WISCONSIN
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
By Annysa Johnson of the Journal Sentinel June 26, 2013
It’s been 44 years since Father Mel Hermanns sexually abused a boy at St. Lawrence Seminary in Mount Calvary in Fond du Lac County.
It’s been 23 years since a separate case of suspicious conduct “involving physical activities with minor males” was reported.
And 20 years since the Capuchin priest’s order paid for the seminary victim’s counseling, and sent Hermanns to a treatment center known for its programs for sex offenders.
But Hermanns was not removed from ministry until just last fall, and even then there was little public notification.
Hermanns’ name appears on a list of 23 current and former Capuchin friars removed for sexually abusing minors. It was released last week as part of an unprecedented audit commissioned by the Detroit-based Capuchin Province of St. Joseph, which operates parishes and other ministries in Milwaukee, to assess its sexual abuse policies and come to terms with its history.
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