Bishop places priest on administrative leave -- Posted: 2/16/2004 MADISON -- Fr. Gerald P. Vosen, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo, has been placed on administrative leave following sexual misconduct allegations, Bishop Robert C. Morlino said Feb. 15. The Diocese of Madison's decision followed a five-month investigation, which included an allegation made at a Wisconsin State Assembly hearing Sept. 18, 2003. That allegation was subsequently denied by the victim. However, a coincidence of allegations from several sources were made against Father Vosen in incidents involving two other victims. At least one of those allegations was found to be credible. After reviewing a recommendation from the diocese's Sexual Abuse Board, Bishop Morlino told Father Vosen, 69, the pastor at St. Joseph since 1994, of his decision Feb.13. Parishioners were told at weekend Masses Feb. 14 and 15 in Baraboo by Msgr. Paul J. Swain, the vicar general of the diocese. Bishop Morlino said the reason the determination of credibility took so long was the need to review objections raised by Father Vosen regarding the allegations brought forward. Father Vosen has denied all the allegations. The allegations against Father Vosen stemmed from incidents in the late 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's. Although the criminal statue of limitations has expired in each case, civil authorities will be notified about the allegations. After reviewing the allegations, speaking with victims and Father Vosen, the review board determined that at least one of the allegations was credible and indicated the findings as a recommendation to Bishop Morlino. Bishop Morlino's decision regarding such credibility should in no way be construed as a judgment of Father Vosen's guilt concerning these allegations. Bishop Morlino has appointed Fr. Lawrence M. Bakke, a former chaplain at Camp Gray near Baraboo and currently the chaplain at University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, as the administrator at St. Joseph. Father Bakke will be in residence beginning March 12. Bishop Morlino said he will celebrate two Masses and the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25, at St. Joseph Parish to pray with the parish family, for Father Vosen, for healing, and for God's blessing for the future.

News Briefs: Liturgical ministers day of formation PLATTEVILLE -- Liturgical ministers in the Diocese of Madison are invited to attend "The Liturgy: Yearning for the Encounter with God," a day of formation sponsored by the diocesan Office of Worship and hosted by St. Mary Parish in Platteville. The day will be held on Saturday, March 6, at St. Mary Parish, 130 W. Cedar St., Platteville. The focus of the day stems from Pope John Paul II's recent apostolic letter, Spiritus et Sponsa (The Spirit and the Bride), in which he calls for an examination of conscience concerning the liturgical life of the church. Registration and a social begin at 9 a.m. followed by morning prayer at 9:30 a.m. The 10 a.m. keynote speaker is Dr. Patrick Gorman, director of the Office of Worship. Breakout sessions held at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. will examine how participation in the liturgy affects everyday spirituality for lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, music ministers, and hospitality ministers. One session will address the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Lunch is provided at noon. An open forum is scheduled at 2 p.m., followed by closing prayer at 2:45 p.m. There is no registration fee, but participants are encouraged to pre-register by March 1. For more information, contact the Office of Worship at 608-821-3080. Catherine of Siena to be portrayed MADISON -- East Madison Catholic parishes are sponsoring Dominican Sister Nancy Murray, sister of the popular actor/comedian, Bill Murray, for a visit to Madison on her worldwide tour as Catherine of Siena. Sister Nancy has received international acclaim for her ability to transform herself into the 14th century Dominican woman who corresponded with popes, pastors, and peasants. Catherine of Siena, born in Siena, Italy, in 1347, was unafraid to speak her mind about the events of the day, the church, and the world. Sister Nancy received her bachelor's degree from Barry University and her master's degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University of Chicago. She will give her Catherine performance at St. Dennis Church, 413 Dempsey Rd., Thursday, March 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. There will be a freewill offering. On Friday, March 5, she will lead a women's morning of reflection at St. Peter Parish, 5001 N. Sherman Ave., from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Reservations are required and may be made through St. Peter Parish, 608-249-6651. Deanery hosts women's renewal day CAMBRIDGE -- East Dane Deanery Council of Catholic Women invites all women of the Diocese of Madison to a women's renewal day to be held Saturday, March 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Pius X Parish here. The theme is "Building Spirituality in our Busy Lives." Presenter will be Charlotte Duran, religious education director at Blessed Sacrament Parish, Madison. Cost is $10 which includes luncheon. Reservations are due March 5 to Ann Schroeder at 608-846-5350 or Donna Hutter at 608-423-3291.

