Safeguarding All of God's Family - April 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the United States, April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Safe Environment Week begins April 3.

We can never forget the pain caused by priest-perpetrators who abused minors. We must also acknowledge that we bishops also made mistakes. With the knowledge we have today, it is easy to criticize decisions made in the past. The Church knows so much more today than it did 50, 40, 30 or even 20 years ago, when perpetrators were treated with therapy and counseling with the goal of returning them to ministry. In some cases, this happened and no other abuse was ever reported.  

However, even though I am confident no bishop would intentionally place a child in harm’s way for the sake of returning someone to ministry, we know that in some cases, the decisions to do so tragically resulted in further abuse. For that I am profoundly sorry.

Since the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People in 2002, no priest with a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor can ever serve in public ministry in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and none is.

My purpose is not to make excuses for past decisions; in fact, just the opposite. We must acknowledge our mistakes; learn from them; and look to ways to move forward focused on our future, with reliance on the message of hope and love given to us by Jesus Christ through his Church.

Out of the heartache and anguish of the clergy sexual abuse crisis, the Church has made strides in protecting children. I am confident in what the Catholic Church in this country is doing in the area of safe environment practices, education and training. In the past, we know mistakes have been made, but now we can look at our policies, procedures and practices and say clearly we are an example of what to do to ensure safe environments.  We “get it”…and our dedicated clergy, staff and volunteers at parishes and schools also understand its importance.

To continue us on a path of reconciliation and resolution, during Safe Environment Week, on Thursday evening April 7, I will preside at a Mass of Atonement. This Mass is another step on our journey of acknowledging our past and moving forward toward a better future.  

We came together in the 1990s as an archdiocese to pray for healing from the wound of clergy sexual abuse.  Over these years, individual parishes and groups have come together in various ways to pray and reconcile. However, now it is time to come together again as an entire archdiocese.  

In humbling ourselves, we admit the wrongs of the past, and with contrite hearts, sincerely resolve to repair the damage that has been done. We must face our sins , acknowledging the wrong and opening our ears, our eyes, and our hearts to hear, see and understand what must be reconciled. Atonement comes through Jesus Christ. Through him, in his loving act of sacrifice, we receive the gift of reconciliation – with God and with one another.  

This Mass of Atonement is another step of putting our words into action. No single statement or event can make up for the damage that has been done and the hurt that has been caused, but it is in Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection that we find the greatest hope.  

Please join me in prayer on April 7. The Mass will be celebrated at St. Matthias Parish, 9306 W. Beloit Road, Milwaukee, at 7 p.m.

May God continue to guide us.

Sincerely yours in Christ,


Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee