“With all my heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. In my heart I treasure your promise that I may not sin against you.” (Ps 119:10-11)

 

In January 2004, the Diocese of Rockford published a four-page report to the people of the Diocese of Rockford which outlined the history of sexual abuse of minors in the diocese, and our diocesan policies and procedures for reporting and addressing sexual abuse of a minor. 

 

In that report the Diocese of Rockford disclosed that it had examined its files dating back to 1950 and found that between the years of 1950 and 2002, allegations of sexual abuse of a minor had been substantiated against three priests of the diocese, and those priests were no longer in ministry. 

 

Many dioceses in the United States have decided in recent months to publicly disclose a list of priests of their dioceses, by name, against whom substantiated allegations of childhood sexual abuse have been reported.

 

As faithful Catholics, we have experienced hurt and grief and indignation, the natural consequences of the horrendous sexual abuse scandal plaguing the Catholic Church. I have heard and shared your anger. 

 

I am making public today the list (see box at right) of priests of the Diocese of Rockford against whom allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been substantiated. The list includes the identities of the three priests referred to in the diocese’s 2004 report. 

 

The practice of the diocese has been to inform the faithful when a priest has been removed from ministry due to a credible allegation of sexual abuse or other inappropriate conduct. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list, and the list covers the time frame of 1908, when this diocese was established, to the present. 

 

An allegation against a priest who had an assignment in this diocese but belongs to a religious order or other diocese is referred to the religious order or other diocese to which the priest belongs and is under their jurisdiction. That is our current practice. 

 

However, to the extent the diocese is aware of a substantiated allegation against a religious order priest or priest from another diocese who was assigned in the Diocese of Rockford or, who at any time served within the geographical boundaries of this diocese but was not assigned in this diocese, the name of that priest is included in this list. The list is not limited to priests, and includes permanent deacons and religious. 

 

Several of the priests named on the list and the allegations against them are not new and, over the years, have been the subject of public statements by the Rockford Diocese to affected parishes and the public, published information in The Observer Catholic newspaper, and other media reports. 

 

In some cases, names of clergy not previously disclosed appear on this list. That is because the allegations in their regard were reviewed in the process of compiling this list and were judged to be substantiated. 

 

Finally, the list of names will be updated as necessary, and will be maintained as public information on the Diocese of Rockford website. 

 

The people of the diocese can be assured that those clergy members who are ministering to them today in their parishes and schools and other diocesan facilities are doing so according to the diocese’s strict standards of pastoral and moral conduct. 

 

Publishing this list does not ameliorate the criminal acts of abusers. Our continued prayer is that victims of these priests find some bit of peace in seeing this list, and that all victims of sexual abuse find the courage to come forward and know that assistance is available to them.