Legislature: Bills on health care, legal services, rights

MADISON -- The Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) recently gave testimony supporting or opposing various bills or parts of bills in the State Legislature.

The bills address issues such as advance health care directives, access to legal services, conscience protections, and parental consent.

Advance directives

The WCC is one of several organizations lending its support to legislation to establish that a health care power of attorney executed in another state is valid in Wisconsin in most cases.

State Rep. Judy Krawczyk and about 30 other legislators sponsored the proposal, Assembly Bill 554. The Assembly Committee on Health held a public hearing on the measure recently at the capitol.

Durable power of attorneys for health care are documents by which a person designates another individual to make health care decisions on his or her behalf. These documents that provide such "advance directives" are increasingly popular vehicles for people to express how they want to be treated by medical professionals in situations where they have lost the capacity to communicate their wishes. In their 2002 statement, Now and at the Hour of our Death, the bishops of Wisconsin affirmed their support of advance directives.

Under current law, durable power of attorney documents executed in other states may not always be accepted in Wisconsin. AB 554 provides that such documents are valid so long as they are consistent with Wisconsin law.

In written testimony to the committee, WCC Associate Director for Respect Life Activities and Health Care Kathy Markeland said, "the durable power of attorney for health care is the preferred document for advance care planning and it is appropriate to affirm those who have undertaken the responsibility to plan for their care, regardless of whether an individual prepares their directive in Wisconsin or another state.

"AB 554 strikes an appropriate balance by affirming declarations from other jurisdictions while providing that all actions of health care agents are subject to the same restrictions under Wisconsin law," Markeland noted.

The committee took no action on the bill following the hearing.

Access to legal services

In recent testimony before the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts, the WCC urged support for Assembly Bill 616, which would require the state public defender's (SPD) office to raise its income eligibility standards for those who may qualify for publicly funded attorneys.

Under state and federal law, any person accused of a felony or misdemeanor has the right to legal representation. When poor persons are unable to pay for their legal defense, the court must appoint a defense attorney, unless the defendant waives that right.

Because of the shortage of SPDs, judges are frequently obliged to assign a private bar attorney to the case, at almost twice the cost of an SPD - an expense which is then picked up by the counties and paid through property taxes.

At present, a single person who earns $2.87 an hour does not qualify for a public defender because the income eligibility standards have not changed since the late 1980s. If the guidelines were to match those of the Wisconsin Works program (W-2) as AB 616 proposes, it is estimated that an additional 13,000 individuals would qualify for public defender services.

While AB 616 calls for the creation of 44.25 new staff positions in the State Public Defender's office, the long-term savings would be significant, since SPDs cost almost half of what private bar attorneys charge.

Speaking on behalf of the WCC, Associate Director Barbara Sella noted that in their 1999 work, Public Safety, the Common Good, and the Church: A Statement on Crime and Punishment in Wisconsin, Wisconsin's bishops recognized that our current judicial system leaves many defendants without access to impartial, independent, and speedy justice, even when their life and liberty are at stake.

The statement identified a number of principles to guide policies in the criminal justice system. One of these is that "Criminal justice policies and pastoral responses to crime must take special care to address and serve those with little or no money. Policies must ensure that justice is as accessible to victims and offenders who are poor as it is to those who are more affluent."

The committee has yet to take action on the bill.

Conscience clause

Assembly Bill 67, which expands various conscience protections for health care workers and is supported by the WCC, was approved by the State Senate by a vote of 20-13.

