Wild---Past Tense

[4everwarriors]

Adios, hey?

[Gwaki]

Just saw a note from my sister there but haven't seen the whole thing yet.  Anyone have the whole context?

edit:

Dear Marquette community:



I wanted to share the letter below from Father Robert Wild, Marquette's 22nd president and chancellor, requesting his name be removed from our newest residence hall, as well as my response.



Father Wild has requested that his name be removed because he regrets not using his authority to do more to protect victims and prevent future clergy abuse. We know that when we stand behind Marquette's mission and Guiding Values, we have a framework to help us during difficult times.



May God help our Catholic community, both here at Marquette and throughout the world, come closer together to support victims of abuse and further the healing process.



Sincerely,

Dr. Michael R. Lovell
President

Marquette University



Letter from Father Wild to President Lovell and Board of Trustees

Dear Mike and members of the Marquette Board of Trustees:



As a Jesuit, Catholic priest, I am filled with sorrow and abhorrence at any incident of abuse committed by a religious leader. While those feelings cannot atone for what people endured who have been sexually abused, I still want to express my regret for their suffering and for the terrible wrongs done by their abusers.



As Provincial Superior of the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) from 1985 to 1991, I was invested with authority over all Jesuits belonging to that particular three-state region. During my six years in office, accusations of sexual abuse of minors were lodged against three of our members. Looking back, I would have handled certain aspects of those cases rather differently than I did then. The restrictive measures I thought quite sufficient to restrain the behavior of one of those priests, for example, proved in practice to be insufficient to do so. I very much regret that and apologize especially to those victimized for my mistakes in that regard.



In a recent letter to the whole Church, Pope Francis describes the sexual abuse of minors and other vulnerable people as something demonic and cites in that connection Matthew 17:21, where Jesus explains to his disciples, "This class of demons can only be expelled by prayer and fasting." After much thought and prayer, and careful consideration, I have decided that one aspect of the "fasting" I should undertake is to formally request that Marquette University remove my name from our new residence hall complex. Therefore, after careful discussion of the matter with Marquette University's leadership, I formally request that the University remove my name from the building that was recently named for me.



Sincerely,

Robert A. Wild, S.J.





Statement from Marquette University President Michael R. Lovell

Marquette University's Board of Trustees received today a thoughtful letter from Rev. Robert A. Wild, S.J., stating his request to have his name taken off of our new residence hall. I respect Father Wild's decision as laid out in his letter, and the Board unanimously agreed to honor his request. We are in agreement with Father Wild that this is the right decision for both Marquette and survivors of clergy abuse. The residence hall, which includes Ray and Kay Eckstein Tower and Wells St. Hall, will be known as The Commons. We have tremendous respect for Father Wild and are grateful for his leadership as Marquette's president from 1996 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2014. Anyone who knows Father Wild understands that he values the Gospel message of love and forgiveness and we move forward together as a Marquette community in that spirit. We offer our prayers for continued strength and healing for all survivors of clergy abuse.

[GGGG]

I am uncomfortable with the zero-tolerance nature of where this is heading.  I think it gives people satisfaction, but I don't think it helps to solve the problem because I think you are mixing up people who made a mistake or two, with people who engaged in a massive cover-up.

Regardless, I am sorry this had to happen for many reasons.

[4everwarriors]

Wunder watt itz gunna cost ta replace da signage, hey?

[tower912]

Father Wild initiated this as a form of penance.    This is not 'zero tolerance'.    I applaud his decision. 

[GB Warrior]

Father Wild initiated this as a form of penance.    This is not 'zero tolerance'.    I applaud his decision.

This and only this. Recognize the changing times and appreciate that this man reflected upon how he might act differently if he did it all over again.

[Sir Lawrence]

Father Wild initiated this as a form of penance.    This is not 'zero tolerance'.    I applaud his decision.

Agreed, and I give him a lot of credit.  Cardinal Wuerl should step down and his name taken off of buildings.   Along with Weakland on the east side of the Cathedral. 

