MILWAUKEE (WI)
Fox 6 [Milwaukee WI]
December 4, 2024
The funeral of Bishop Richard Sklba in Milwaukee was marked by a protest from abuse survivors, who accused him of relocating abusive priests.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday for Bishop Richard Sklba, a longtime bishop in Milwaukee.
Bishop Sklba, who died last month, was a Racine native and served as the auxiliary bishop in Milwaukee from 1979. He worked under at least three archbishops.
Before the funeral Mass, survivors of clergy sexual abuse organized a protest outside the church. The group accused Bishop Sklba of relocating priests who had abused children from one parish to another. They distributed pamphlets to attendees outlining their accusations against the late bishop.
Peter Isley, a clergy sex abuse survivor, voiced his concerns at the protest, stating, “You cannot put the devastation, the horror, and the misery that unfortunately this man was responsible for and bury it in a hole of forgetfulness that is not the way to move forward.”
In response, the Milwaukee Archdiocese issued a statement: “During a Catholic funeral we give thanks to God for the gift of human life and community as we move forward toward eternal peace in Heaven and eternal life of forgiveness, hope, and love.”
The ceremony took place at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located at the intersection of Jackson and Wells streets.