Priests join abuse survivors in call for papal investigation of Milwaukee archdiocese

Annya Johnson
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
December 2, 2014

A group of sex-abuse victims and their supporters, including three Catholic priests, are asking Pope Francis to investigate the actions of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in its dealings with abuse survivors in the context of its nearly 4-year-old bankruptcy.

An open letter to the pontiff, released this week, raises many of the same concerns and allegations victims have raised during the bankruptcy. Among them: That the archdiocese cast a wide net inviting victims to file claims in the bankruptcy, but is now seeking to have them all dismissed; that it moved $57 million in cemetery funds into a trust to keep it from being used for settlements; and that the archdiocese would rather pay attorneys to fight claims than compensate survivors.

The letter was signed by members of the Milwaukee-based Survivors and Clergy Leadership Alliance and the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. Signers include four victims, at least three of whom have filed claims in the bankruptcy; and a couple whose son, John Pilmaier, was molested at the age of 7 in his Catholic School. Two of the signers -- Peter Isely and Pilmaier, local leaders of SNAP -- have had their cases thrown out. Pilmaier had already received a $100,000 settlement from the archdiocese, but argued that he had been misled during his mediation. Isely's was dismissed as beyond the statute of limitations for fraud.

Two Milwaukee-area priests are among the signatories: the Rev. James Connell, the archdiocese's former vice chancellor; and the Rev. Howard Haase of St. Mary's Parish in Waukesha.

A spokeswoman for the archdiocese said in an email that it was the victims' attorneys and creditors committee, not the archdiocese, that cast the wide net seeking claimants, and that the archdiocese warned the attorneys at the time that many survivors would be disappointed.

Julie Wolf said the archdiocese would have limited claims to those abused by diocesan priests, and would have excluded, for example, victims of religious order priests and nun, teachers in Catholic schools and others the archdiocese does not consider its employees. She said the bankruptcy was forced by a group of about 2 dozen victims who refused a $4 million settlement offer in 2010.

"It was not the archdiocese that created these false hopes," said Wolf said.

In addition to Pope Francis, the letter was sent to Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston, who was appointed by Pope Francis to head a committee tasked with protecting children from sexual abuse; the Vatican's Apostolic Nuncio, or ambassador, to the United States and Archbishop Jerome Listecki.

The archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2011 to deal with its sexual abuse claims. It is one of the largest Catholic Church bankruptcies to date, with more than 570 individuals alleging they were molested as children by a priest or someone connected with the local church. Legal fees in the bankruptcy have topped $16 million, according to the archdiocese.

Before entering bankruptcy, the archdiocese had spent $30 million on its sex abuse crisis, including settlements, legal fees and audit expenses, according to its web site.