Monday, March 12, 2012

Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Disclosure of accused sexual offenders and Cardinal Dolan’s response of “hiding” assets

Below is the list of accused sexual offenders in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.  This list was court mandated. 

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Go to the above page of the internet by clicking on the following:   http://www.archmil.org/reorg/bardate/ClergyOffenders.htm And click on the individual’s name to obtain their assignments with the Archdiocese.

Cardinal Dolan’s answers to questions concering his actions as Archbishop of Milwaukee  and “hidden funds”.. And others comments on the Milwaukee Archdiocese blog.

This is available at:    http://www.archmil.org/archmil/home/ArchmilBlog/TMD_021511.htm

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Groundless Gossip

Archbishop Dolan
Most Reverend Timothy M. Dolan
Archbishop of New York

I owe it to all of you — both the Catholic and wider community — to be very clear about the ridiculous and groundless gossip spread about me by a tort lawyer named Jeff Anderson.
You may have heard this man claim that, when I was archbishop of Milwaukee, I “hid’ $130 million of archdiocesan funds so victims of clergy sexual abuse could not sue for it.
Malarkey! The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has an excellent record of fiscal integrity and transparency. I worked hard at that, and my successor, Archbishop Listecki, continues to do so. (By the way, you might also be interested to know that during my years as archbishop of Milwaukee, and with the generous service of many dedicated people, we established a mediation process that reached settlements with almost 200 victim survivors; that mediation process has been praised by the victim survivors who have participated in the process.)
In my seven years there, the meager resources of the archdiocese were under the vigilance of a sound and respected finance council, composed of prominent and respected business leaders from the financial community; annually we were audited; and each year there was complete, published financial disclosure. You can find the audited financial statements here. To claim that, given this rigorous supervision, an archbishop could have “hidden” $130 million, is beyond ridiculous.
I do want you to know that, when I arrived as archbishop, the financials showed that parishes had $70 million of their peoples’ money on deposit with the archdiocese. This was not archdiocesan money at all, but belonged to parishes. That’s why the finance council, and our outside professional auditors, advised me that it was inappropriate for the archdiocese to hold money for parishes, and that it should be returned to the parishes to which it belonged anyway. This was done, and publicly reported in the annual audit.
So much for “hidden funds.” Far from inappropriate, this decision was virtuous, open, and in accord with the clear directives of the professionals on our finance council and outside auditors.
The archdiocese of Milwaukee has issued an enlightening statement speculating that this lawyer’s reckless charges also included “hiding” the “cemetery fund,” which, of course, by state law, is scrupulously protected, and cannot be touched or transferred by anybody.
So, these silly charges are baloney. Unfortunately, this man got the attention he wanted and has come to expect from the news, tarnishing the good name of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and of me. Some of our priests reported that people at Sunday Mass asked them, “Why did Archbishop Dolan hide those funds?”
Lord knows I’ve made mistakes, but “hiding” $130 million is hardly one of them!

This blog originally appeared on the Archdiocese of New York's website at www.archny.org on 2/14/11.

Feedback on this blog

By: tom ryan

Comment:

Bishop: If only 1/10 of the effort you bishops had spent trying to convince the faithful that the new translation of the Mass would

"help us all be better catholics, had been put into preventing priest sexual abuse we all would be better served.

Title:REALLY

By:Andrew Wesley

Comment:

I don't trust anybody in the church! I'm still scratching my head as to why nobody has been indicted from the Milwaukee Diocese? Too many priests in question and ZERO ARRESTS? REALLY........REALLY......

Title: Fiscal Integrity and Transparency

By: Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Comment:

In 2002, a group called “Friends of Weakland” collected donations to pay back the settlement money in full.

Title: credibility

By:Judy Lorenz

Comment:

Bishops have zero credibility. Lies and cover ups traced all the way to Benedict and John Paul II are to blame. Mr. Anderson could be wrong on this, but he's been right a lot! Catholics must demand structural change. Jesus would want us to.

Title: we hear you

By: jim1234

Comment:

You protest too much for there to be no truth in it...

Title: Fiscal Integrity and Transparency

By: Larry

Comment:

You miss my point -- the $450,000 was paid with diocese money, yes ?

Then after the fact -- many years later repaid. Why was it paid in the first

place ? That's fiscal integrity and transparency ? Who repaid the money ?

Or is that also a secret ?

Title: Fiscal Integrity and Transparency

By: Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Comment:

The $450,000 used in a legal settlement between the archdiocese and Paul Marcoux has been completely repaid to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Title: Groundless Gossip

By: Larry

Comment:

Rev. Dolan stated : " The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has an excellent record of fiscal integrity and transparency."

Oh really ? Was Rev. Weakland's payment of over $400,000 of diocese money to his former lover fiscally responsible and transparent

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