The Badger Catholic: Fr Bob Marsicek

Showing posts with label Fr Bob Marsicek. Show all posts

JS: Priest pleads guilty to reduced charges for touching child at Wauwatosa school

A Milwaukee priest pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor sexual contact with a girl while at a Catholic school in Wauwatosa between 2007 and 2011.

Robert Marsicek, 76, who was removed from ministry in 2013, was charged in February with three felony counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, but as a result of negotiations with prosecutors entered his pleas to fourth-degree sexual assault, a misdemeanor that involves sexual touching.

Sentencing was set for Dec. 15. He remains free on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and conditions that he have no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of 18.

continue at JS

Salvatorian priest, subject of numerous complaints, criminally charged with sex assault of child at Wauwatosa parish

Four years after he was removed from ministry because of allegations of inappropriate contact with children, a Milwaukee priest has been charged with three counts of felony sexual assault of a child beginning when she was 6 years old.

The Rev. Robert R. Marsicek, 75, who had been the subject of numerous complaints from parents over the years and avoided a criminal charge in 2013, was charged Wednesday. Appearing in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Thursday, Marsicek said he was worried about the victim.

He was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond and was ordered to have no contact with the victim or anyone under the age of 18.

According to a criminal complaint, Marsicek repeatedly touched the child while at Pius X Parish and school in Wauwatosa between 2007 and 2010. Among the incidents, she said Marsicek at one point laid on her and touched her breasts and at another reached under her jumper to "pat" her vagina.

continue at JS

So is Annysa doing stories on the Church again? Last I heard she was on education. She turned the campaign into another attempt to bleed the archdiocese of money. Like I've said numerous times, I'm all for reasonable settlements. But ultimately felony criminal charges are what really matters here, not another SNAP pay for play scam. Justice demands crimes do not go unpunished. Ultimately this is a crime perpetrated by an individual. The individual gets a fair trial whether they deserve it or not. But invoking SNAP attack for cash causes the most important point at the end of the article to be missed.

Marsicek had a history of questionable contact with children during his 12 years at St. Pius X and had been counseled repeatedly by the archdiocese and the Salvatorians to stop touching them, according to documents obtained by police in 2013. [NOT and appropriate response!]

Two Milwaukee archbishops had been made aware of complaints over the years, Archbishop Jerome Listecki in 2012 and then-Archbishop Timothy Dolan, now cardinal of New York, in 2005. When the 2013 allegations emerged, both the Milwaukee archdiocese and Salvatorians had known since May 2012 that Marsicek was under investigation in Sacramento, Calif., on allegations of sexual abuse of a minor in the 1980s to '90s. But they allowed him to remain in ministry for 10 months while those claims were investigated. At the time, Topczewski dismissed Marsicek's incidents with children as "boundary issues."

Listecki suggested in a letter to local Catholics in 2013 that the church may have erred by not removing Marsicek earlier.

Hindsight is always 20/20 but if the archdiocese has to tell a priest "stop touching children" there's no justifiable way that he can be left in ministry. And if the archdiocese was already aware of the criminal allegations in his past, I don't care if he's not diocesan, he's getting the boot immediately and every Salvatorian serving in the archdiocesan borders is put on notice as the Salvatorian leadership is at the very minimum partly culpable. This is the fundamental problem with the Dallas Charter and what Phil Lawler describe here: Catholic bishops 'don't get it'—the fundamental problem is a corrupt clerical culture. It's no time to play Church politics. It's time to strap on the army boots and kick some ass and let us know the archdiocese is as pissed off as the rest of us to hear about this shit going on regardless of what the damn lawyers are saying.

Background

HT Dad29

In letter to parishioners, Abp Listecki outlines efforts to prevent abuse

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki recently shared the annual report on the diocese’s response to the ongoing issue of sexual abuse by clergy.

The annual report on what the diocese is doing to reach out to victims of clergy abuse and prevent futher abuse is required to comply with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. It was released in September.

In a letter to parishioners, Listecki said the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s efforts include national and state background checks, sexual abuse prevention and awareness training, and the development of an office dedicated to offering total victim/survivor support.

