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	'My Position Was to Listen' Wester Says of His Role in Addressing Catholic Sex Abuse Scandal By Peggy Fletcher Stack Salt Lake Tribune March 9, 2007 http://www.sltrib.com/faith/ci_5401083 San Francisco — Sexual abuse survivors were ready for a fight when they arrived unannounced at the offices of the Catholic Archdiocese here on May 31, 2002. They intended to hold a news conference asking then-Archbishop William Levada to support an extension of statute of limitations for sex abuse crimes, mandatory clergy reporting laws in all 50 states and release of information regarding clergy abuse to district attorneys. To their surprise, Auxiliary Bishop John Charles Wester, the church's point person on abuse, invited the protestors to come in and tell their stories, so they did. For more than 90 minutes, Wester listened as they railed against the church, expressing feelings of anger and betrayal. In the end, Wester and some of the victims formed a group called "No More Secrets" that continues to meet monthly. That meeting was "a major breakthrough" for victims of abuse, Terrie Light, West Coast director for SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) told the San Francisco Chronicle at the time. "The door just opened. It is absolutely amazing." It began the San Francisco church's four-year effort to address the problem of sexual abuse within its ranks. Eventually, there were 175 lawsuits and $72.8 million in payments to victims. Two cases went to trial, and the church lost both times. Wester's welcome on that May morning may have seemed unusual to those who've confronted the church over its sex abuse scandal. Catholic bishops often have been seen as aloof, even arrogant, but those who know Wester say his reaction was completely natural. He has spent the past few years reaching out to victims, priests and everyone in-between. Many victims couldn't stand to be in the same room with a bishop, but forced themselves to do so they could express their feelings, he says. "What could I say? My position was just to listen. Sexual abuse is shredding a soul, devastating to a person." Wester attended both trials, for example, so that the victims would see him and not the church's empty chair. "He's a very compassionate man and the victims came to respect him," says Barbara Elordi, victim advocate for the archdiocese. "I don't know of any other bishop who would do that." At the same time, Wester had to deal with abusing priests, some of whom he had known his whole life. He would tell them the allegation, then ask them to leave the rectory where they were living, and urge them to get their own lawyer, separate from the church's. "I would try to approach it as gently as possible," he says. "It's a tough moment for the priest. He feels particularly alone and maybe even abandoned by the church." Though the allegations involved only a small number of priests, everyone felt tarnished by the scandal. Wester worked hard to maintain priest morale through it all, but "it was a weighty responsibility," says Annabelle Groh, Wester's administrative assistant. "Rather than distancing himself, he became close to the priests and to the victims. It was very healthy for everybody." E-mail: pstack@sltrib.com
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