Rev. James Connell demands the truth in Milwaukee priest abuse.
Speaking on service to the Lord, the great poet John Milton once said, “They also serve who stand and wait.” That is exactly what Rev. James McConnell did when he stood with a number of clergy-abuse victims demanding the Archdiocese of Milwaukee release information about suspected abusive priests in the diocese. The clergy-abuse group SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) organized a press conference Dec. 17 to protest the suppression of documents by Bishop Richard Sklba of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. When Connell heard about the press conference, he asked if he could stand with SNAP and they said yes.
Although Connell didn’t say much, his mere presence spoke volumes. Rarely, if ever, had such a high-ranking priest stood in support of those demanding transparency on behalf of the Catholic Church when dealing with its sex abuse scandal. Connell is an archdiocesan vice-chancellor and an aide to Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki. He also runs two Wisconsin churches.
The clergy- abuse scandal has rocked the church the world over, but nowhere is abuse more epidemic than in the United States. The scandal has bankrupted numerous diocese nationwide due to lawsuits and decreased patronage. The New York Times reports an estimated $2 billions has been awarded in suits against the church.
As for the Milwaukee archdiocese, it filed for bankruptcy last week. Litsecki said that bankruptcy was the only way for the church to make sure the victims of abuse were fairly compensated while continuing its mission as a diocese. However, critics say that it was a tactic to delay depositions and limit the documents the church would have to produce. And while the deposition Connell was calling for has been postponed indefinitely, there may be credence for Litsecki’s claim as the Milwaukee archdiocese was home to a Catholic priest accused of abusing some 200 boys at a school for deaf students from 1950-1974.
In an effort to overcome the pain of the attacks, Connell’s move to the side of SNAP is an example of forgiveness, a chief Catholic virtue. In 2009, Connell was asked to help investigate a different priest abuse case, and members of SNAP thought he did a subpar job, to say the least. That year, SNAP held a televised press conference in which they expressed their disgust, and even alleged that Connell himself participated in a cover-up. Now Connell stands with his accusers, and he says he shares their outrage and their conviction.
Meeting with survivors face-to-face forced Connell to confront an important question: What would he be like if a priest had molested him as a boy?
“Many of these victim survivors were very active in parish services,” Connel said. “They were preyed upon because they were around and because they loved the church. My brothers and me, we could have been in that situation. And that changed my heart in an instant.” (Associated Press.)
Connell wasted no time in acting: He met with SNAP organizers to hear their concerns. He enlisted other priests to hold candlelight vigils for abuse victims. He pressed diocesan officials to release private files in order that abuse victims may have some closure to their trauma. All of these things Connell did out of moral obligation. “Reveling the truth to facilitate healing is a moral obligation,” he said. “I’m just doing what I think priests are supposed to do.”
Indeed, by doing what priests are supposed to do, Connell is setting an example for fellow clergy, and providing hope for the faithful who were so shattered by priests’ misbehavior. Hope and healing are supposed to be the messages of the Church, and thus far, Connell has made great strides towards this aim.
“He’s sharing with us that risk that every survivor takes when they start speaking out about this,” said SNAP spokesman Peter Isely, who ran the 2009 news conference Connell attended. “To have someone there, an official of the archdiocese who’s standing with us as a partner, it was a healing moment. It meant a lot to me.”
Connell has vowed to remain outspoken, even if his words oppose the Church. He says that canon law gives Christian faithful the right and responsibility to raise their concerns about the spiritual well-being of the church. Jerry Topczewski, a spokesman for the archdiocese said that while the diocese may not agree with Connell’s methods, they certainly stand with him in what he’s trying to accomplish.
“Clearly he feels this is where God wants him at this moment, to be a vocal, visible presence toward healing and reconciliation. We stand with Father Connell toward that end goal,” Topczewski said.
Connell told the press that he has had a single cordial meeting with Bishop Listecki to explain his motivations, but added that none of his superiors have ever threatened or chastised him. And though some of his colleagues have questioned his public stand, Connel says that his parishioners have supported his calls for truth.
“(My superiors) can do whatever they do, but I’m convinced I’m absolutely doing the right thing. My responsibility is to be doing whatever I need to do to serve the people,” Connell said.
Rev. James Connell is truly an exemplary leader for his parish as well as churches around the world. To prey on vulnerable and innocent children is not just against the principles of the Catholic Christian faith, but also a universal wrong that shatters the lives of its victims. While we hopefully await the transparency of the church on this most important issue, we again encourage victims to come forward, tell their story and work toward healing.
Should you or anyone you know need legal counsel in a priest abuse case, please contact Dolan Legal. For information on the Illinois chapter of SNAP, please click here.
–Steven Flores
Attributed Sources
The Associated Press “US priest an unlikely ally to sex abuse victims.” The Times of India. 15 January, 2011.
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