June 10, 2005

Green Bay diocese defrocks priest accused of sexual assault of child

GREEN BAY (WI)
Press-Gazette

By Andy Nelesen
anelesen@greenbaypressgazette.com

The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay announced Thursday that accused child molester Donald Buzanowski has been defrocked as a Catholic priest.

Buzanowski, 62, faces two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child under age 13 and remains in the Brown County Jail awaiting trial.

The former priest is accused of fondling a 10-year-old boy in 1988 while serving as a counselor at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic School in Green Bay.

If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.

In an e-mail sent to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Diocese spokeswoman Renee Bauer said Buzanowski’s dismissal from the priesthood was officially granted in March by Pope John Paul II and was received by the diocese in mid-May.

Posted by kshaw at June 10, 2005 08:01 AM