Priest Charged With Sexual Assault Of A Child At Catholic School

A Milwaukee priest has been charged with three felony counts of sexually assaulting a child tied to his time as a priest at a Catholic school in Wauwatosa.

Milwaukee County prosecutors say the Rev. Robert Marsicek, 75, had repeated sexual contact with a child, beginning when she was 6 years old, at St. Pius X Catholic School between 2007 and 2010, according to the criminal complaint.

Peter Isely of the advocacy group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Marsicek has been suspected of abusing children as far back as 40 years in other dioceses, and the priest should not have placed at the Wauwatosa school.

The criminal complaint alleges Marsicek would touch the minor’s vagina and butt over her clothing. The girl, who is still a minor, also described a time when she laid down and Marsicek laid on top of her and touched her breasts, according to the complaint.

Marsicek told a detective the child was “clingy” and “always wanted hugs,” the criminal complaint states. He also told the detective that the child would sit on his lap but that he told her it was “not acceptable,” the complaint reads.

When asked if he is aroused by boys and girls, Marsicek said, “certainly I’m aroused, just the cuteness and beauty of them,” but that he wasn’t attracted to the point where he would have sex with them.

The criminal complaint also cites previous and similar incidents with boys between ages 7 and 9 in California.

In 2013, Marsicek was removed from St. Pius X Catholic Parish in Wauwatosa, Wauwatosa Catholic School and Mother of Good Counsel Parish and School in Milwaukee. He has a history of questionable contact with children in his 12 years at St. Pius X, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The 75-year-old has served in parishes in California, Alabama, Arizona and Wisconsin, the newspaper reported.

The case should prompt the Milwaukee Archdiocese to release hundreds of files compiled during the bankruptcy proceedings that ended 18 months ago, Isely said.

“When this case gets resolved, what about the larger and more important issue about unidentified offenders that could be in ministry right now?” Isely said. “The reports of offenders in that bankruptcy court?. Where are those reports? Where are they? They’re sealed in federal bankruptcy court. They have not been looked at or examined by any law enforcement officials.”

In a statement from the Milwaukee Archdiocese, Chief of Staff Jerry Topczewski said, “Fr. Marsicek belongs to a religious order. The Salvatorians. He was never a diocesan priest or under the direction of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He served at an area parish. However, he was fully restricted from any ministry in 2013. Most importantly for people to know is that no priest, whether a diocesan priest or religious order priest, who has a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor can serve in any public ministry in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.”

During an initial court appearance Thursday, Marsicek and his attorney kept the right to challenge the criminal complaint. Marsicek was released on a $50,000 signature bond and is not allowed to have contact with anyone under age 18.

Marsicek will appear in court next at 1:30 p.m. March 6.