Vow of Silence: Catholic Archbishop Signed $450,000 Settlement in Sexual Assault Claim

ABC ^ | 5/23/02 | Brian Ross

[ibme]

Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland agreed to pay $450,000 to silence a man who was accusing him of sexual assault.

Paul Marcoux, a 53-year-old former theology student at Marquette University in Milwaukee, said the archbishop sexually assaulted him more than 20 years ago when he went to Weakland for advice about going into the priesthood.

Weakland, along with the archdiocese, later paid Marcoux $450,000 to sign a settlement agreement in which Marcoux agreed to take no further action regarding his allegations. He also vowed never to tell anyone. Also in the agreement, obtained by ABCNEWS, Weakland denied the allegations. The deal was hammered out four years ago by the archbishop, Marcoux, and their respective lawyers.

"I've been involved in the cover-up. I've accepted money to be silent about it," Marcoux told ABCNEWS.

Neither Weakland nor the archdiocese would comment on the allegations, but the archdiocese released a statement today, after the ABCNEWS report aired on Good Morning America. Weakland also asked that the Vatican speed up his resignation, which was already in the works because he had turned 75.

[Sir Gawain]

He also vowed never to tell anyone.

So does the priest get his money back now?

[eastsider]

Weakland also asked that the Vatican speed up his resignation, which was already in the works because he had turned 75.

Wouldn't want to lose that diocesan pension ...

[oust the louse]

Drip,drip,drip,drip,drip.....kaBOOM! This is still the tip of the iceberg in my opinion.I think more drips to come followed by the kaBOOM.There's still a big story out there waiting to surface.

[elfman2]

You do realize that this is an 'assault' on a 30-year-old male don't you…

[JohnMac]

It seems to me that the mid-west hasn't had as many complaints surface as they have in the east. Does the mid-west not have a higher concentration of Catholics than any other part of the nation? Are they better at covering up, or are there fewer pervert-priests in the mid-west?

[Atomic Vomit]

"Rembert Weakland????

What kind of a name is that? "Rembert" is weird enough but, "Weakland"? What from hell does that name mean?

[Random Access]

He also vowed never to tell anyone.

It was more important to get the money than protect others. Paul Marcoux is no moral guiding light. In fact, if there were others, Marcoux is just as guilty as the Priest. Marcoux should be arrested for covering up a crime.

[Quester]

You do realize that this is an 'assault' on a 30-year-old male don't you…

I noticed that too ...

[elfman2]

" What from hell does that name mean? "

I think it translates to, "You're going to be so harassed by girls that you'll turn gay and so harassed by boys that you'll take refuge in the priesthood.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Archbishop Rembert Weakland

[free eagle wisc.]

I think better at the cover-up. There are just as many perverts of ALL stripes as any where else.

[uncbob]

You do realize that this is an 'assault' on a 30-year-old male don't you?

sounds more like BLACKMAIL from a jilted boyfriend

[RicocheT]

It's time for the Spanish Inquisition. No joke, root out any priest or nun who is a sexual molester or has broken their vow of abstinence. Kick them out of the clergy. If the evildoer has broken the civil law in their molesting, report them to the authorities.

The Pope has got to start a real inquisition of the American Catholic Church as the present leadership is as nasty as Archbishop Rembert Weakland.

[chatham]

Does anyone have a master list with all the homosexual pervets in this scandal so far including their titles.

1 Bishop and 1 Archbishop today.

[RnMomof7]

One more for your scrapbook....ya may need a truck to haul this around by the time it is over:>(