Batavia Priest Charged with Public Indecency

By Susan Sarkauskas
Daily Herald
May 23, 2014

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140523/news/140529021/

Aaron Brodeski

The pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Batavia has been charged with misdemeanor public indecency, accused of exposing himself to a worker and customers at a Rockford gas station.

The Winnebago County State's attorney filed the charges Friday against Monsignor Aaron Brodeski, 44.

The Rockford Diocese put Brodeski on leave April 25, after Winnebago County authorities sent word they were investigating Brodeski.

He was then sent for evaluation and possible treatment "for any difficulties affecting his conduct and ministry," according to a news release the diocese sent Friday.

He turned himself in to the Winnebago County sheriff and appeared before a judge Friday. Bail was set at $2,000, and he is free after posting $200 bond.

According to a news release from the sheriff, on the evening of March 27, deputies were called to a Road Ranger Gas Station in Rockford. A clerk said a man had exposed himself inside the station's store, and while parked in a vehicle in the lot. Employees and customers were present. The left before police arrived, but police were given his license plate number.

Brodeski is next due in court June 16.

"We ask for all people of the diocese to pray for Monsignor Brodeski and the legal process that will resolve this case," the diocese release stated.

Brodeski has served in the diocese since 1998. He was in Batavia for about a year.

Monsignor Thomas Bales is serving as Holy Cross parish administrator in the interim.

Brodeski grew up in Rockford. According to a biography on the Holy Cross website, he was ordained in 1998, then served two years at St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Crystal Lake. He worked in the diocese's vocation office, during which time he also served as a pastor or administrator at parishes in Amboy, Maytown, Walton and Harmon in northern Illinois.

Brodeski then became pastor at St. Mary in Byron, then St. Mary in Woodstock and St. Patrick in Hartland. He also served as spiritual director of Marian Central Catholic High School in Woodstock.