Dallas priest challenges transfer over background checks

Dallas Morning News ^ | 4/16/2002 | Kristen Holland

[sinkspur]

The Rev. Stephen Bierschenk has reversed his position and is now protesting his reassignment by the Diocese of Dallas from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Dallas to a much smaller parish in McKinney. But the diocese made it clear Monday that it had no intention of changing its decision.

Members of St. Thomas Aquinas first learned of the transfer from the pulpit on Saturday and are showing support for Father Bierschenk. About 500 people took part in a candlelight vigil at the church Monday night.

The parish's priest of 13 years is being reassigned for failing to comply with the diocese's 4-year-old policy of doing background checks on church workers within a time frame established by the diocese.

Bishop Charles V. Grahmann, who was at the church to take part in the school's eighth-grade confirmation ceremony Monday night, declined to comment on Father Bierschenk's decision.

Diocesan spokesman Bronson Havard said Monday the decision to relocate Father Bierschenk was firm, but officials haven't named a successor.

"Our position is that we have zero tolerance, and we are going to enforce the safe environment program," Mr. Havard said. "This is the decision of our bishops. It's not revocable."

Father Bierschenk wrote a one-paragraph letter to Bishop Grahmann on Sunday, saying that he had changed his mind following prayer and after talking to many parishioners. He had told the congregation Saturday that he would honor the bishop's decision.

"I'm not happy with this, and I do believe it's causing a lot of harm to the community of St. Thomas," Father Bierschenk said Monday. "Bishop Grahmann specifically said I had 30 days to come under compliance, and then there would be another audit."

He said he met with Bishop Grahmann last Tuesday and was informed of the reassignment on Friday by Bishop Coadjutor Joseph Galante. He is scheduled to start May 3 at St. Michael's, whose membership is estimated to be less than a 10th of St. Thomas'.

The Rev. Carl Vogel said the McKinney congregation was looking forward to Father Bierschenk joining St. Michael's.

"We're elated over him coming. He's got youth on his side and vigor, and he's a builder. He's just A-1."

Arch McColl, an attorney with McColl and McColloch representing Father Bierschenk, said the transfer was illegal under canon law.

"When a bishop transfers a priest for punitive reasons, there has to be a trial first," he said. "He wasn't given a trial."

He said the bishop had 10 days to respond to the priest's letter before a complaint is sent to the Vatican.

Some church workers at St. Thomas Aquinas were not given criminal background checks as required by the diocese's policy to prevent sexual abuse, officials say. According to documents released by the diocese, Father Bierschenk signed a Safe Environment Status Report on Sept. 4, 2001, stating that the parish was completing criminal background checks on all employees and volunteers having significant contact with children. He also turned down an offer for assistance in implementing the program.

The diocese's sexual abuse policy was developed after the child-abuse cases involving former Dallas priest Rudolph "Rudy" Kos, who was defrocked and sentenced to life in prison in 1997.

Father Bierschenk said that he first learned that St. Thomas needed to make changes on March 19 and that Bishop Grahmann gave him 30 days last Tuesday. Bishop Galante said Saturday that church leaders had intended to give Father Bierschenk 30 days to comply but decided to reassign him after learning that he had been incorrect when he told them that he thought the parish's religious education volunteers had been checked.

The on-site audit, completed March 19, said the parish business manager reported that the church implemented the Safe Environments Program in 1999. The assessment also found no documentation of criminal background checks, interviews, screening forms, reference contacts, acknowledgement forms or Safe Environment training for employees or volunteers.

Since Father Bierschenk came to St. Thomas, the pastoral staff has decreased from three assistant priests to none. He's the only priest at the 10,000-member church.

Father Bierschenk is the second pastor in the diocese reassigned within two weeks for not doing required criminal background checks. The Rev. Efren Ortega, a priest at St. James Catholic Church in Oak Cliff, was reassigned as pastoral associate at St. Edward's Catholic Church for not doing required background checks.

Staff writer Holly Warren contributed to this report.

[AdA$tra]

Hint: let lay people do some of the work.

If you can find enough volunteers that would enjoy a background check prior to volunteering.

[SelmerTS111281]

I doubt anyone enjoys a background check, however for the safety of my children, I accept it as necessary.

TS

[sinkspur]

I don't think the pope is going to can anybody. He also won't discourage anybody who may want to resign.

Popes and bishops have always been very reluctant to yield to public pressure of any kind, even in a situation like this.

I'd be very surprised if Law didn't try to talk his way out of trouble.

[sinkspur]

Hang around. I'm pinging slyfox, who is a St. Thomas parishioner. She's very vocal in her support of Bierschenk.

I'm sorry I missed his TV appearance as I am in Houston.

Attempting to go over the bishop's head is not a smart move.

[Slyfox]

Just for the record, Fr. Bierschenk was not lying when he told the bishop that all the teachers had had their background checks done. The CCD teachers found to not have their checks on file were actually public school teachers who already had background checks done on them. It was considered prudent to not waste the money to preform yet another background check on them. But, true to form, the chancery ignored that information when it was made apparent to them that they had made an error. Father Bierschenk was needlessly smeared.