“Most importantly, no priest with a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is allowed to publicly minister in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee,” Listecki wrote.

The statement comes at a time when Listecki is under scrutiny by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests for not taking quicker action concerning the Rev. Robert Marsicek.

Marsicek, pastor of two Milwaukee area parishes with grade schools, was suspended from his job in March after it was learned he is involved in a child sex abuse investigation in Wauwatosa.

Peter Isley, a spokesman for SNAP, said Marsicek has also been under investigation in California since last May for child sexual assaults that took place in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Listecki futher wrote to parishioners that he is commited to making amends.

“I pray every day that those harmed will one day find peace,” he wrote in the letter. “I also pledge, along with so many others in this archdiocese, to an unwavering commitment to act proactively and diligently to prevent crimes against children in our churches and schools and to act as a change agent in our communities so that other institutions stand with us in this fight against childhood abuse.”

According to the report, response efforts continue for individuals who have suffered sexual abuse by clergy. When a person contacts the victim assistance coordinator, a variety of resources are offered, including counseling referrals, spiritual direction and therapy support.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has also implemented the Safeguarding All of God’s Family program. All adults who work with children in a church setting are required to know the warning signs of abuse, are taught strategies for handling suspicions of abuse and are instructed on mandatory reporting laws.

KenoshaNews

Abp. Listecki addresses Wauwatosa oversight, admits mistake

Everything we do is an effort to restore the trust and credibility that was so badly broken in 2002 as news reports highlighted the Church’s response to past abuse allegations. We want to restore that confidence so people truly know the Church has changed, not just by its words, but by its actions.

But trust is fragile. As hard as we work to build it, it can be shattered again in a moment, and with it, all the good work that has been accomplished can be dismissed as meaningless.

I’m afraid that’s what happened as news reports highlighted the situation in Wauwatosa, where a priest was allowed to remain in ministry as civil authorities from another state investigated an allegation from the 1970s, which was just recently brought forward. To complicate things, the priest is not a diocesan priest, but a member of the Salvatorians, and the allegation was initially brought forward by a third party, not the victim (now an adult), and the victim was not willing to cooperate with civil authorities, so no allegation had been substantiated.

But then a report about the same priest came from one of our schools, from a teacher, thankfully, who was following their Safe Environment training. Although charges were not brought by civil authorities, in looking at the complete picture of the priest’s history, we see a priest who was repeatedly warned about boundary issues. None of these behaviors were sexual abuse, but collectively they call into question allowing this priest to remain serving as pastor of two parishes, each with schools or daycare programs.

While our decisions followed the letter of the law in accordance with existing policies, I am not sure they followed the spirit of the law with regard to our pledge to be vigilant in keeping children safe. So, as I read the newspaper and reflected upon the comments some parishioners made to me, I could feel the Church’s credibility crumbling again.

So last night I acknowledged that we are called to place our imperfect lives before our God, asking that He continue the work of reconciliation in us. Our prayer for atonement is more than words. We are different people today and a different Church because of the acknowledgement of the sins and crimes committed by some.

I think they don't update these on the archdiocesan website until after the emails come out. Once it's available I'll post a link.

I think this is a good sign. Men who never admit mistakes are the least credible people on the face of the Earth. Credibility isn't earned by the deafening silence of the last forty years, it's earned by admitting mistakes when they are made. I think that is what many who have lost trust are looking for, and that willingness to be held accountable not if, but when mistakes are made is actually a major plus to improving credibility.

JS: Archbishop Jerome Listecki suggests church erred in Wauwatosa priest case

Dad29: The Salvatorians' Dissembling Problem

via Dad29:

When Bill Clinton was President, I learned the term "parse." It proved useful.

Evidently, it's quite useful to--of all entities--the Salvatorian order, too.

..."...Rodrigues [the local chief Salvatorian] told the Journal Sentinel he did not know of any other allegations against Marsicek. On Tuesday, he defended that statement, noting that he had been careful to say the order did not have any other allegations 'from a victim.' In the Sacramento case, the allegations came to the order through the diocese." --JS Online quoted at Provincial Emails

If you've paid attention, you'll know that one of the three most vicious child-rapists in Milwaukee was a Salvatorian priest operating from Mother of Good Counsel's rectory.

