workers; our priests, ministers and parishioners. 'They' are us!"

In my personal experience, I have not encountered any fellow Catholics that treat gays and lesbians "as if they were an alien species."

They are our loved ones.

I object to Massingale's disparaging characterization of people in favor of the amendment as being bigoted and lacking compassion.

That is unfair because it's untrue.

Massingale concluded that "voting 'no' on the marriage amendment, in my judgment, is the best way to respect all of our Catholic beliefs and values."

A reprint of Massingale's opinion piece was distributed in bulletins at several local churches.

Since then, Massingale's words have continued to reverberate within the local Catholic community, his essay providing something of a boost to opponents of the amendment while also angering others who support the measure.

"I do not see myself as a person in opposition to the bishops," Massingale said Thursday in a telephone interview. "I think we are in agreement about the importance of marriage. But how do you uphold that value without compromising the human dignity of any of God's people? I think that is the discussion that is currently under way in the church right now."

In other words, The Journal Sentinel thinks Massingale is a saint.

...But Massingale says he will likely steer clear of forums on the marriage amendment. Most such events "focus more on stirring up passions than promoting enlightened insight," he said.

"Archbishop Dolan has said all along that he values respectful discussion in the church," he said. "My essay was not challenging the authority of the bishops in any way. It was looking at our Catholic tradition and trying to deal with a dilemma that many people with good conscience feel when faced with this amendment."

Milwaukee Archdiocese spokeswoman Kathleen Hohl said Massingale is free to speak out on the issues and to share his views at local parishes.

I think Massingale is misrepresenting the amendment.

He acts as if the amendment somehow dooms non-married citizens to discrimination, abuse, and suffering.

That's not true.

What the amendment does is PROTECT a cornerstone of an ordered society -- marriage.

The Wisconsin Bishops write:

Although Wisconsin law already defines marriage in a way consistent with our Catholic tradition, we believe that an amendment to our state constitution is the prudent thing to do in light of judicial and legislative actions in other states.

That's the case for the amendment in a nutshell.

Just this week, it became evident why an amendment is prudent for those believing that MARRIAGE needs to be protected.

Two words: NEW JERSEY

"Although we cannot find that a fundamental right to same-sex marriage exists in this state, the unequal dispensation of rights and benefits to committed same-sex partners can no longer be tolerated under our state constitution," the court said in its 4 to 3 ruling.

That's known as legislating from the bench. That's precisely why an amendment has become necessary.

Activist judges routinely overstep their bounds. They create law rather than fulfill their duty to interpret laws. These judges should be interpreting the Constitution, not rewriting it.

Catholics have seen it happen before. Over forty million human lives have been lost through abortion since the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling -- all that death courtesy of activist judges.

The Wisconsin Bishops are NOT calling for a lack of compassion for gays and lesbians. Nothing could be further from the truth.

They write:

Support for this amendment does not imply or justify animosity towards any individual or group. Church teaching regarding the dignity of homosexual persons is clear: "They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in this regard should be avoided." (Catechism of Catholic Church #2358) Even as we ask Catholics to support this amendment, we also urge them to repudiate words and deeds that demean individuals with a homosexual orientation. Our support of this amendment has as its only motive the strengthening and defense of marriage, and should not be interpreted as hostility to any group.

Clearly, there is no intent by the Catholic Bishops to demean anyone.

The Milwaukee Archdiocese Priests Alliance, a grass-roots organization of 140 members, issued a statement this month in which it concurred with Massingale's analysis, although the organization fell short of calling on voters to reject the amendment.

"We share his well-founded fear that the amendment may be construed to deny rights and services, including health care, not only to those in civil unions but many other citizens of Wisconsin as well, irrespective of their marital status," the statement read.

The health care argument is used so frequently and it is so weak.

It's not valid to suggest that an amendment calling for the defense of marriage between one man and one woman demands that some Wisconsin citizens will be denied health care.

Assuring health care for Wisconsinites absolutely does not require that the state recognize gay and lesbian couples as married.

And the gay marriage advocates that claim gay and lesbian couples are banned from hospital rooms when their partners have a medical emergency always seem to fail to mention that any individual can grant any other individual medical power of attorney.

