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Michael Krejci
In a vicar log entry for April 21, 1986, reference is made to a conversation between Bishop Sklba and Krejci in which the Bishop states: “In response to my delicate question regarding the occurrence with younger people at Our Lady of Good Hope Parish, he assured me that there had been no reoccurrence and that the stresses in the ministry at St. Gall’s did not seem to cause any problems in that regard.” The records do not indicate how the knowledge of an “occurrence” came to the vicar’s office or if, indeed, it refers to the sexual abuse of a minor.
In January, 1990, the periodic review of Krejci indicated that several lay men were living in his house, including a 16-year-old who had lived there temporarily.
In June, 1994, Father Derfus reported in a letter to Archbishop Weakland an incident of sexual abuse of an adolescent by Krejci. The incident had occurred in the early 1980s while Krejci was assigned at OLGH. Father Derfus said he reported the incident to Bishop Brust at the time, insisted that Krejci receive psychological counseling, apologize to the boy and his parents, and take no more camping trips with adolescents. He reported that the incident was widely known in the parish at the time and he was not sure if any others came forward to the archdiocese. There is no record in the vicar files that indicates such reporting and there is no record of Bishop Brust’s involvement.
In September, 1994, the Derfus letter was sent from the archbishop to the vicar’s office. Action was taken to confront Krejci with this information. Krejci confirmed the contents of the letter. He was sent for the first of a series of evaluation and treatment programs. Krejci was sent for inpatient treatment in November, 1994. He continued in various treatment programs until June, 1996. At that time he was permitted limited, part-time ministry with supervision and monitoring. After several years under this provision for limited ministry, he was assigned pastor at St. Theresa Parish, Eagle, Wisconsin, with the same restrictions and monitoring in place.
Krejci admitted to genital fondling of two adolescent boys (7th or 8th grade) while camping. An additional person came forward in May, 2002, to say that he, too, was molested. Krejci denied that report. The matter was sent to the district attorney and found to be beyond the Statute of Limitations. However, they did a summary investigation including contacting another individual who was allegedly molested. This second individual stated that on a camping trip with Krejci he awoke to find Krejci had taken the youth’s hand and placed it on Krejci’s genitals. Both were clothed. The youth said “no” and the incident ended. The youth reported that Father Derfus knew of the incidents and talked to the boys separately. He could not recall if there had been parental involvement.
In the course of the review of Krejci’s situation, the Eisenburg Commission studied this case. Krejci was informed of this review and signed a release allowing access to his files. The recommendation of the commission was that Krejci should either withdraw from his assignment or make a public disclosure to his parish. He chose the latter. Once the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter and Norms were issued, the situation changed and Krejci was asked to voluntarily step aside from his parish while the archdiocese studied the application of these norms to his situation.
In June, 2002, a parishioner wrote a letter to the apostolic nuncio complaining that Krejci violated restrictions on his ministry including no site monitor at the rectory and not always having another adult present when Krejci was with minors.
When it became clear that Krejci fell under the Charter, it was recognized that the first canonical action needed was to invoke the removal of pastor process. That process was completed and a decree of removal issued in March, 2003. Krejci took recourse against the decree and the matter was referred to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, both to deal with the recourse against removal and to present a request to conduct a penal trial.
In October, 2006, Archbishop Dolan was advised that the decree of removal of pastor was upheld and that a penal trial for Krejci could be commenced if Krejci was unwilling to seek voluntary laicization.
A canonical penal trial was conducted that resulted in Krejci being found guilty of the canonical crimes of which he was accused. He was dismissed from the clerical state as a penalty.