| ST.
FRANCIS — Fr. John Schreiter, pastor of St.
Bruno Parish in Dousman, was placed on leave from his
assignment April 22, while an allegation of sexual abuse
is being investigated. The alleged incident dates back
to the early 1980s and reportedly took place in Sauk
County, located in the Madison Diocese. Fr. Robert Stiefvater,
director of vocations for the Milwaukee Archdiocese,
has been appointed temporary administrator at St. Bruno.
Archdiocesan personnel were on hand at last weekend’s
liturgies to meet with parishioners after Masses. According
to Kathleen Hohl, director of communications for the
archdiocese, Fr. Stiefvater read a letter written by
Fr. Schreiter that was addressed to parish members. The
letter was also mailed to registered parishioners over
the weekend.
Hohl pointed out the archdiocese did not release the
information. “Fr. Schreiter chose to share the
details with members of his parish community,” she
said.
In his letter, Fr. Schreiter wrote that he wanted to
inform parishioners why he would be away from the parish.
“
In mid-March 2004, an individual contacted the Archdiocese
of Milwaukee with an allegation against me of sexual
abuse,” he wrote. “The individual was an
adult at the time of the alleged incident, which occurred
close to 25 years ago. Archdiocesan officials followed
their normal procedure and forwarded the matter to the
district attorney’s office who determined that
the statute of limitations had expired and returned the
matter to the archdiocese.”
Fr. Schreiter explained that archdiocesan guidelines
on sexual abuse allegations require an independent investigation
be conducted.
“
The first step of the investigation was to share the
allegation with me,” he continued. “I denied
the incident and now the investigation will continue.
I am cooperating fully with the investigation. While
the investigation is taking place, I will be on leave
from the parish.”
Fr. Stiefvater said the overriding reaction from parishioners
was shock. “The word got out after the 5:30 p.m.
Saturday Mass and so many came prepared,” he said. “I
don’t think anybody was angry. There was a concern
of how long did we know about this before, and did the
staff know about this before the rest of the parishioners.
“
The staff was told by Father (Schreiter) on Friday. So
we’re still in shock, all of us,” he continued. “I
found out Thursday that I would be administering the
parish through (Vicar for Clergy) Fr. Joe Hornacek’s
office and had a chance to talk to Father on Friday.”
According to Fr. Stiefvater, Fr. Schreiter — who
learned about the allegation the same day he was placed
on temporary leave — “is in shock as well.”
One of the suggestions that the parish staff has made,
he said, is to allow parishioners to write to Fr. Schreiter. “We
have a special mailbox set up and it’s already
got quite a few notes in it,” he said. E-mails
are also being forwarded to him.
On Monday morning, Fr. Stiefvater and a team of parish
and archdiocesan leaders and counselors visited each
class at the parish school.
“
I read Father’s letter to the upper level classes
and paraphrased it for the younger kids,” he said. “We
gave all the kids a time to (ask) questions. They were
concerned about where he was. The first Communion class
was worried about their first Communion next weekend.”
Parish youth were devastated to learn about the allegation,
according to Fr. Stiefvater, who met with the parish
youth group on Sunday upon their return from a visit
to Holy Hill. Fr. Schreiter “got along great with
the school kids and teens and he was very respected by
them, so they were very shaken. Some of the teens stayed
a while to pray.”
He added that pastoral associate Karen Warnes lit a memorial
candle at St. Bruno Church. “It will be lit until
this whole thing is resolved,” said Fr. Stiefvater.
Fr. Schreiter was ordained by Archbishop William E. Cousins
on May 24, 1969. He served as associate pastor of Our
Lady of Sorrows, Milwaukee, (1969-1970) and St. Joseph
Parish, Wauwatosa (1970-1978). He was named pastor of
St. Gall Parish, Milwaukee, in 1978 and served there
until being named pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, Milwaukee,
in 1986.
In 1992 he was named vicar for District 13 Central City
Catholic Parishes, and in 1994 he became administrator
and pastoral team moderator, for the Central City Catholic
Parishes, while still serving as vicar. He was appointed
temporary administrator of St. Theresa Parish, Eagle,
in 1996, and on Aug. 1, 1996, he was named pastor of
St. Bruno Parish.
In another case involving an archdiocesan priest accused
of sexual abuse, communications director Hohl said the
investigation involving Fr. Joseph Haas is still ongoing.
Fr. Haas was placed on leave from ministry last February
when an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor, said to
have occurred in 1977, was reported to the archdiocese. |
