Thursday, January 20, 2005

Pressure on Archbishop to Send Priest Back to Iowa

Twelve new victims have alleged abuse by an admitted pedophile priest who lives near two schools in University City.

A spokesman for St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke says the archdiocese has been working hard for months to have the Rev. William Wiebler sent back to Davenport, Iowa, and that now those efforts will increase.

"Short of calling in the Swiss Guard, the archbishop over several months, has done everything in his power to get this guy out of town and back to his home diocese," said Jamie Allman. Church, or canon, law says that Burke has no authority over Wiebler, and that only Bishop William E. Franklin of Davenport can take action against him. "With 12 new allegations, the burner will be turned up," Allman said.

David Clohessy, director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a victim support group, said the archbishop should try [to personally ask Bisop Franklin to take Wiebler back to Iowa.]

What I heard this morning about this on one of the local stations is that SNAP blames Abp. Burke for not doing more about this. Of course, I am not surprised. Archbishop Burke is to be blamed for all the troubles in the archdiocese - IF we are to believe the local "pundits", which common sense tells us that we should not do. I suppose SNAP would be happy if Archbishop Burke hired some goons to grab Weibler, throw him in a trunk, and forcibly take him back to Iowa?

Source.

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