WISCONSIN/ILLINOIS
SNAP Wisconsin

Benedictine monk from Archdiocese of Milwaukee charged with attempted child abduction of 14 year old girl

Statement by John Pilmaier, SNAP Wisconsin Director
CONTACT: 414.336.8575

Thomas Chmura, a Benedictine monk assigned in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee was arrested on Thursday for attempting to abduct a 14 year old girl in Antioch, Illinois. Chmura informed police that he approached the child because he wanted sexual gratification. He further admitted to law enforcement officials that he had attempted similar child abductions up to ten times in the past six weeks.

Chmura, a member of the Benedictine religious order, resides at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Benet Lake, Wisconsin. The abbey, located within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, runs a retreat center that also offers its services to Catholics in the Archdiocese of Chicago due to its proximity to the state of Illinois. The order states that the retreat…