Waukesha Priest Removed from Ministry for Sexually Assaulting Minor; Fr. John Schreiter Had Been Suspended and Reinstated Once before
By John Pilmaier and Peter Isely
Fr. John Schreiter, pastor of St. John Neumann parish in Waukesha, has been removed from ministry for reports of sexually assaulting a minor several decades ago by Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki. The announcement was made this morning at the conclusion of mass by Fr. Bill Kohler, Vicar General of the Archdiocese. Schreiter had been previously suspended from ministry for sexual abuse allegations in 2004 when he was pastor of St. Bruno's Church in Dousman. The report was ruled "unsubstantiated" at the time by the archdiocese and Schreiter was reinstated. "This obviously raises serious questions as to the previous investigation and why Schreiter was put back in ministry in 2004 and allowed to have further access to children," says John Pilmaier, the Wisconsin Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPwisconsin.com). "But more importantly," according to Pilmaier, "why has Schreiter been removed and investigated when there are allegedly dozens of more newly named clergy reported to have sexually assaulted children as part of the Milwaukee Archdiocese bankruptcy filing in federal court? Who is vetting the mechanisms and procedures that are supposed to be in place to investigate these dozens of newly alleged child molesters? " Schreiter's previous assignment before becoming pastor of St. John Neumann in June 2010 was St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Beaver Dam. Schreiter worked in several assignments over the course of his career, including St. Gall Parish in Milwaukee's inner city where Schreiter was Vicar of Inner City Parishes for the archdiocese. SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Visit us at SNAPnetwork.org and SNAPwisconsin.com Statement by Archbishop Jerome Listecki: June 9, 2012 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Today I write to inform you that we have received an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor about a diocesan priest currently in active ministry in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The allegation dates back more than three decades and was reported through the Chapter 11 process. Per archdiocesan policy, the allegation was reported to the appropriate district attorney for review. The district attorney has declined to prosecute and we are, therefore, initiating our own process. Father has been placed on administrative leave during the course of the process, as outlined in archdiocesan policy: http://www.archmil.org/Resources/Policies-Procedures-Protocols-Sexual-Abuse-Prevention-Response.htm Because of that, I want to let you know that the priest involved is Fr. John Schreiter, pastor, St. John Neumann Parish, Waukesha. St. John Neumann parishioners will be notified at all Masses this weekend and so this information will most likely be covered in the news media. Fr. Schreiter denies the allegation. An investigation will move forward using a professional, independent investigator with the investigative report being delivered to the Diocesan Review Board. Given Fr. Schreiter's previously scheduled retirement, Fr. Curt Frederick, who is to become Pastor of St. John Neumann, will immediately assume the pastoral and administrative duties of the parish. Please join me in praying for all involved in this process. Sincerely yours in Christ, Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki John Pilmaier, SNAP Wisconsin Director, 414.336.8575 Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director, 414.429.7259
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