Sexual abuse scandal in Catholic archdiocese of Milwaukee
Encyclopedia
The sexual abuse scandal in the Milwaukee Archdiocese is a series of sexual-abuse cases which have occurred in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
.
officials (including then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI
) did not respond to allegations of sexual abuse of boys by defrocking
the accused priest. Several U.S. bishops had warned the Vatican that failure to hold a church trial and defrock the priest could embarrass the church. The priest, Lawrence Murphy, is believed to have molested up to 200 deaf boys before the mid-1970s. Murphy was elderly and seriously ill when the first question related to the allegations reached the Vatican, two decades after the abuse occurred. Local law-enforcement agencies also knew about the abuse and did nothing.
Murphy taught at the former St. John School for the Deaf in the Milwaukee suburb of St. Francis, Wisconsin
from 1950 to 1974. After the allegations were made, Murphy was moved by then-Milwaukee Archbishop William Edward Cousins to Superior, Wisconsin
(a small city near Lake Superior), where he spent his final 24 years working in parishes, schools and a juvenile-detention center. Murphy died in 1998, several months after he requested that the Vatican halt a canonical trial against him due to his ill health.
Critics have alleged that former archbishop Rembert Weakland
covered up (or failed to publicize) some of the abuse, in particular in overseeing an evaluation of Murphy in 1993. In 1996 Weakland twice wrote about the case to Cardinal Ratzinger (then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
), but received no reply. Cardinal Bertone instructed Wisconsin bishops to convene a canonical trial which could have resulted in a range of punishments (including defrocking). Later, the formal church trial was dropped because a church statute of limitations
had been exceeded, and because Murphy was elderly and in poor health. The Congregation suggested the archbishop instead punish Murphy by imposing penance
and restricting his public ministry. Laicization would have released Murphy from nearly all obligations of priesthood (including the obligation to perform any penance ordered by his bishop). Archbishop Weakland said, "The evidence was so complete and so extensive that I thought he should be reduced to the lay state," and complained that Vatican
tribunals moved too slowly. The Vatican responded to concerns by noting that they had not been informed of the allegations until 20 years after they were first raised; that Murphy died within two years of Vatican notification of the allegations; that police investigations into the allegations at the time did not result in any cases being heard; and that there was nothing in the Vatican's actions that would prevent civil cases from proceeding. As of March 2010, there were four outstanding lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in the case.
and Assembly Judiciary Committee, a report on the sexual abuse of minors by clergy in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee was published in September 2003. The report revealed that allegations of sexual assault against minors had been made against 58 ordained men, who were under the direct supervision of the Archbishop of Milwaukee. In response to the sexual-abuse scandal, Archbishop Timothy Dolan
held a meeting with victims, mental health professional
s, law enforcement officers and clergy. He opposed legislation which would have extended (or eliminated) the statute of limitations
on the filing of clergy sexual-abuse cases.
By early 2009, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee had spent approximately $26.5 million in attorney fees
and settlements for sexual-abuse claims. Nevertheless, Dolan helped the archdiocese avoid bankruptcy
resulting from the lawsuits, and closed a $3 million budget deficit in 2008. He later called the sexual abuse scandals the most challenging issue of his tenure in Milwaukee, saying "Does it haunt me? Yes it does. And I'm not afraid to admit that."
This announcement came two days before the bishop was scheduled to be deposed, and after the church had refused to release the names or personnel records of the priests accused. The attorney for the plaintiffs in the abuse action opined that the bankruptcy filing was an attempt to delay turning over church records on the cases.
The Milwaukee archdiocese has paid out over $29 million to settle 200 cases over the last 20 years. The archdiocese said that these additional cases would incur legal fees the dioceses could not afford. The archdiocese has assets of about $98.4 million, but $90 million of that is already allocated.
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is a Roman Catholic archdiocese headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States. It encompasses the City of Milwaukee, as well as the counties of Dodge, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha, all...
.
Lawrence Murphy case
In March 2010, an article in the New York Times covered allegations that VaticanHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
officials (including then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
) did not respond to allegations of sexual abuse of boys by defrocking
Defrocking
To defrock, unfrock, or laicize ministers or priests is to remove their rights to exercise the functions of the ordained ministry. This may be due to criminal convictions, disciplinary matters, or disagreements over doctrine or dogma...
the accused priest. Several U.S. bishops had warned the Vatican that failure to hold a church trial and defrock the priest could embarrass the church. The priest, Lawrence Murphy, is believed to have molested up to 200 deaf boys before the mid-1970s. Murphy was elderly and seriously ill when the first question related to the allegations reached the Vatican, two decades after the abuse occurred. Local law-enforcement agencies also knew about the abuse and did nothing.
