Group Asks Archdiocese To Withdraw Motions

Original article
10/06/09

Church Moving Pedophiles To Other Churches, Advocacy Group Says

There is a call for Milwaukee's Archdiocese to drop its fight against fraud cases filed by victims of priest sex abuse.

Members of a sex abuse victims group called SNAP delivered a letter to the Archdiocese in St. Francis on Tuesday, asking it to withdraw two legal motions.

The motions argue bishops have a First Amendment right to move known pedophile priests from one church to another.

"It is unconscionable. We also feel it's an affront to religion to say that it is a bishop's right to do whatever he wants to with somebody who's a priest because he's a priest," said Peter Isely, member of SNAP.

The archdiocese released a statement late Tuesday afternoon that said it is involved in a number of pending lawsuits and will allow the court to decide all legal questions until all the lawsuits are resolved.