ST. FRANCIS — From 1950 to June 30, 2002, 45 priests in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee were reported to have sexually abused children. According to data provided by the archdiocese as part of a national study being released tomorrow, there have been 131 victims of clergy sexual abuse of minors.

The statistics of sexual abuse of minors in the archdiocese, which were compiled for a national study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, were published in a 12-page newsletter, “To Live Is Christ,” that was mailed Feb. 20 to all registered Catholics.

The newsletter is also available on the archdiocesan Web site, <www.archmil.org>.

Archbishop Dolan to discuss report in Washington, on EWTN

ST. FRANCIS — Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan will join other U.S. bishops and National Review Board members at a Feb. 27 news conference in Washington, D.C., to discuss the John Jay Report. The news conference, held at the National Press Club, follows the release in Washington of the national study on clergy sexual abuse conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. Archbishop Dolan is the chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Priestly Life and Ministry Committee. He and other bishops, as well as National Review Board members, will be asked to comment on the John Jay Report’s findings. Later in the day, Archbishop Dolan will participate in a town hall meeting moderated by Raymond Arroyo of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). The live, 90-minute program will air on EWTN beginning at 7 p.m. central and will be held at The Catholic University of America in Washington. The meeting will focus on the John Jay Report and what the statistics reveal about the nature and scope of the clergy sexual abuse crisis.

In the months leading up to the release of the John Jay study, many dioceses have issued summaries of local statistical data they supplied to researchers. As of mid-February, about 90 of the 195 Catholic dioceses in the United States had released summaries, according to Catholic News Service.

Releasing the summary of statistics to local Catholics “is important in the interest of accountability and transparency,” stated the archdiocesan newsletter.

The 131 victims listed in the summary include those who came forward and others who were identified by a perpetrator during a confrontation and subsequent investigation. The report also stated that in addition to the 45 priests with substantiated allegations, 10 other clerics were accused, but the allegations proved to be false.

According to archdiocesan data, two incidents of child sexual abuse took place between 1990 and June 30, 2002, the cut-off date set by the John Jay study researchers. Most incidents (36 percent) occurred in the 1960s. Thirty percent of reported cases occurred in the 1970s and 25 percent took place before 1960. No incident took place in the 1990s.

The report also noted that 58 percent of the 131 abuse cases were reported between 2000 and 2002. Thirty-six percent were reported in the 1990s and 3 percent or less were reported in each decade prior to 1990.
Three percent of all clergy serving in the archdiocese from 1950 to 2002 were found to have substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse, a figure which Thomas Plante, a psychologist who has edited two books on clergy child sex abuse, said is in line with the general adult male population.

Last September the archdiocese released an accountability report on its response to child sexual abuse by clergy. (See Catholic Herald, Sept. 18, 2003.) That report offered more details about the priest-offenders included in the John Jay study.

Of the 45 priests with substantiated allegations, 15 have died and six left active ministry or sought laicization prior to 2002. It also stated that three diocesan deacons had allegations of sexual abuse reported against them. Of these deacons, one is deceased and one is no longer in active ministry. The third case was under review.

The report stated that Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan was seeking administrative laicization from the pope for seven of the priests and that five are seeking voluntary laicization.

Laicization is the process in the Catholic Church by which a priest is returned to the lay state, losing the rights and obligations of the clerical state, sometimes as a penalty for a serious crime, but usually at his request.

Of the 30 living priest-offenders, 15 have been publicly identified by the archdiocese, by victims-survivors, or by the media.

According to Jerry Topczewski, administrative assistant to the archbishop, archdiocesan leaders have been considering the possibility of releasing the names of all priest-offenders, alive and deceased. The issue has been discussed during large-group mediation sessions with victims-survivors.

“We understand the benefits (of releasing names), but also know there are some challenges,” said Topczewski.

He explained that public safety and monitoring of priests removed from ministry are two reasons cited by victims-survivors for releasing names. In addition, by identifying deceased clergy who had substantiated allegations of abuse, other victims may be willing to come forward.

The challenge, said Topczewski, is that a majority of the cases involving unnamed priests are in the process of canonical review or laicization. “Any publicity could be seen as a presumption of guilt and in essence could jeopardize the outcome of those cases.” It may be prudent to wait until the civil or canonical cases are completed before releasing these names, he added.

Topczewski stated the archdiocese will likely compile and re-release the list of 15 names of priests who have been publicly identified.

While nearly half of the 195 U.S. dioceses have released statistical data on the number of clergy accused of child sexual abuse, only three — the Los Angeles and Baltimore archdioceses and the Tucson, Ariz. diocese — have disclosed the names of accused abusers.

Topczewski also pointed out that the John Jay study reviewed cases up to June 30, 2002, and does not include the case of Fr. Michael Benham, who was removed from ministry in January after admitting to sexually abusing a minor in the 1970s and 1980s.