By A.M. Kelley
Catholic Herald

Fliss meets with Hudson parishioners on Erickson case

HUDSON -- Bishop Raphael Fliss met with the parishioners of St. Patrick in Hudson Jan. 15 in what some hoped would be the end of suffering and the beginning of healing in the wake of a string of tragedies involving their former associate pastor, Fr. Ryan Erickson.

In October a St. Croix County judge ruled that circumstantial evidence pointed to Erickson as the murderer of Hudson businessman and St. Patrick parishioner Dan O'Connell and his intern James Ellison in 2002. O'Connell allegedly knew that Erickson had sexually abused and provided minors with alcohol. Less than two weeks after being questioned by police in December 2004 about the murders, Erickson hanged himself outside the rectory of the Hurley parish where he had been assigned.

Fr. John Parr from the La Crosse Diocese has been St. Patrick pastor since January 2005. In opening remarks on Sunday, he said that members of the Hudson congregation had been betrayed in body and soul, and the lingering anger, doubt, confusion and division left them looking for answers.

"We are going to do a dangerous and difficult thing," Parr said. "We will listen to one another."

In preparation for this event, Parr had selected a team of 13 men and women, to whom he referred as "a healthy cross-section of parishioners at large," to help get the parish functioning again after years of trauma.

"I wanted parish life to go on as normal as possible," he said. "I was out of my league. I had to make a start and do it quickly. I needed the wisdom of others."

The team held parish meetings in November and December, and planned and prepared the agenda for Sunday's meeting with Fliss. It asked that Fliss and Fr. Peter Szleszinski, former St. Patrick pastor, take responsibility for the mismanagement of Erickson, apologize, and outline preventative measures regarding the selection, training and supervision of seminarians and priests.

Szleszinski was also slated to speak to the congregation Jan. 15 along with Fliss but could not attend because he had been admitted to the hospital the night before. Szleszinski was Erickson's immediate supervisor when Erickson first came to St. Patrick.

Erickson came to St. Patrick in 2000 shortly after his ordination and had been the associate pastor. The two men had conflicts about theology, and about Erickson's teaching and interactions with the youth of the parish. In a prepared statement, which was read by Parr, Szleszinski expressed regrets at his faulty supervision of Erickson.

"I did not approve of children coming to the rectory," he wrote, referring to one of Erickson's objectionable practices. "I never anticipated such terrible atrocities."

Szleszinski retired one year ago but said he hopes to continue to work for the parishioners of St. Patrick in some capacity.

Addressing nearly a full house -- the church seats 1,000 -- Fliss gave a prepared speech and then answered questions from the audience. He acknowledged that he did not handle complaints against Erickson appropriately but on the other hand he maintains that he did not dismiss feedback from parishioners.

"I think I did listen in my way," he said. "I got more letters praising (Erickson) than condemning him."

As early as 1994 as a seminary student in Winona, Minn., Erickson received clinical psychological counseling following allegations of improper sexual behavior. No charges were filed at the time and he was allowed to continue his studies. In 1996 Erickson was again psychologically evaluated, then ordained in 2000 and assigned to Hudson. He was 27 years old at the time.

Following parishioner complaints in Hudson, Fliss said he recommended that Erickson receive more counseling and testing, find a new spiritual director and join a support group of priests in the Twin Cities.

With the wisdom of hindsight Fliss said he would do things differently now but objected to a newspaper editorial that labeled him a "criminal."

"I admit I've failed," he said. "I have to live with that for the rest of my life too."

Erickson left Hudson in 2003 and was assigned to the parish in Ladysmith and then in 2004 to Hurley. When asked to explain these transfers, Fliss said he was following what is a routine procedure for a new priest.

"A man is hoped to have two or three experiences as an associate pastor before being named a pastor," he said.

Fr. Philip Heslin, moderator of the curia, joined Fliss in answering the audience's questions. When someone accused the diocese's administrators of closing ranks and failing to cooperate with police investigations of alleged abuse, Fliss denied this but said that the priesthood is indeed a "strong brotherhood." And with any accusation it's natural for those connected by priestly camaraderie to come to the rescue of someone perceived to be receiving unfair treatment.

But at the same time, the point was made that it is diocesan policy to investigate all allegations made against priests.

Regarding the Erickson police investigation, Heslin staunchly defended himself against the accusation of non-cooperation.

"During police investigations I told the whole truth and nothing but the truth," Heslin said. "It wasn't a matter of holding truth back. We just didn't know Erickson."

And with that poignant revelation -- that Erickson's fellow priests never guessed the depths of his dysfunction -- Fliss said that it was not his place to judge Erickson's guilt or innocence.

"He's in God's hands," Fliss said. "There's been a proper investigation. A judicial decision was made and there was probable cause."

To prevent future harm to parishioners, the diocese's policies are being reviewed, according to Fliss, and there will be changes in administrative relations with seminarians, priests, parishes and schools. An external review board made up of laity and priests is also up and running.

"It's the role of the review board to process allegations and make recommendations," Heslin said. "To put us under surveillance."

Parr said there are no easy answers, no quick fixes for the problems at St. Patrick, but for the congregation to move forward and protect its children, a safe and trusting environment must be established.

"Day by day, week by week," he said. "There's no panacea, no program. It will take the common effort of all the people sitting here."

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