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	News Briefs: St. Clare Walk/Run: Promotes fun and fitness for all ages BARABOO -- St. Clare Hospital & Health Services, St. Clare Meadows Care Center, and the St. Clare Health Care Foundation's Pathways to Wellness Initiative are teaming up to host a 5K walk/run on Saturday, July 7. "The St. Clare 5K Walk/Run is an opportunity to get us all in motion," explained Jenni Beekman, St. Clare Meadows clinical dietician and chairperson of the event. "This is not a fund-raising event, it's a fun-raising event. We want to promote fitness in our community in a fun, interactive way for all ages." The walk/run will begin at 8:30 a.m. at St. Clare Hospital and Health Services, 707 14th St., in Baraboo. Check-in will begin at 7 a.m. in the hospital lobby, where each participant will receive a T-shirt and goody bag. The scenic course will wind its way past places that have helped shape St. Clare's heritage in bringing health and wellness to the community. Healthy snacks and water will be provided along the route. Early-bird registration (before July 1) is $15 per participant. Registration the day of the event is $18. Registration forms are available by contacting Katie Cowan, St. Clare Hospital and Health Services, at 608-356-1426 or Katie_Cowan@ssmhc.com or by visiting www.stclare.com Magdalen College Summer Youth Program at Durward's Glen DURWARD'S GLEN -- Youth are invited to come experience faith, fun, and friendship this summer at Durward's Glen. All those aged 15 to 18 are invited to experience two weeks of Magdalen College's Summer Youth Program. From July 29 to August 11, participants will live a common life, attend daily Mass and classes, go swimming, hiking, canoeing, enjoy sports and games, drama, music, and visit local sites of interest. What could be more fun than spending two weeks this summer with people your own age? Encounter the dynamic and life-changing experience of the Magdalen College Summer Youth Program. For more information or to apply contact the admissions office at 877-498-1723 or e-mail admissions@magdalen.edu To learn more about Magdalen College visit www.magdalen.edu Nominate someone for "Profiles from the pew" To nominate someone to be featured in "Profiles from the pew," download a nomination form (PDF file, 269 KB). "Profiles from the pew" runs in the Catholic Herald print edition NOTE: The nomination form is a Portable Document Format file (PDF), which can be viewed using the freely available Adobe® Reader® software. Many computers already have this software and will automatically open the document when you click the nomination form link, above. Adobe Reader is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Tribunal director:
Explains church process
in abuse cases

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- With the release of the final decision by the Vatican's Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in the penal judicial trial of Fr. Kenneth E. Klubertanz, questions have arisen about the duration of the process involved, the nature of the decision reached, and the relation between ecclesiastical and civil law.

	Related article: June 14, 2007 edition: • Fr. Kenneth Klubertanz permanently removed from priestly ministry

Jay Conzemius, director of the Tribunal for the Diocese of Madison, answered some of these questions in an interview. Conzemius, a canon lawyer, holds the positions of Promoter of Justice and Defender of the Bond with the Diocese of Madison's Tribunal.

As Promoter of Justice, amongst other things he represents the Church in cases of clergy sexual abuse of minors, the latter being viewed as a crime against the Church. As Defender of the Bond, he represents the Church in marriage invalidity cases.

Q. What is the difference between church and civil law in these cases?

A. There are several differences. I think most people do not realize cases of alleged sexual abuse by a cleric with a minor involves both civil and church law - since the allegation involves not only a question of criminal justice but also an ecclesiastical crime. An allegation against a cleric of sexual abuse of a minor would in most cases be handled first by civil criminal courts. After the civil system runs its course, the church will then handle the case for purposes of determining the cleric's suitability for ecclesiastical ministry.

Civil and church courts also have different rules of evidence. For example, in civil law, there is a statue of limitations for all actions to be brought forward. Church law has something similar to a statue of limitations, called "prescription," but we are allowed to derogate from prescription, that is dispense from this law in matters involving "grave dilects" (certain types of serious ecclesiastical crimes) which includes sexual abuse of minors by clerics. The church is most concerned about the truth being manifest from its investigation. I'm not a civil attorney but from my limited experience and understanding of civil law, it seems the civil system is more focused on justice being served than truth resulting from its process. I mean to say this not as a slight against civil law, but simply to illustrate a difference between the two systems of law.

