Church Sued for Abuser’s Transfer

An Orange man filed suit Tuesday against the Roman Catholic Church, alleging that two former bishops conspired to move a Milwaukee priest who had molested boys there to Orange County, where he is accused of sexually abusing more minors. In his lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court, Eric Nathan Paino, 25, alleges that Father Sigfried F. Widera molested him and his older brother in 1985 under the guise of tucking the boys, then 8 and 7, into bed as a favor to their single mother.

Widera, who lives in Arizona, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. He was stripped of his ability to function as a priest in 1986, shortly after Paino’s mother complained to the diocese. He has not been defrocked.

Paino is one of the youngest victims to sue during the church’s 4-month-old priest sex scandal.

“The only reason I’m doing this is because this needs to be stopped,” said Paino, a truck driver.

“Not just with Widera, but all other priests.”

Last month Paino filed a criminal report with Brea police, who have jurisdiction over neighboring Yorba Linda, where the incidents allegedly took place. A police spokesman said a preliminary investigation determined the that statute of limitations has run out on the 17-year-old case.

Orange Bishop William Johnson accepted Widera into the diocese in 1976, despite a warning letter from Milwaukee Archbishop William Cousins that the priest had a “moral problem having to do with a boy in school.” Both Johnson and Cousins are deceased.

Since Widera’s first Orange County accuser, an Anaheim man, stepped forward last month, diocesan officials said four others have contacted the church.

In Milwaukee, Widera was convicted of sexual misconduct with an adolescent boy in 1973 and sentenced to three years’ probation. He also was ordered by his archbishop to undergo counseling.

Now police in a Milwaukee suburb are investigating allegations of another sexual assault by Widera during the 1970s. The case will be reviewed this week by the local district attorney.

Orange officials said there was nothing in Widera’s personnel file about his criminal conviction, a statement corroborated by a priest within the diocese at the time.

The archbishop of Milwaukee “had told us [Widera] had gone through counseling and was declared to be OK and safe,” said Bishop of Boise Michael Patrick Driscoll, who was an advisor to the bishop of Orange in 1976. “That would never happen today. We were told that it would not be a problem. I’m really sorry. ... It’s a shame we put children in Orange County at risk.”

A spokesman for the Milwaukee Archdiocese said they hadn’t seen the suit and couldn’t comment.

Katherine K. Freberg, Paino’s attorney, called Paino “the poster boy to show why zero-tolerance [for molesting priests] is needed.”

Paino said Widera befriended his family, coming over for dinner, swimming in the backyard pool, giving rides on his motorcycle and handing out bags of candy that he kept in the trunk of his car.Paino said the molestations took place in the summer of 1985. He said his mother remembered a dinner when her young son said, “I don’t want Father Widera tucking me in bed anymore.”

She asked why, and he replied, “I don’t like the way he’s touching me.” Paino’s mother went to church officials, and soon afterward, Widera was sent to New Mexico for more counseling.

Paino’s brother still is considering his legal options, said Freberg.

In his nine years with the Orange diocese, Widera was at five parishes: St. Pius V Church in Buena Park, St. Justin Martyr Church in Anaheim, St. Edward Church in Dana Point, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Santa Ana, and St. Martin de Porres Church in Yorba Linda. The Paino family attended services in Yorba Linda.

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Siegfried Widera is the correct spelling, not “Sigfried Widera” as reported in this story.

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