Under current law, health care institutions and health care workers are protected from employment discrimination if they refuse to participate in abortion or sterilization procedures. AB 67 expands these conscience protections to include experiments or procedures involving in vitro human embryos that will not benefit the embryo, including protection for refusal to use cells or tissue obtained from the destruction of an in vitro human embryo, or tissue and organs derived from an aborted fetus.

The Senate approved two amendments and the bill now returns to the Assembly for concurrence in the amendments.

(Wisconsin Right to Life supports the bill with amendments, but Pro-Life Wisconsin has pulled its support from the bill. Peggy Hamill of Pro-Life Wisconsin said the amendments have "weakened the bill at the beginning and end of life.")

Parental consent

The WCC supports Assembly Bill 635, which was approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The bill places additional restrictions on adults seeking to help a minor obtain an abortion. Under Wisconsin's current "parental consent" law, a relative such as an aunt or a grandparent may provide consent in lieu of a parent.

AB 635 restricts persons who may consent to only the parents. If a minor is unable to seek parental consent, then the current judicial waiver process may be used. AB 635 would also require that parents providing consent do so before a notary public to verify their identity.

"Unfortunately, the recent case in Milwaukee (where the mother of a girl's boyfriend posed as her aunt in order to provide consent for an abortion) highlights some of the weaknesses of the current law that this bill seeks to rectify," stated Markeland.

AB 635 was recommended to the Assembly Rules Committee for scheduling before the Assembly.

Conceal and carry bill

By a one-vote margin, the Assembly recently defeated an attempt to override the governor's veto of Senate Bill 214, which would have permitted carrying concealed weapons. Earlier, the WCC issued a memo to the Senate, urging it to sustain the veto.

"We most effectively foster a 'culture of life' by looking out for each other with care rather than eyeing each other with suspicion," said John Huebscher, executive director of the WCC.

Fr. Mazzuchelli:
Mass at Benton on Feb. 22 marks his life and death

BENTON -- The public is invited to a 3 p.m. Mass on Sunday, Feb. 22, at St. Patrick Church, 237 Main St., Benton, to commemorate the death and celebrate the life of a beloved pioneer priest in the tri-state area.

On the 140th anniversary of Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli's death, he is still remembered in the tri-state area for establishing more than 40 parish communities, building at least 20 churches, and founding the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.

Fr. John Norder, Cassville, will celebrate Mass, and Fr. Charles Schluter, Platteville, will serve as homilist.

The Mass is sponsored by the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, Father Mazzuchelli Assembly. A reception will immediately follow the Mass at St. Patrick Church Hall.

St. Patrick Parish held a special place in Father Mazzuchelli's heart. Benton was Father Mazzuchelli's home for the last 15 years of his life. The original St. Patrick Church, which Father Mazzuchelli built of stone in 1852, still serves the parish. He is buried in St. Patrick cemetery.

In 1993, Father Mazzuchelli was declared "Venerable" by Pope John Paul II. This is the first step to canonization or official church recognition of his sanctity.

Sr. Carmela Pierick dies

MADISON -- Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Carmela Pierick, 80, died Feb. 7.

Born to Emma and Henry Pierick in Highland, she entered the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation in 1953. She served in education most of her life, teaching in Boscobel public schools before joining the Sinsinawa Dominicans.

In the Diocese of Madison, she served as diocesan consultant to Catholic schools, 1965-69; superintendent of Catholic schools, 1969-79; director of continuing education at Edgewood College, Madison, 1980-84; coordinator of study and religious development for the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 1984-88; principal at St. James School, Madison, 1988-93; and principal at Nativity of Mary School, Janesville, 1993-95.

A wake and remembering service will be held for her at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the gathering space at Sinsinawa Mound. The Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Dominican Motherhouse at Sinsinawa, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 Cty. Rd. Z, Sinsinawa, WI 53824-9700.