Archbishop Listecki: Dolan was not trying to 'cover the wool over people's eyes'

MILWAUKEE - A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that funds dedicated to the cemeteries run by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will be shielded to creditors in the bankruptcy case against the organization.

"The sacred nature of Catholic cemeteries — and compliance with the church's historical and religious traditions and mandates requiring their perpetual care — are understood as a fundamental exercise of this core belief," Judge Randa said in the case, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Some of the money could have gone to sex abuse victims in the archdiocese's bankruptcy case. Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki joined Charlie Sykes on Newsradio 620 WTMJ Friday morning to discuss the case.

"We feel it was a right decision on the part of the federal judge to make that determination, because... it would force me into the awkward position of trying to maintain both the cemeteries, which are a separate entity from the archdiocese, and Archdiocese, Inc., and at the same time being forced to take those funds and place them elsewhere after they have been committed for a particular reason for perpetual care," Listecki explained.

continue at WTMJ