1336 K Fri 24 May 2002
On Wednesday night in my Liturgy class we were given a copy of an article by Archbishop Rembert Weakland "The right road for the liturgy" in The Tablet in February 2002. One of his points was that
... Recent decisions by the Congregation for Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments evoke a new reflection on the restoration movement in liturgy. ...
Today www.cathtelecom.com mention Archbishop Weakland in reviewing the site www.webelieve.cc
... It reproduces comments from US Archbishop Weakland regretting that the desire for better liturgy has 'taken a highly polemical and potentially divisive turn' ...
It is surprising that they mention him in this context when there is a much bigger story about him in today's news. Reuters reports that he has acknowledge he made a financial settlement with a man who accused him of forcing himself on him sexually. The man, Paul Marcoux, says it happened in 1979 and that he was paid $450 000.
Archbishop Weakland's statement is on the Milwaukee Archdiocese web site:
I have never abused anyone. I have not seen Paul Marcoux for more than 20 years. When I first met him here in Milwaukee, he was a man in his early thirties. Paul Marcoux has made reference to a settlement agreement between us. Because I accept the agreement's confidentiality provision, I will make no comment about its contents. Because I have financial responsibility for the well being of the archdiocese, I want to let the people of the archdiocese know that through my 25 years as bishop, I have handed over to the archdiocese money obtained by my lectures and writings, together with other honoraria. Cumulatively, those monies far exceed any settlement amount.
Given the climate in today's world where the Church must regain its credibility, this situation would be an added and continuing distraction from that goal. I do not want to be an obstacle to that search on the part of the Church, which I will continue to love with all my heart and which I have served to the best of my abilities for these fifty-one years.
As required by Church law, I submitted my resignation as archbishop to the Holy Father on my 75th birthday on April 2nd. I have now asked the Vatican to accelerate its acceptance. I ask for prayers and healing.
Reuters described Archbishop Weakland as a "leading liberal in the church". He received considerable support for his position on the Milwaukee Cathedral in July 2001 (EWTN report).
I find today's revelations particularly unsettling.
Copyright J.R. Lilburne, 24 May 2002.
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