Associated Press
July 9, 2004

MILWAUKEE — The Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee released a list Friday of 43 priests and former priests who were restricted from duties because of abuse allegations.

Victims of clergy abuse have demanded the disclosure, which the archdiocese posted on its Web site along with a letter from Archbishop Timothy Dolan.

The list, which includes 14 priests who have died, does not include where the priests served or where they now live. Church officials gave the names to law enforcement agencies months ago, according to Dolan’s letter.

In his letter, Dolan acknowledged the list could shock parishes across the 10-county southeastern Wisconsin archdiocese.

“Please see this action for what it is: a true and sincere attempt to reach out to victims/survivors and an added effort to ensure the safety of children,” he wrote.

The Catholic Church has been embroiled in a child-molestation scandal nationwide, starting with accusations that emerged in Boston several years ago.

A national report released earlier this year showed 4,392 members of the Catholic clergy were accused of abuse from 1950 to 2002, including more than 100 clergy members in Wisconsin.

The men on the Milwaukee Archdiocese’s list are restricted from all priestly ministry, including publicly celebrating the sacraments and presenting themselves as priests, according to the letter.

The archdiocese compiled the list after several years of investigating its files and new allegations, spokeswoman Kathleen Hohl said.

Hohl said Dolan would not comment on the list beyond his letter.

The group Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests was among those pressing the Milwaukee archdiocese to release a full list of names.

“It’s good to have something,” said Peter Isely, the group’s regional coordinator. “But it’s not a complete list by any means.”

Isely said the list included only archdiocesan priests and not religious order priests and nuns.

Dolan said in his letter he had asked religious orders to release lists such as the one issued by the archdiocese.

Jerry Topczewski, an archdiocesan spokesman, said church officials did not release the names in response to anyone’s demands.

“We did it because we believed it was the right thing to do,” he said.

The list does not include everyone ever accused but does name all who are fully restricted from the ministry, and the archdiocese would add any others who meet that criteria, Topczewski said.

Priests restricted from duties

The Milwaukee Archdiocese released a list of 43 priests and former priests who are “restricted from all priestly ministries.” Here is the list:

Raymond A. Adamsky, fully restricted from priestly ministry

James L. Arimond, laicized (removed from the priesthood)

Ronald J. Bandle, deceased

James W. Beck, left priestly ministry

Franklyn W. Becker, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Michael C. Benham, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Frederick J. Bistricky, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Daniel A. Budzynski, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Peter A. Burns, laicized

S. Joseph Collova, fully restricted from priestly ministry, left Catholic church

Andrew P. Doyle, laicized

William J. Effinger, deceased

George A. Etzel, deceased

William J. Farrell, deceased

James M. Flynt, fully restricted from priestly ministry

James M. Godin, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Edmund H. Haen, deceased

David J. Hanser, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Harold A. Herbst, deceased

George S. Hopf, fully restricted from priestly ministry

James N. Jablonowski, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Marvin T. Knighton, fully restricted from priestly ministry

John T. Knotek, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Michael J. Krejci, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Eugene T. Kreuzer, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Oswald G. Krusing, deceased

Jerome E. Lanser, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Eldred B. Lesniewski, deceased

Daniel J. Massie, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Lawrence C. Murphy, deceased

Michael T. Neuberger, dismissed from clerical state (case in appeal)

Richard W. Nichols, deceased

George A. Nuedling, deceased

John A. O’Brien, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Donald A. Peters, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Roger W. Schneider, left priestly ministry

Clarence J. Schouten, deceased

Vincent A. Silvestri, deceased

Thomas A. Trepanier, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Jerome A. Wagner, fully restricted from priestly ministry

John C. Wagner, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Charles W. Walter, fully restricted from priestly ministry

Sigfried F. Widera, deceased