Funeral of ex-Milwaukee archbishop marked by prayer, protest

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Hundreds of supporters, as well as advocates for victims of clergy sexual abuse, attended retired Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert Weakland’s funeral, which was marked by an open acknowledgement of his mistakes. Weakland died Aug. 22 at age 95. He led the Milwaukee Archdiocese for 25 years before stepping down after a theology student revealed he had been paid $450,000 in 1997 to settle a sexual assault claim against Weakland. Weakland maintained the contact was consensual, but he also admitted in 2008 that he had moved sexually abusive priests from parish to parish. At his funeral Tuesday, the Rev. Steven Avella said Weakland’s mistakes were hanging over the ceremony. He says many people loved Weakland, but that some did not and their anger can’t be dismissed.