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	Bishop Daniel Jenky's First Five Years Peoria Journal Star [Peoria IL] April 29, 2007 http://www.pjstar.com/stories/042907/TRI_BD1OH1SV.040.php Feb. 12, 2002: Bishop Daniel Jenky, auxiliary bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., arrives in Peoria to a rousing welcome to the announcement that he will be the next leader of the Diocese of Peoria. The University of Notre Dame graduate and former rector of the school's basilica was welcomed with that school's fight song on Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday. April 10, 2002: Jenky is installed as the eighth bishop of Peoria in front of 1,000 people at St. Mary's Cathedral. He begins his work as the U.S. church is becoming embroiled in a scandal involving its handling of clergy sex abuse. April 19, 2002: Jenky announces changes in policies to handle clergy sex-abuse allegations and establishes a commission to review such allegations and make recommendations to the bishop. May 30, 2002: The bishop asks seven priests to step down from public ministry after "credible allegations" of sexual misconduct are brought against them. Another priest is accused a week later. Sept. 4, 2002: Edward Bush, one of the priests to be accused of sexual misconduct earlier in the year, sues the diocese, Jenky and Monsignor Steven Rohlfs, then vicar general, for defamation of character. "Either Edward Bush is not telling the truth or I am not telling the truth," Jenky said a week later. Sept. 10, 2002: Jenky announces that the diocese has asked for permission to oversee the sainthood cause of central Illinois native Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Sept. 11, 2002: The bishop is one of the featured speakers at a community service marking the first anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Nov. 6, 2002: A new program aimed at educating diocesan workers and parents on sex abuse as well as preventing further instances of it is announced by Jenky. January 2003: Jenky releases his first "festival letter," which would become an annual practice. Aug. 25, 2003: In a sermon at an Erin Feis Mass, Jenky says that American culture is "basically at war with Jesus Christ" and calls on Catholics to "rise up and stand with our God." His words lead to the first Catholic men's march the following spring. Oct. 5, 2003: The diocese's first Rosary Congress is held, resulting in an overflow crowd at the cathedral. October 2003: Jenky is elected a fellow at the University of Notre Dame. Nov. 30, 2003: Jenky issues his first pastoral letter, "One Body, One Spirit in Christ," in order to explain changes in the conduct of the Mass. Dec. 3, 2003: Rooted in Faith, a $27.4 million capital campaign for the diocese, is announced. The campaign ultimately brings in pledges and contributions of $37 million to benefit parish capital needs and, mostly, education needs in the diocese such as scholarships. February 2004: An article in a Notre Dame student-run newspaper appears to accuse Jenky of covering up sexual misconduct at the school. The bishop denies the charge. A few days later, the man who wrote the piece apologizes to Jenky and tells the Journal Star that he hadn't intended to accuse Jenky. March-April 2004: Students, parents and alumni of Peoria Notre Dame High School create an uproar over the firing of Cindy Clark, a popular coach and dean at the school. After a demonstration in front of the bishop's residence, Jenky threatens anyone who shows disrespect to the faith with "appropriate ecclesiastical censure." Baseball coach Jerry Rashid is later fired from the school over accusations he broke school policy by allowing an alleged child abuser to help out at a baseball practice. April 29, 2004: Popular Monsignor Thomas Miller, then pastor of St. Vincent de Paul parish in Peoria, is removed from ministry for allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. He fights the case at the Vatican level, but Rome dismisses him from the priesthood in November 2006. Miller reportedly is appealing the decision. May 1, 2004: Nine hundred men join Jenky for the first "Call to Catholic Men of Faith" march and Mass. May 2004: Vice Chancellor Patricia Gibson is promoted to chancellor. July 2004: Jenky offers a Mass for workers who lost their jobs when Galesburg's Maytag plant shut down. April 2005: The diocese is in mourning for nine days between the time Pope John Paul II dies and is buried. Thousands attend special services at the cathedral during that time and also celebrate the election of Pope Benedict XVI. May 5, 2005: Jenky reads names of Holocaust victims as part of the Jewish community's remembrance day. May 2005: The bishop takes part in Opera Illinois' production of "Tosca." Dec. 3-4, 2005: In a statement distributed to parishes in the diocese, Jenky says that "the only way for true healing to occur is for all (sex-abuse) victims to participate in professional counseling" rather than monetary settlements. Representatives of Voice of the Faithful, a grass-roots activist group headed by lay Catholics, object to the policy. In a statement released in March 2006, diocesan officials say the diocese "has not ruled out offering economic assistance." Dec. 21, 2005: Representatives of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, try but fail to hand-deliver a letter to Jenky asking him to do more for the healing of clergy sex-abuse victims. Jenky doesn't respond to the letter. January 2006: The bishop reminds Catholics in his annual festival letter that it "is a serious sin, a deadly sin, a mortal sin, to miss Mass on Sunday." February 2006: Jenky announces various diocesan-owned buildings will be torn down to make way for a new pastoral center in the 400 block of Madison Avenue. Feb. 24, 2006: The Rev. William Virtue is removed from public ministry after allegations of sexual misconduct involving a minor. May 24, 2006: The Rev. Gordon Pillon is removed from public ministry after allegations of sexual misconduct involving a minor. August 2006: The Rev. Jeffrey Windy, released in June from prison after serving time for illegal drug charges, is placed at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Washington while he performs maintenance work on diocesan properties. Sept. 11, 2006: Jenky hosts a performance of Mozart's Requiem at the cathedral to mark the fifth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. Prayers are offered by members of various faiths. Oct. 4, 2006: A local SNAP group is formed and representatives of the group try, again unsuccessfully, to deliver a letter to Jenky asking him to have parishes announce the meetings. Nov. 9, 2006: SNAP representatives try to get a letter to Jenky again and apparently succeed when a chancery worker opens the door to accept a meat delivery. A letter sent by SNAP to diocesan parishes asks them to announce meetings of the support group, but Jenky sends a letter to pastors telling them not to do it. Nov. 15, 2006: Local SNAP representatives urge Catholics to stop giving money to their parishes. January 2007: Jenky declares 2006 as a year of remembrance to mark the 130th anniversary of arrival in Peoria of Bishop John Lancaster Spalding. An icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is enthroned at the cathedral and copies of the image handed out across the diocese as Jenky travels to celebrate four regional Masses for Catholic Schools Week. February 2007: Jenky's cathedral sermons, already available on the diocesan Web site in written form, are made available as podcasts. Sources: Journal Star archives, Catholic Post
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