JANESVILLE (WI)
Janesville Gazette
(Published Friday, August 5, 2005 07:41:07 AM CDT)
By Mike DuPre'
Gazette Staff
Because the Rev. Gerald Vosen soon will be tried by the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Madison, the diocese's leader, Bishop Robert Morlino, said he was not allowed to comment on a verdict reached Thursday afternoon in Rock County.
A Rock County jury unanimously decided in a civil trial that accusations of sexual abuse against Vosen were true.
Morlino issued a press release soon afterward to say he was barred from comment.
Addressing the case's background, the bishop said:
"With the advice of the diocesan review board, I placed Father Vosen on administrative leave and reported the matter to the Holy See (Vatican) in accord with church law. The Holy See has instructed that a canonical (church) trial take place to determine Father Vosen's guilt or innocence. Thus any personal judgment in the matter is of no consequence because the matter will be resolved by a canonical tribunal of which I am not a member.