Detroit, USA - The Vatican has ruled on nine priest sexual abuse cases from the Archdiocese of Detroit, dismissing one man from the priesthood entirely and prohibiting eight others from ministry and from wearing the cleric's collar.
The cases came to light as far back as the early 1990s to as recently as three years ago. Each of the priests has been on leave since allegations of sexual abuse surfaced, according to Auxiliary Bishop Walter Hurley.
The series of decisions from Rome brings closure to these cases, which already have been addressed by the archdiocese. Only the Vatican can impose a priest's permanent removal.
"The final decision ... basically confirms the original decisions made by the cardinal," said Hurley, who is Cardinal Adam Maida's delegate on issues of clergy misconduct.
Milford resident Ned Noon is pleased that the Vatican has taken action, but says it still doesn't erase the pain.
"From the standpoint of a victim, the damage is already done," said Noon, 55, who is active in the Detroit chapter of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "The church shielded these perverted men for years and years. And even though they may be defrocked, that doesn't mean there is full closure on any of this."
The eight priests permanently removed from their pastoral duties will be allowed to celebrate Mass in private by themselves, although they are prohibited from publicly presenting themselves as priests.
The defrocked priest, Robert Quane, 60, had been serving on a restricted basis with the archdiocese since 2000 after what the archdiocese said was a credible allegation of sexual misconduct with minors early in his ministry. Quane was allowed to serve as a part-time chaplain in Henry Ford Hospital and substitute in parishes when needed.
Just one of the nine priests had been criminally prosecuted for his crime because of the statute of limitations, Hurley said.
While the allegations of abuse may have come to the forefront recently, some of the incidents date back decades, he said.
The other eight priests are the Revs. Robert N. Burkholder, 85; Michael J. Daly, 56; Jude T. Ellinghausen, 72; Joseph P. Femminineo, 75; Robert W. Haener, 73; Walter J. Lezuchowski, 72; Peter J. VanderLinden, 76; and Robert F. Wyzgoski, 72.
Burkholder spent 30 days in jail in 2002 for two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct for incidents in the 1980s.
But in 2002, the archdiocese said "it became clear that it would be wise to further restrict Fr. Quane's service as priest." Quane was then placed on administrative leave and restricted from any public ministry.
Quane has served at nine parishes in Metro Detroit, including St. Francis of Assisi in New Haven, St. Raymond in Detroit and most recently as pastor of St. Ronald in Clinton Township. Under the Vatican's final decision, Quane still will be allowed to receive Communion and participate in Mass as a parishioner.
The archdiocese did not release information about the victims of the nine priests. However, news of the Vatican's decisions provided some comfort to others who have been molested by priests.
"I think it's got to help a little with closure," said Rick Hogan, 45, a Troy assistant funeral director who was abused by his priest throughout high school. "I think one of the things the victims have been trying so hard for is to get some sense of justice. For so long, it seemed these guys were going on with life and nothing was going happen to them."
The Archdiocese of Detroit reported last year that 63 Roman Catholic priests and deacons sexually abused 116 mostly male victims from 1950 to February 2004. The archdiocese paid nearly $1.4 million in settlements and counseling for those victims.
The majority of those priests and deacons have passed away, Hurley said.
Three other priests who were to be subjected to canon law procedures for allegations of sexual abuse with minors died in the interim, another was reinstated into the ministry and another had been dismissed, Hurley said.
Currently, the Archdiocese of Detroit is awaiting the decision from Rome on the fate of 14 other Michigan priests who are accused of sexual abuse of minors.
The age of the priest and the seriousness of the allegations are taken into account by the church leadership. The eight clerics who were allowed to keep their priest titles are either old or in poor health, Hurley said. Quane's age -- 60 -- may have worked to his disadvantage.
"If you have somebody who is in their 70s, they are really not able to begin any kind of new life," Hurley said. "Most people in society are retired. And the church is able to provide some level of supervision. And at a younger age, it is much more difficult to do that."