Members of groups that support victims of
sexual abuse by priests on Thursday urged Belleville Catholic Diocese
Bishop Edward Braxton to give up part of his salary to help pay a
court-ordered $6.35 million judgment to a former altar boy.
Four
representatives of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, the
Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity and the St. Louis chapter of
Voice of the Faithful demonstrated in the rain outside the diocese's
chancery building on Third Street.
The lawsuit named the Rev. Raymond Kownacki, of Dupo, who was removed
from active ministry more than 15 years ago because of allegations of
sexually abusing children. Kownacki has said he will not comment.
The demonstrators reacted the
day after the Illinois Supreme Court denied a petition by the diocese to
hear an appeal of a lawsuit brought in 2002 by James Wisniewski, of
Champaign.
He won a $5 million award in 2008 that has increased to $6.35
million because of the accumulation of interest. Unless the diocese can
bring further legal action, possibly in the U.S. Supreme Court, the
amount must be paid.
Wisniewski's
lawyer, Mike Weilmuenster, of Belleville, said Thursday that he had not
received word from the diocese's lawyer or from Braxton concerning when
his client will get paid. Weilmuenster said the amount is secured by a
letter of credit and a guaranty bond.
Braxton could not be reached for comment. Braxton made the decision to appeal the original $5 million jury award.
On
Wednesday, Braxton issued a short statement that he was aware of the
state high court's decision and that the "diocese continues to express
regret for any instances of childhood sexual abuse by a member of its
clergy," and that it remains committed to its child protection policy.
Wisniewski,
according to a jury finding, was molested by Kownacki three decades ago
when he was a 13-year-old altar boy at St. Theresa's Parish in Salem.
"If justice has been served in this case," said Anne Harter of FOSIL, "it has not been by the Catholic Church."
Luke
Rheaume of SNAP said Braxton should personally apologize to Wisniewski.
The organization is headed by David Clohessy, of St. Louis, who issued a
written statement that Braxton should also reveal where all "pedophile
priests" reside in the diocese and visit each parish where Kownacki
worked "and apologize for Kownacki's crime."
In the early 1990s,
the News-Democrat published investigative articles that resulted in the
removal of 14 priests and a deacon for alleged sexual abuse of children.
Of those clergymen, only one, Robert Vonnahmen, was formally removed
from the priesthood.
A priest can only be removed with the approval of
the pope.