Report shows series of wrongdoing by Lincoln priest

Report shows series of wrongdoing by Lincoln priest

RESULTS OF ANINVESTIGATION INTO APRIEST STATIONED ATTHE UNIVERSITY OFNEBRASKA LINCOLNCAMPUS.ASSIGNED TO HELPCOLLEGE STUDENTSGROW IN THEIR FAITHAND TO ASSISTSEMINARIANS, THEMEN WHO ARELOOKING TO ENTERTHE PRIESTHOOD.BUT AS REPORTERJON KIPPER TELLS US,THE LONGTIME PRIESTINSTEAD USED HISPOSITION TO MAKESEXUAL ADVANCES ONSTUDENTS ANDSEMINARIANS.11.33.43 "IT'S ALSO ANOPPORTUNITY FOR METO APOLOGIZE ONBEHALF OF THECHURCH."ARCHBISHOP OFOMAHA GEORGELUCAS, WHO ISCURRENTLY THEACTIVE BISHOP OFTHE DIOCESE OFLINCOLN, WHICHINCLUDES MUCH OFSOUTHERNNEBRASKA, SAYS THEDIOCESE ISREMORSEFUL, ANDCOMMITTED TOSERVING THE PEOPLERESPECTIVELY ANDAPPROPRIATELYGOING FORWARD.THAT WASN'T ALWAYSTHE CASE.MONSIGNOR LEONARDKALIN WAS CHAPLAINOF THE NEWMANCENTER AT THEUNIVERSITY OFNEBRASKA-LINCOLNFOR 28 YEARS.KALIN WAS REMOVEDIN 1998 AND HASSINCE DIED, BUT ONWEDNESDAY, THEDIOCESE RELEASEDAN INVESTIGATIONINTO HIS TIME AT UNL.THE REPORT FOUNDTHAT KALIN ON AREGULAR BASISDRANK ALCOHOL ANDSMOKED CIGARETTESWITH THE STUDENTSAND THAT HE TOOKTRIPS TO IOWA,NEVADA AND TEXAS -THAT OFTENINCLUDED DRINKINGAND GAMBLING.11.34.14 "I WOULD SAYTODAY WE WOULDAPPROACH THENEWMAN CENTERWORK AND WORKWITH SEMINARIANS INA VERY DIFFERENTWAY."LUCASTHE MOST DAMNINGPORTION OF THEREPORT SAID THATKALIN ALSO MADESEXUAL ADVANCESTOWARDS COLLEGESTUDENTS ANDSEMINARIANS.WHICH WERE NOTILLEGAL, BUT VERYMUCH AGAINSTGUIDELINES PRIESTSARE REQUIRED TOFOLLOW.11.32.38 "IT WASDISAPPOINTING TOSEE THAT SOMEBODYWHO ATTEMPTED TODO A LOT OF GOODWHILE CHAPLAIN ATTHE NEWMAN CENTERWAS ALSO INVOLVEDIN SOME BEHAVIORTHAT WAS REALLYINAPPROPRIATE."LUCASWHILE THE PRIVATEINVESTIGATOR'SREPORT FOUND THATPAST LEADERSHIP OFDIOCESE KNEWABOUT THE LATENIGHT PARTYING, ITWAS UNAWARE OFTHE SEXUALADVANCES.TO TRY AND ENSUREIT DOESN'T HAPPENAGAIN, THE DIOCESEOF LINCOLN NOW HASA CLERGY CODE OFCONDUCT, AS WELLAS MINISTERIALCONDUCT BOARD,PRIMARILY MADE UPOF NON PRIESTS, TOCONSULT WITH THEBISHOP ON LEGAL,BUT INAPPROPRIATEBEHAVIOR BYPRIESTS.THEY ALSO NOW HAVEA NUMBER ANYONECAN CALL TO REPORTMISBEHAVIOR.11.33.34 "EVENTHOUGH THEINCIDENTS MAY HAVEHAPPENED SOMEYEARS AGO, THEHURT CAN BE LASTINGIN THE LIFE OFSOMEBODY THAT'SHAD THATEXPERIENCE."LUCASIN THE PAST, THECHURCH WOULDOFTEN KEEPINTERNALINVESTIGATIONSQUIET.ARCHBISHOP LUCASSAYS THAT'S NOWNOT THE CASE, BOTHTHE DIOCESE OFLINCOLN AND THEARCHDIOCESE WILLNOW BE MOREFORTHCOMING ONPRIEST MISBEHAVIOR.11.40.51"TRANSPARENCY ISGOOD BUT ALSO TOMAKE SURE WERECOMMUNICATINGCLEARLY WITH OURPEOPLE AND INVITINGTHEM TO HAVECONFIDENCE IN THEWAY THAT THECHURCH IS OFFERINGHER MINISTRY."LUCASJON LL TAGTHE NEBRASKAATTORNEY GENERALIS CURRENTLYINVESTIGATING ABUSEALLEGATIONS TO ALLTHREE OF THEDIOCESES IN THESTATE.ARCHBISHOP LUCAS,NOR REALLY ANYBODYKNOWS WHEN THATWILL BE ANNOUNCED.THE DIOCESE OFLINCOLN IS STILLINVESTIGATINGALLEGATIONS OFPRIESTS ACCUSED OFA VARIETY OFMISBEHAVIOR.LUCAS SAYS THEY'LLBE SHARING THAT INTHE COMING MONTHS.UNTIL THEN, THOSEPRIESTS HAVE BEENREMOVED FROMMINISTRY.