This "boundary issues" thing is a bit problematic. A "hug" can be interpreted differently.

That said, there's a maxim worth knowing: "pattern of practice." Just so Fr. Rodrigues knows, that's a very specific legal term with which he should get acquainted, soon.

I would recommend Mr. Berres' post: It depends on what the meaning of the word 'safe' is.

SNAP: At “Mass of Atonement” Listecki must explain leaving Wauwatosa priest with years of child sex abuse reports working with children

Milwaukee Archdiocese knew of Wauwatosa priest accusations but did not suspend him

Catholic Church officials in Milwaukee had known for 10 months that Father Robert Marsicek was under investigation on suspicion of molesting two children in California, according to the Sacramento diocese. But they did not move to suspend him from his duties at two local parishes and schools until a new allegation surfaced at a Wauwatosa school last month.

Kevin Eckery, a spokesman for the Diocese of Sacramento, said officials there notified the Archdiocese of Milwaukee; Marsicek's Milwaukee-based religious order, the Society of the Divine Savior; and attorneys for both of the organizations about the California allegations in May 2012.

Marsicek is accused of sexually abusing two children in one family while he served at Divine Savior Parish in Orangevale, according to an announcement read at the California parish last weekend.

Archdiocese spokesman Jerry Topczewski and Divine Savior Provincial Father Joseph Rodrigues said no steps were taken to restrict Marsicek from parishes or schools because to do so might have compromised the California investigation. Topczewski said that is in keeping with the archdiocese's policy in such cases.

"You can't just remove a guy without telling him why," he said. "And if you tell him why, does he have an opportunity to start building a defense? Could he flee, try to pressure people? It's a huge balancing act."

continue at JS

... I'm not sure it's that complicated. Shouldn't the policy be changed if it doesn't call for removal of priest being formally investigated?

Let the record state Marsicek has NOT been charged.

'The Society of the Divine Savior said it had been notified by the district attorney's office that no charges would be brought against Father Robert Marsicek, who was relieved of his duties at Pius X parish in Wauwatosa, Wauwatosa Catholic School and Mother of Good Counsel parish and school in Milwaukee shortly before Easter. ...

TPE: No charges issued against Wauwatosa priest

via The Provincial Emails

Annysa Johnson reports at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

'The Society of the Divine Savior said it had been notified by the district attorney's office that no charges would be brought against Father Robert Marsicek, who was relieved of his duties at Pius X parish in Wauwatosa, Wauwatosa Catholic School and Mother of Good Counsel parish and school in Milwaukee shortly before Easter. ...

Father Joseph Rodrigues, provincial of the Milwaukee-based order known as the Salvatorians, said Marsicek would remain off the job until the order completes its own review.'

See my April 1, 2013 post.

Arch. Milwaukee confirms Wauwatosa priest suspension

WAUWATOSA - The Archdiocese of Milwaukee and an order of priests has confirmed the suspension of Fr. Bob Marsicek.His faith community in Wauwatosa has been rocked to the core by a police investigation, where he has been told to stay away from children.

Fr. Marsicek is a long time fixture at St. Pius Catholic community. But Friday we confirmed police are investigating allegations against the priest, and that he's been removed from ministry while they do so. On the holiest week for Catholics, parishioners at St. Pius X are stunned to hear their priest isn't allowed to celebrate mass with them.

"It's shocking."

Fr. Marsicek has been temporarily pulled from his pastoral roles, according to his religious order and the archdioceses[sic]. Police are investigating an allegation Marsicek had inappropriate contact with a student at Wauwatosa Catholic -- a combination of St. Pius and St. Bernard students. Parishioners say it's hard to believe.

"There is some great, grave misunderstanding is what I would think." Ginny Reinmuller and her daughter, Louise are long time parish members. "I've known him since I was in 4th grade and he's always been the most loving person around here," said Louise." He would never do anything to hurt anyone. That is not him," added her mother.Marsicek was suspended Thursday.

He has not been arrested.

continue at NBCNews

TPE: A Wauwatosa priest ordered to stay away from his church and school