Q. Why does the church reveal some details of the case of sexual abuse and why are some details not revealed?

A. The particulars of a case are never made open to protect the privacy of victims who have come forward and others involved. I have read how SNAP wants the Bishops to release priests' files for public consumption, because this will help victims. However, I find this statement to be disingenuous. Many victims don't want anyone else to know who they are or what happened. Perhaps the victim only came forward to help the Church know what was going on, so the abuser could be stopped and no longer be a danger to children. Some of these victims would have never come forward if he/she knew what was said would become public knowledge.

The U.S. Catholic bishops have made a commitment to transparency of the process used to come to the decision on these matters. In addition, the church does release the final verdict and the penalty. This information is revealed in order to protect children and to restore trust in the church community.

Q. Why does this process take so long?

A. There are several factors. First, the Church does not make known these types of matters or how it is handling them until matters are resolved and there is no chance for further appeal. The Church handles them this way because the truth is needed to resolve the matter and a non-definitive decision cannot provide the necessary resolution. Second, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) is "solely competent" to handle cases of clergy accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

The Congregation directs the local bishop on how it wants the case to be handled. Accordingly, a judicial decision from a diocesan panel of judges still needs to be forwarded to the CDF, which handles any appeals and ultimately finalizes the decision. Unlike civil law, there are no appeals after the final decision is made by the CDF, which communicates the decision to the local bishop.

Q. What are the priest's rights in an ecclesiastical trial?

A. The priest has an advocate, a person trained in canon law, who represents him throughout an ecclesiastical judicial trial. He can select his own advocate; if he doesn't, he is given one.

He has a right to review the allegations against him, name witnesses, and prepare a defense against the allegations. The priest is allowed to appear before the judicial panel and speak last.

The burden of proof is on the Promoter of Justice to prove the priest is guilty. The Church presumes he is innocent until proven guilty.

Q. What actually is being decided when an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is alleged against a priest or deacon?

A. We are not putting a person's whole life on trial. More than likely, the priest has provided many years of ministry and most of the people feel his ministry was good.

However, we recall that Pope John Paul II said there is no place in ministry for a priest who has abused a child. "People need to know that there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young," the late Holy Father said in an address to cardinals of the United States on April 23, 2002.

This statement of the Holy Father was given juridic significance in Norm 8 of the USCCB which states, "When even a single act of sexual abuse by a priest or deacon is admitted or is established after an appropriate process in accord with canon law, the offending priest or deacon will be removed permanently from ecclesiastical ministry, not excluding dismissal from the clerical state, if the case so warrants."

The nature of sexual abuse of a minor is extremely serious and when it is established that what actually occurred involves a priest or deacon, it means he is unsuitable for ministry - no matter what kind of support the priest or deacon has from the community.

Waunakee parish:
Building for the next 100 years

By Kat Wagner
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

WAUNAKEE -- As parish communities get larger and time passes, parishes are faced with the challenge of providing for the needs of their people in increasingly confined and aging buildings.

For St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee, meeting this challenge meant expanding their current church and school into a campus that will include the existing church, a new worship and gathering space, an office building, and the school.

The "Building a Community of Faith" process, which was begun nearly a decade ago with a long-range plan committee, continued June 2 with an official groundbreaking of the new church. The ground had already been broken for construction, but the symbolic occasion included Mass, celebrated by Bishop Robert C. Morlino with the parish priests concelebrating, and then a prayer service at the new site.

"We are a physical, visible church," the bishop said during his homily. "We have church buildings, and when we need new ones, we need new ones."

This particular new one will be completed in two phases, beginning with the worship and gathering space, located adjacent to the current building.

The new space will include a larger sanctuary - seating for 1,000, nearly three times the space the current church can hold - in an amphitheater style, completely handicap accessible.

