BishopAccountability.org
	Archbishop Sends Letter on Abuse in Church Milwaukee February 16, 2010 http://www.wisn.com/news/22575208/detail.html [the editorial] MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki wrote an editorial in Tuesday's Journal Sentinel to "set the record straight" regarding recent allegations he mishandled a sex abuse case when he was the bishop of La Crosse. The case involved a woman who claimed her priest sexually assaulted her last year. Archbishop Listecki's Letter To Milwaukee Churches The woman claims she took the matter to then-La Crosse Bishop Listecki. She said he sent her a letter saying he was looking into the matter and the letter also stated he would be watching the priest in question and told him not to have contact with her. However, the woman and critics accuse Listecki of not contacting police, which they say goes against archdiocese policy. In a letter to area churches and in an editorial in the Journal Sentinel, Listecki said he wanted to make everyone aware of church policy. He said it is policy to report abuse to civil authorities when the victim is a child or if the victim is an adult now but is reporting an abuse that happened as a child. However, when the victim is an adult they are encouraged to make a report to the civil authorities themselves. In the La Crosse case Listecki said "the individual requested confidentiality, and we defered to the individual's request." In the Journal Sentinel Listecki wrote "These crimes go against everything the priesthood and the Catholic Church represents. As a representative of the Church I apologize to victims/survivors and their families and promise to strive for healing and resolution."
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