The priest at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church has been found guilty of indirectly violating the seal of confession and will spend the next year in prayer and penance, according to church officials.Living Lake County
The Rev. David A. Verhasselt, 64, has been on leave since April 2010. Last week Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki concluded Verhasselt was guilty of an indirect violation of the seal of confession, according to a statement released by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
An indirect violation is one in which a specific person's sin, but not necessarily identity, is revealed by the priest, according to the statement.
Verhasselt is now required to spend a year in prayer and penance, during which time he will receive continuing formation in the theology of the sacrament of penance, the statement said.
The announcement was made before a packed church Sunday before Mass. The punishment was decided by the Most Rev. Jerome Listecki, archbishop of Milwaukee. Listecki spoke with parishioners after Mass.
In a March 17 letter to parishioners, Listecki said he came to the decision after an independent investigation.
Listecki acknowledged the process was lengthy.
"Although the process took longer than anyone would have liked, it was necessary to ensure a thorough and just outcome.
"I cannot communicate strongly enough how seriously we take the obligation to maintain the seal of confession," said Listecki. "When a penitent approaches a priest for the sacrament of penance and confesses his or her sins, a sacred trust is established. For the sake of the integrity of the sacrament, what is confessed must be held in strictest confidence."
In an interview with Lake Country Publications last year, Verhasselt said he was confident that he would be absolved of any wrong doing.
"Since I didn't do anything, I can't imagine it turning out any other way," he explained.
Verhasselt was unavailable for comment before press time.
Strange, this is the most detail I've seen on this story so far. The good news is that it doesn't sound like the identity of the person was ever revealed. Ah, I see MilCatHerald has a story as well.
2 comments:
Several things to the comment above. Is it possible that the reason that this is the most you heard about the case is that the AB intentionally made the announcement during a time when the press was less likely to report on it?
While you comment on the protection of the ID of the "supposed victim," are you aware that it was a violation for the Arch to release the name of Fr. Dave without his permission.
Do you find it odd how the AB stands 100% behind a man-made law about the seal of the confession, but yet has, like his predecessors, fought hard to protect the identity of the numerous phedophiles under his charge. Keep in mind, those individuals are clearly in violation of God's Laws.
This story has yet to get the legs that it deserves. A professional reporter would start looking around the "Good Old Boys Club" on Lake Drive and start to put all the pieces together.
Just watch the activity at St. Catherine's. Those people know Fr. Dave and they need to stand up for him NOW. The other side of this story needs to come out, and when it does, you likely will end that story with "The Archbishop was unavailable for comment before press time"
Anonymous, I know you are in pain, but before you lash out in the name of standing up for Father Dave with claims that it was a violation (of what?) for his name to have been released, and that the seal of the sacrament is a "man-made law" and therefore apparently unimportant, and a call for parishioners to rally against the archbishop, maybe you should be sure that's what Father Dave really wants. Has it occurred to you that maybe this clearly beloved and respected priest, being also a human being, may have made a terrible mistake that needs to be corrected?
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