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	Imesch Disrupted at Mass St. Ray's Outburst: Bishop Was Honoring Two Priests Accused of Sex Abuse By Ted Slowik The Herald News April 12, 2006 http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/top/4_1_JO12_PROTEST_S1.htm JOLIET — A protester disrupted a Holy Week service at the Cathedral of St. Raymond on Monday night as Joliet Bishop Joseph Imesch honored two clerics accused of sexual abuse of minors. Lee Schulz of Elwood said he stood up and criticized Imesch because of how the bishop has handled cases of priests who sexually abused children. "I publicly interrupted Imesch last night with hopes of encouraging others to make their voices heard. It is time for the silence to end," Schulz said. Ushers escorted Schulz from the cathedral, telling him it was neither the time nor the place to cause a disruption, he said. "I politely disagreed, saying that it is time for the faithful of God to make a stand for righteousness," Schulz said. Witnesses said Imesch was greeted with applause when he entered the cathedral for the annual Chrism Mass, when the bishop blesses holy oils used throughout the year. Imesch also has used the occasion to honor priests who have reached milestone anniversaries of their ordinations. One of the clerics honored, the Rev. Salvatore Formusa, was just identified by the diocese on Sunday as being accused of sexually abusing a minor. Imesch said the 90-year-old priest still drives, and said the two shared a common past in the Archdiocese of Detroit, witnesses said. Some said the bishop handled the incident "with grace and dignity." Others said he simply ignored the protest. The congregation, which included many clergy, drowned out the protester's shouts by applauding, witnesses said. Formusa is among 22 priests listed by the diocese on its Web site as having been accused of sexually abusing a minor. Schulz stood and shouted when Imesch honored the Rev. Daniel Ryan, retired bishop of Springfield and former auxiliary bishop of Joliet. Ryan removed himself from public ministry in 2002 after he was accused in a lawsuit of having sex with a 15-year-old boy. Ryan's presence at the cathedral has attracted protesters previously. In 2002, members of the group Roman Catholic Faithful carried signs on the sidewalk outside the church when Imesch presided over the installation of an auxiliary bishop. Some say there are more civil ways to protest the bishop's handling of the sex abuse crisis. "I think it was in bad taste," said John Moynihan, spokesman for the group Voice of the Faithful, which claims 25,000 members nationwide and advocates dialogue with Catholic church leaders. "There's a sacredness to the event that should be observed, but it seems like an awful dumb thing for the bishop to do to ask for applause for someone who's just been accused of a heinous crime." "I think it's important for Catholics to stand up and be heard when people are being honored who aren't even supposed to be in public ministry," said Linda Pieczynski, spokeswoman for the reform group Call to Action. "Getting up and walking out is one way of registering your disgust. You can have a press conference on the steps of the cathedral while (the service) is going on. It's probably better to do it outside where it's visible to the public." Schulz said he was a parishioner at St. Ray's and that he knew Dan Shanahan, the Phoenix man who has leveled an allegation of abuse against the Rev. James Burnett, pastor of St. Raymond. Burnett denies the allegation. - Contact Ted Slowik at (815) 729-6053 or at tslowik@scn1.com.
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