MILWAUKEE (WI)
WISN 12 - ABC [Milwaukee WI]
August 30, 2022
By Nick Bohr
Rembert Weakland resigned in 2002 amid the church abuse scandal
The funeral Mass for former Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland drew crowds in support and protest Tuesday at Milwaukee’s St. John the Evangelist Cathedral.
Weakland resigned in 2002 amid the church abuse scandal and died last week at the age of 95.
The funeral started at 4:30 p.m. The archdiocese did not allow the media inside but did stream the mass on YouTube.
Rev. Steve Avella, of Marquette University, gave the eulogy and did not ignore the scandal or the fallout.
“We are grateful for the time he spent with us, and many of us loved him. Some did not. We cannot dismiss their just anger even as we try to make sense of it all,” Avella said. “People were hurt. Lives shattered and disillusioned. With the perks and power of leadership comes the burden of accountability for serious mistakes. For us here in Milwaukee, these things must still work themselves out. Grief and anger have no timetable neither do forgiveness and reconciliation.”
The church applauded when the eulogy ended.
The survivors of clergy sexual abuse protested the funeral at the cathedral, saying Weakland didn’t deserve such an honor.
“It doesn’t matter how many languages you speak, whether you went to Julliard, whatever accolades you might have, when you facilitate the sexual assault of hundreds, potentially thousands of children, I think that speaks for itself,” said John Pilmaier, a clergy abuse victim survivor.
They blame Weakland for transferring priests known to have sexually assaulted children to other parishes without calling the police or warning their new churches of the priests’ predatory past.
“We’re saying we want the media there. We want people to see what they’re saying about this man. And that’s why we’re out here today, to draw attention to the way that they’re characterizing his life and his legacy,” said Sarah Pearson, a clergy sex abuse victim advocate. “You know, in contrast to what the experiences of survivors who’ve suffered so much under his leadership have endured.”
“I am praying for the survivors who are here today. I am sorry for all the grief that was caused by the decisions that our archbishop made, but I feel our God is a loving and merciful God,” said Sister Mary Carroll, who attended the funeral.
The archdiocese said the media was barred out of sensitivity to the victims given all of the media attention to the funeral.
“I know in the past decade of my own shepherding, mistakes are made, errors are made, judgements are made. But we do so in the shadow of the cross, and we hold that cross before us because in that cross always is God’s loving forgiveness and mercy,” Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki said at the end of the funeral.
A spokesperson also said the funeral was being held at the cathedral because it’s Weakland’s home parish.
There were about 400 people who attended the funeral, the archdiocese said.
Friends of Weakland spoke in his defense to WISN 12 News outside the funeral service on Monday.
“Forgiveness, mercy and again, leaving things up to God. Our job is to show respect for somebody who died, whether a minor Catholic or a major Catholic,” said Father Joe Jagodensky, SDS, of the St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church in Milwaukee.
“Rembert was deeply grieved by the hurt and the pain that his decisions made,” said Scott Lone, a friend of Weakland’s. “The notion that he was unrepentant is a fallacy and I also think when anger drives someone, they can’t see, think or speak clearly.”
Weakland is being buried in Pennsylvania at his former monastery, St. Vincent Archabbey Cemetery. The service is on Thursday.
The victims said a funeral there would have been more appropriate.