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  Listecki to Speak out on Sex Abuse Crisis

WISN
March 30, 2010

http://www.wisn.com/news/23005384/detail.html

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki is set to publicly address the recent allegations of a cover-up of priest sex abuse in the archdiocese.

The speech comes at a tough time for the Catholic faith, as allegations of abuse cross the globe and enflame even the pope.

Listecki will speak following Mass Tuesday night at St. John's Cathedral.

The archbishop's staff has resisted interviews with him over a case involving Father Lawrence Murphy.

When Listecki was installed as archbishop three months ago, he said he knew the past clergy abuse would continue to be an issue. He couldn't have known the crisis facing the church would explode in such a short amount of time.

Local clergy abuse victim advocate Peter Isely, of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, was in Rome as the story broke Thursday. Reports have depicted the current pope as thwarting efforts to remove Murphy from the priesthood after allegations of molestation at a school for the deaf in the 1960s and '70s.

"We're Catholics from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and survivors, and we need to hear from him (about) why he did what he did," SNAP Midwest Director Isely said. "It's a global story and it's originating right out of the Milwaukee Archdiocese. Literally, what happened here is challenging and shaking the foundations of this system."

Just hours after he returned from Rome, Isely told 12 News the attention is miraculous.

"This is a mighty institution, and could do a lot of good for children. And that's, I think, our hope is that this is going to eventually lead to the universal church becoming the universal voice for children," Isely said.

Though the pope hasn't directly responded to the Murphy story, Isely said he'll be interested in what Listecki has to say.

For his part, the Archbishop said he plans to focus on healing.

"We do owe a gratitude to victims survivors who with their courage came forward with their stories, and because of their stories, our correctives, we are a better church today," Listecki said.

The archbishop's Mass gets under way at 7:30 p.m.

A press release from the archdiocese indicates he will speak at the end of Mass to "respond to recent media coverage of the clergy sexual abuse crisis."

 
 

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