A suspended Catholic priest in Baraboo, Wisconsin, accused of sexually assaulting a Janesville boy in 2003 at the height of sex abuse scandals that ripped the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, says he is innocent.Gerald Vosen, 74, claims he did not get justice, and has made public his personal tirade on the sex abuse allegation and suspension from the holy orders through a chapter in his recently launched book, Pick a Number: Stories of Faith.
The Janesville Gazette reported that the church, which Vosen served for 42 years, didn't support the priest and immediately dismissed him.
"That was very difficult to accept after dedicating your whole life to the church. I'm convinced, in the eyes of the church, if you are accused, they're going to just take that and run with it," Vosen told the Gazette.
Vosen was accused by a then 26-year-old man of sexual assault when the alleged victim was in fifth and sixth grade at St. John Vianney Catholic School in Janesville. A church trial found him guilty, and has appealed his case in Rome.
Vosen in his book said that his accusers know of the church's large payouts to purported victims, saying that his accuser's lawyer asked for $1.1 million. He sued the man for defamation but a jury's verdict went against him.
To date, none of the alleged victims charged Vosen with any crimes on the allegations.
Vosen, who now lives in Merrimac, hopes that his book will clear his career, reputation and trust in the Catholic Church. He is still hoping to return to his priestly vocation, work in parishes or help other priests.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests or SNAP has urged church authorities in the Diocese of Madison to release and make public records on Vosen in the light of the book launching.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce
(Source: AHN)