Regarding medical decisions, inheritance, or other matters regulated by the state, an individual can take the necessary legal measures to assure that his or her partner will have control.

A marriage license is not required for that.

Bottom line:

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel exaggerates the dissension within the Catholic Church on the Marriage Amendment.

By cherry picking and distorting, it muddies the debate.

I think the libs there are trying to convince Catholics to reject the message of the Bishops as unchristian. Massingale's opinion, as expressed in his essay, is presented as more compassionate and just.

This is an orchestrated effort to sway Catholics to vote "no" on the amendment. That's particularly evident because Massingale wrote his dissenting opinion weeks ago.

So why did The Journal Sentinel wait until now to slap the story on the front page?

Do you think there might be politics involved? Hmmm?

Of course, it's a cheap political stunt. The timing is clearly strategic. Although the story's appearance in Friday's paper was obviously politically purposeful, I doubt it will change any minds.

Let's have an honest discussion of the issue. There is no need to be deceptive.
____________________________

It should be noted that if The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wanted to give its readers a thorough, enlightening article examining the debate within the Catholic Church on the Marriage Amendment, then a complete reprint of the letter from the Wisconsin Bishops should have accompanied the piece.

(The online version of the article does offer a link. In other words, to be informed, it's time to cancel your subscription. The hard copy of The Journal Sentinel is incomplete.)

Here is the letter.

In Priests We Mistrust

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today reports on a new policy of the Milwaukee Archdiocese to target "inappropriate" behavior of priests.

ALL priests would be subject to searches, not only those with histories of "problematic behavior."

(Excerpt)

Priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee can be required to consent to unannounced searches of their homes at any time of the day or night if church officials suspect or know they have been involved in sexual conduct, alcohol or drug abuse, or other behavior deemed inappropriate by Archbishop Timothy Dolan, according to a policy change announced to clergy last week.

The new policy, which was mailed to clergy members starting last week, appears to be the only one of its kind in the country. The policy covers more than 400 priests and 150 deacons.

As the archdiocese deems necessary, clerics will have to sign a form agreeing to the searches and other restrictions, according to the policy documents.

"Failure to comply with the restrictions could cause a reduction in salary and/or benefits provided to the member by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee," the documents state.

"We have not heard about these unannounced visits in other dioceses," said William Ryan, a spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who was given copies of the new policy by a reporter this week. Dolan is chairman of that group's Committee on Priestly Life and Ministry.

"No one else has anything like this as far as I can tell," said Father Robert Silva, president of the National Federation of Priests' Councils. Those groups advise their respective archbishops on issues of concern...

Several priests in the archdiocese described themselves in interviews this week as upset and livid and said they were struggling to make sense of the documents.

Under the new policy, clergy members may be:

--Subject to unscheduled home visits that may be conducted "at any time of the day or night, seven days per week." The checks can include areas in plain view as well as rooms, closets, desks or bureau drawers.

--Required to get approval for out-of-town or vacation travel, and to travel with another person approved by the program managers.

--Forbidden to own or possess a computer unless otherwise authorized and may also be prohibited from using any computer outside of his residence. Participants in the program must allow the program coordinator to check computers for "forbidden activities, e.g., unauthorized chat rooms, forbidden Web sites, etc."

--Forbidden "to own or possess any indecent or pornographic material, e.g. magazines, periodicals, movies, books, etc."

--Required to maintain a daily mileage log indicating start and finish mileage as well as destination. The log and odometer of the car will be inspected regularly.
________________________________

This new policy means EVERY priest would be subjected to intense monitoring.

One could consider this a dramatic proactive step to address the Clergy Sex Abuse Scandal.

Personally, I think it's an unwarranted intrusion. It's a guilty until proven innocent approach.

Although the new policy would go a long way toward weeding out problem priests, it strips good priests, the vast majority of the clergy, of their privacy. It is grounded on the assumption that no priest can be trusted.

The Church has been condemned for not responding strongly enough to the Sex Abuse Scandal. In the Milwaukee Archdiocese, it most likely will be condemned for going too far.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't.