Fr. James Connell assists trial lawyers in Milwaukee during hard economic times

At a press conference yesterday, Father James Connell, vice-chancellor of the Milwaukee Archdiocese, called on archdiocesan leaders to release court documents relating to the abuse of children. “I am absolutely convinced that we need the truth,” Connell declared. “Justice requires that the truth be known.”

Connell made this announcement as he stood on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist at a press conference called by SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. It was startling that any priest would stand shoulder to shoulder with a group of men who have publicly said they were the victims of sexual abuse by priests as children. Even more stunning is that a top official like Connell would contradict the policy of the archdiocese, which has declined in the past to voluntarily release any documents relating to abuse of children by clergy.  [Has it even slightly occurred to this moron grandstander that the diocese might just be protecting the identity of victims as well?  Not everyone wants to go public to make Peter Isley Jeff Anderson filthy rich]

The chancery is the local office that maintains church law. The chancellor is Barbara Anne Cusack. While Connell, 67, is second in command, he is a priest.

Connell’s statement was all the more unexpected as he hadn’t even been invited to the press conference. Peter Isely, the Midwest director of SNAP, welcomed – and marveled at— Connell’s presence. “No senior member of the hierarchy of any diocese in the country has done this,” Isely said of Connell’s decision to speak out.

SNAP called the press conference Tuesday after learning that lawyers for the archdiocese and Auxiliary Bishop Richard Sklba have asked a judge to seal a sworn statement given by Sklba in a local court case regarding priest sex abuse cases.

“This deposition is the single most important testimony involving the sexual abuse of children in this archdiocese,” Isely said. “Archbishop Rembert Weakland testified that Bishop Sklba was his go-to man on all of these cases.” [Sad but true]

There is some irony in Connell linking arms with Isely. About a year ago, Connell was the subject of another press conference in which Isely called on the priest to step down from the internal church board that hears sex abuse allegations. Isely pointed out that Connell had investigated allegations against Father Lawrence Murphy, a priest who abused scores of deaf children, according to church records. [Interesting, hmmm]

Connell, speaking to NewsBuzz Tuesday, defended his role in the Murphy case. “My whole vision was to get that man out of the priesthood,” Connell said. [And after this "vision" was in place, what actions did you take?]

Connell added that he had undergone a conversion of sorts after he began wondering what his life would have been like if he had been abused. Connell has since organized a group of other priests who hold monthly candlelight vigils for those who have been abused. He also began to challenge the hierarchy of the church as to whether officials were living up the Dallas Charter, the 2002 document adopted by the bishops to deal with sex abuse allegations.

In March, he publicly questioned whether the Diocese of LaCrosse had properly investigated sex abuse allegations. That was a bold move: The new archbishop of Milwaukee, Jerome Listecki, had come from LaCrosse(sic). In essence, Connell was telling his boss that he hadn’t done his job. [Has Connell ever even been to La Crosse?  He sure is an expert having never consulted anyone at the diocese.]

Connell told NewsBuzz that soon after he made the public comments, he was called in for a meeting with Listecki. “It was a challenging conversation,” was all that Connell would say of the meeting. [Let me translate "I got put in my place and I was told why the diocese doesn't tell trial lawyers - who are trying to bankrupt every diocese and close down their schools and churches - whom they should coerce into sponsoring SNAP]

Connell said he has faced no retribution from Listecki or criticism from his fellow priests. “That could end today,” he said.  [Maybe donating your pension to SNAP might be a good place to start]

Milwaukee News Buzz

We know what Weakland and Sklba did was wrong but suing the archdiocese for everything it's worth is not going to solve the problem.  Financial compensation, fine.  But SNAP has consistently shown an unwillingness to work with dioceses as we have seen in many cases, and it appears more and more that the intent is to actually destroy the Church financially.  They are just sniffing around for more money.  That's what lawyers do.