Archbishop Speaks after Recent Removal of Priest from Duties

WISN
April 23, 2013

http://www.wisn.com/news/south-east-wisconsin/waukesha/Archbishop-speaks-after-recent-removal-of-priest-from-duties/-/10150328/19855342/-/dpt09i/-/index.html#ixzz2RKltt8lv

[with video]

Milwaukee's archbishop delivered a mass of atonement Monday night at St. John Vianney, focusing on the victims of clergy sex abuse.

This was the first time Archbishop Jerome Listecki has spoken on removing the Rev. Bob Marsicek from his duties last month.

Listecki delivered his fourth Mass of atonement recognizing the church needs to bring reconciliation for priest sex abuse. He said the church's change in policy is working.

"There is no one operating in the archdiocese today with a substantiated allegation of child sex abuse. There just isn't," Listecki said.

Listecki's comments follow the removal of Marsicek from his ministry at Wauwatosa Catholic School and two parishes.

John Palmaier said he was abused in the late 1970s by a priest at the church where the archbishop spoke.

"The question is, why with all of the numerous reports they had, all the complaints from parents about his inappropriate contact with children, why would you keep him at a grade school?" Palmaier asked.

Peter Isely is with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. He's critical of the church for calling the issues with Marsicek touching children boundary issues.

"These are sexual boundary violations. That's a very kind and nice way of putting it. I don't think it's going to matter to you if you're a parent of a child in that school," Isely said.

"We've worked very hard to raise the consciousness of all are people, everybody who works with children, to recognize telltale signs and In the sense of this last one it worked," Listecki said.

In the Wauwatosa case involving accusations against Marsicek, the district attorney decided not to prosecute, but there's an ongoing investigation in California where he served prior to Wisconsin