Murphy taught at the former St. John School for the Deaf in the Milwaukee suburb of St. Francis, Wisconsin
St. Francis, Wisconsin
St. Francis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 8,662. It is the smallest incorporated city in Milwaukee County.-Geography:St. Francis is located at ....
from 1950 to 1974. After the allegations were made, Murphy was moved by then-Milwaukee Archbishop William Edward Cousins to Superior, Wisconsin
Superior, Wisconsin
Superior is a city in and the county seat of Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 26,960 at the 2010 census. Located at the junction of U.S. Highways 2 and 53, it is north of and adjacent to both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior.Superior is at the western...
(a small city near Lake Superior), where he spent his final 24 years working in parishes, schools and a juvenile-detention center. Murphy died in 1998, several months after he requested that the Vatican halt a canonical trial against him due to his ill health.
Critics have alleged that former archbishop Rembert Weakland
Rembert Weakland
Rembert George Weakland was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Milwaukee from 1977 to 2002. He is the author of A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop, which explores Church reform issues, his homosexuality, and the child abuse crisis....
covered up (or failed to publicize) some of the abuse, in particular in overseeing an evaluation of Murphy in 1993. In 1996 Weakland twice wrote about the case to Cardinal Ratzinger (then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
), but received no reply. Cardinal Bertone instructed Wisconsin bishops to convene a canonical trial which could have resulted in a range of punishments (including defrocking). Later, the formal church trial was dropped because a church statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
had been exceeded, and because Murphy was elderly and in poor health. The Congregation suggested the archbishop instead punish Murphy by imposing penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
and restricting his public ministry. Laicization would have released Murphy from nearly all obligations of priesthood (including the obligation to perform any penance ordered by his bishop). Archbishop Weakland said, "The evidence was so complete and so extensive that I thought he should be reduced to the lay state," and complained that Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
tribunals moved too slowly. The Vatican responded to concerns by noting that they had not been informed of the allegations until 20 years after they were first raised; that Murphy died within two years of Vatican notification of the allegations; that police investigations into the allegations at the time did not result in any cases being heard; and that there was nothing in the Vatican's actions that would prevent civil cases from proceeding. As of March 2010, there were four outstanding lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in the case.
2003 report on sexual abuse
Following public testimony by victims before a combined session of the Wisconsin State SenateWisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
and Assembly Judiciary Committee, a report on the sexual abuse of minors by clergy in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee was published in September 2003. The report revealed that allegations of sexual assault against minors had been made against 58 ordained men, who were under the direct supervision of the Archbishop of Milwaukee. In response to the sexual-abuse scandal, Archbishop Timothy Dolan
Timothy Dolan
Timothy Michael Dolan is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He is the tenth and current Archbishop of New York, having previously served as Archbishop of Milwaukee and Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis ....
held a meeting with victims, mental health professional
Mental health professional
A mental health professional is a health care practitioner who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental illness. This broad category includes psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, mental health...
s, law enforcement officers and clergy. He opposed legislation which would have extended (or eliminated) the statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
on the filing of clergy sexual-abuse cases.
By early 2009, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee had spent approximately $26.5 million in attorney fees
Attorney's fee
Attorney's fee is a chiefly United States term for compensation for legal services performed by an attorney for a client, in or out of court. It may be an hourly, flat-rate or contingent fee. Attorney fees are separate from fines, compensatory and punitive damages, and from court costs in a...
and settlements for sexual-abuse claims. Nevertheless, Dolan helped the archdiocese avoid bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
resulting from the lawsuits, and closed a $3 million budget deficit in 2008. He later called the sexual abuse scandals the most challenging issue of his tenure in Milwaukee, saying "Does it haunt me? Yes it does. And I'm not afraid to admit that."
2011 bankruptcy filing
On January 4, 2011 the Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced that it would be filing for bankruptcy. The church was facing more than 23 lawsuits, and attempts to reach a mediated settlement with victims failed in December 2010.This announcement came two days before the bishop was scheduled to be deposed, and after the church had refused to release the names or personnel records of the priests accused. The attorney for the plaintiffs in the abuse action opined that the bankruptcy filing was an attempt to delay turning over church records on the cases.
The Milwaukee archdiocese has paid out over $29 million to settle 200 cases over the last 20 years. The archdiocese said that these additional cases would incur legal fees the dioceses could not afford. The archdiocese has assets of about $98.4 million, but $90 million of that is already allocated.
See also
- Child abuseChild abuseChild abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
- Child sexual abuseChild sexual abuseChild sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
- Religious abuse
- Sexual misconductSexual misconductSexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature. The term may be used to condemn an act, but in some jurisdictions it has also a legal meaning....
- Spiritual abuseSpiritual abuseSpiritual abuse is a serious form of abuse which occurs when a person in a cult-religious authority or a person with a unique spiritual practice misleads and maltreats another person in the name of a deityor church or in the mystery of any spiritual concept...