The entrance will include a larger gathering space, as well as larger restrooms and storage. A new baptismal font will grace the entryway to the church, and to the side a small reconciliation chapel.

The larger space will accommodate the growing parish, which has grown significantly in past years. Msgr. James L. Gunn, the pastor at St. John the Baptist Parish, said that this growth was an important factor in the decision to build a new church.

With five Masses on a weekend to serve the parish, the new church is necessary to build a more cohesive community, he said.

"When you have five different Masses on a weekend, you have five different communities," he said. "And we're trying to bring that together."

The next phase of the projected $10 million building process will be an attached building that includes office space, rehearsal rooms, a fellowship and dining hall and kitchen, and a nursery.

The old church, built in 1886 and expanded in 1906, will not be torn down. Instead, to address a desire expressed by the community since the beginning of the planning process to preserve the old church, the building will be used as a chapel for daily Mass, weddings, and funerals, Monsignor Gunn said.

In the new church, "we're trying to build for the next 100 years," Monsignor Gunn said.

Diocesan Catholic women:
Gather for MDDCW convention

By Coreen Harvey
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

MADISON -- The 53rd annual Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) Convention was hosted by the women and parishes of the Sauk Deanery, with Coreen Harvey as convention chair.

The convention was held on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 22 and 23, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center. This year's convention theme was: "May Our Light Shine Today."

The convention opened on May 22 with the MDCCW Board Meeting, followed by a mini-retreat and time of spiritual reflection in the Bishop O'Connor Chapel.

Following hospitality hour, an evening banquet was held. The banquet closed with entertainment by the Happy Holstein Hoofers and their Moo Cow Revue from St. Joseph Parish, Baraboo.

The convention continued on May 23 with a continental breakfast, followed by MDCCW's annual meeting being called to order by Rita J. Macewicz, diocesan president. Commission reports were given by the chairs.

The dynamic keynote speaker for the convention was Jane Carter, of Oak Ridge, Tenn., who spoke on how to "Put PIZZAZZ in Your Parish CCW." Her "zip, zest, and enthusiasm" enlightened members to go back to their parishes and incorporate PIZZAZZ in their meetings and activities.

Her infectious gift of enthusiasm showed us that:

Bishop Robert C. Morlino celebrated Mass with moderators and priests of the diocese in attendance as concelebrants.

After lunch, members were able to select from several commission breakout sessions. Sessions included:

• Family Concerns Commission Chair Mary Stasek introduced Laurie Bohn from the Christine Ann Center in Oshkosh who spoke about the Shoebox Program. The Shoebox Program provides boxes of personal necessities for women who are escaping from an abusive situation.
  
  
• Family Concerns Commission Vice Chair Marjorie Mlodzik and Community Concerns Commission chair spoke about the Food for the Needy program in their parishes. The program is a supplement to the food pantries.
  
  
• Rural Life Committee Chair Ann Nelson showed a DVD from Bread for the World, entitled "Seeds of Change."
  
  
• International Concerns' Commission Chair Rita Meinholz presented speakers Serena Sato and Dale and Denise Breuer. Dale and Denise Breuer shared their experiences living and working with the people in the Kumasi Region of Ghana, West Africa. They donated their speaking fee to the MDCCW Donkey Project.
  
  
• Organization Commission Chair Barbara Agasie provided information on Leadership, Membership, and Fundraising.
  
  
• Legislation Commission Chair JoAnn Russell presented Bruce Speight, Wisconsin Public Interest Group, who spoke on Pay-Day lending and rent-to-own agreements that prey on vulnerable people. He also spoke about legislation related to these practices.
  
  
• MDCCW President Rita Macewicz, along with M. Elizabeth Tardola, Ph.D., education consultant, Evelyn Lompa, director of the Milwaukee Province, and Jane Carter, special guest, presented a panel discussion for deanery presidents, parish presidents, and presidents-elect on leadership and communications.

The convention closed with the closing prayer in the breakout sessions. Next year's MDCCW annual convention will be hosted by the women of the West Dane Deanery.