(SNAP) Plaintiff was raped at St. Phillip’s parish after Milwaukee archdiocesan officials accepted Fr. Bruce MacArthur’s transfer from South Dakota with history of victim reports and failed treatment efforts
MacArthur confessed to Milwaukee archdiocesan lawyers and officials on video tape in 2004 that he had raped children in Milwaukee and Beaver Damn for five years between 1965 and 1970
Dolan never forwarded confession to authorities although case could be prosecuted in Wisconsin
SNAP gave tape to law enforcement in 2005
Juneau county prosecutors have arrested and extradited McArthur to stand trial in Wisconsin
Caught in South Dakota before his transfer to Milwaukee from 1965 to 1970, priest was moved after Milwaukee to assignments in Texas where he was convicted of attempted rape
Perpetrator himself, according to court records in South Dakota, pleaded with his bishop to “take him out of ministry”
WHO:
Wisconsin leaders of the SNAP, The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests with childhood photos of child rape victims of Fr. Bruce MacArthur, including photos of the victim(s) with the priest
WHERE:
At the entrance sign of the “Archbishop Rembert Weakland Center,” behind the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist,
831 North Van Buren Street
WHEN:
1:30 p.m. Thursday, July 19
VISUALS/PRESS PACKET
A 20 minute video tape excerpt of Fr. McAuther’s 2004 confession to archdiocesan lawyers and officials will be distributed, as well as a packet of materials and documents detailing Fr. McAuther’s criminal history and the bishops involved in Milwaukee and other dioceses who intentionally concealed his crimes and misrepresented his harm to parishes and schools in at least three states.
Contacts:
Peter Isely, SNAP Midwest Director (Milwaukee), 414.429.7259
Mary Guentner, SNAP Wisconsin Leader, 414.418.3191
SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation’s oldest and largest self help organization of clergy sexual abuse survivors, founded in 1989 with over 7,000 member in 53 chapters.