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	Lawsuit Names Harrington, 177 Others: Family Seeks Molestation Documents from Bishops By David Krotz and by Joe Orso Winona Daily News October 6, 2006 http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2006/10/06/news/00lead1006.txt The family of a Wisconsin man whose slaying was linked to a Catholic priest has filed suit against the nation's 178 Catholic bishops, including Bernard Harrington, the head of the Diocese of Winona. The list fills nine pages of the suit, which seeks no money but instead the release of all documents regarding the molestation of children by priests or former priests. The suit, filed last week in a Wisconsin circuit court, also seeks to make public the names and locations of all priests accused of molestation. Harrington was not available for comment Thursday, but Rose Hammes, director of communications for the Winona diocese said she could understand the feelings of the O'Connell family. "But the suit is a little frivolous and probably a waste of time," Hammes said. "From what I understand, it doesn't have much grounds, but we'll let the court take the case up." Dan O'Connell and a co-worker were shot to death at O'Connell's Hudson, Wis., funeral home in February 2002. A state court later found The Rev. Ryan Erickson of Superior, Wis., likely committed the murders because O'Connell had uncovered information about the priest molesting children. Erickson enrolled at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona in 1992, and allegations of sexual misconduct against him surfaced in 1994 and 1996 before he was ordained a priest, according to court records. He committed suicide in 2004, shortly after police questioned him about the killings. The civil suit by O'Connell's family demands the bishops disclose the names of about 5,000 clergy. Tom O'Connell, brother of the slain man, said the family wanted to see some good come from the tragedy. They developed a plan to help correct clergy sexual abuse but could not establish a dialogue with the bishops, he said. O'Connell said the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has a responsibility to make policies that protect children. "They always say it's the priests' fault," he said. "They do not hold themselves responsible for anything." In 2002, a Dallas conference of bishops, facing enormous public pressure, overwhelmingly voted to evict from ministry all past, present and future clergy guilty of sexual abuse. Hammes said Harrington has responded to the charter and has adhered to it. Whenever there is a current case of sexual abuse, the diocese is participating fully, but in cases where there is no proof, it can do more harm than good to reveal names, she said.
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