WISCONSIN
National Catholic Reporter
Dennis Coday | May. 8, 2013 NCR Today
The retirement of Fr. James Connell, a priest of the Milwaukee archdiocese has been in the pipeline since last fall, the priest told NCR Wednesday morning, hoping to quash rumors that he was being reprimanded for outspokenness in his defense of victims of clergy sex abuse.
The retirement is not related to the letters Connell sent to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in April calling for an investigation into Newark, N.J., Archbishop John J. Myers and his handling of a priest accused of the sexual abuse of a minor, Connell told NCR in an email message.
An announcement of Connell’s retired appeared on the website of his Sheboygan, Wis., parish this week. Connell will step down as pastor of St. Holy Name of Jesus & Saint Clement Parishes June 18 when the new pastor Fr. Matthew Widder will be installed.
“Last October I celebrated my 70th birthday,” Connell wrote in his email message. “At that time I requested to retire from full-time assigned ministry beginning June 30, 2013. Archbishop Jerome Listecki granted my request. So, the assignment of my replacement is in order and was expected.”
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