[Galway Eagle]

Good students living in such a fancy dorm could never live up to the name anyway.

But seriously, I do applaud where his mindset is overall.

[dgies9156]

My esteem for Father Wild grew after this announcement.

Times change and if we apply the knowledge and the awareness that we as a society have today, we certainly would act differently than we did decades ago. I admire Father for recognizing that and trying in small ways to make amends for what he perceives to be a failure of leadership.

[GGGG]

Father Wild initiated this as a form of penance.    This is not 'zero tolerance'.    I applaud his decision. 

Ok. I get that. 

My esteem for Father Wild grew after this announcement.

Times change and if we apply the knowledge and the awareness that we as a society have today, we certainly would act differently than we did decades ago. I admire Father for recognizing that and trying in small ways to make amends for what he perceives to be a failure of leadership.

I agree with this too.

[MU82]

Thumbs up for the padre.

[rocket surgeon]

     i wasn't a big fan of father wilde previous to his statement.  that all changed just a few moments ago.  his announcement put a mega-lumen spotlight on the abuse and the cover-up by many within the catholic church.

[MUFlutieEffect]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2018/09/04/robert-wild-has-name-removed-marquette-residence-hall/1196283002/

[Herman Cain]

Wunder watt itz gunna cost ta replace da signage, hey?

My view is that this was a selfish action by Wild. All done to get himself on the right side of his bosses.  He has unnecessarily brought MU into a problem that his was of his own making. Now MU has to deal with the negative PR of his actions some place else ( sometimes the negative PR does not manifest itself overtly)

If Wild was a true good guy about this, he would have quietly asked MU that they move to a more generic name for the facility and to do it in a way that came off positive and with his support. The Press release could have said the name is now the Commons which reflects the wishes of Wild etc, could have all been done more intelligently and less about the man doing bad things and more about MU doing good things.

Ok Scoop Que up all the ad hominem attacks from the usual group...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

My view is that this was a selfish action by Wilde. All done to get himself on the right side of his bosses.  He has unnecessarily brought MU into a problem that his was of his own making. Now MU has to deal with the negative PR of his actions some place else ( sometimes the negative PR does not manifest itself overtly)

If Wilde was a true good guy about this, he would have quietly asked MU that they move to a more generic name for the facility and to do it in a way that came off positive and with his support. The Press release could have said the name is now the Commons which reflects the wishes of Wilde etc, could have all been done more intelligently and less about the man doing bad things and more about MU doing good things.

Ok Scoop Que up all the ad hominem attacks from the usual group...

Who's Wilde?

[mu03eng]

This is why you never erect memorials to living people. Just dumb

[warriorchick]

Who's Wilde?

C'mon. Anyone whose opinion is worth something knows who Wilde is...

[SaveOD238]

None of this would have ever happened if they had just named it after Father Naus in the first place.

[warriorchick]

None of this would have ever happened if they had just named it after Father Naus in the first place.

[Anti-Dentite]

This is MU and Father Wild trying to get ahead of a impending story, pure and simple. There is nothing noble here.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Who's Wilde?

Oscar sneaking in The Bird...

[GGGG]

This is why you never erect memorials to living people. Just dumb

A university naming something after a former leader is commonplace and rarely backfires like this.

[cheebs09]

This is MU and Father Wild trying to get ahead of a impending story, pure and simple. There is nothing noble here.

This was my thought when first hearing the news. It's not like this is a news story that just dropped that Father Wild was involved in. It's a relatively old story.

[4everwarriors]

Dey didn't no dis 2 weeks ago when Fr. Wild posed like a proud peecock in front of da dorm. Somethin's rotten in Denmark, hey?

[LloydsLegs]

We don't know the back-story of exactly what Fr. Wild did or did not do, and we do not know why he is coming forward now (whether as a result of reflection in light of recent disclosures or pressure as a result of a pending more specific disclosure of his supervisory actions or inactions or something else) . 

We do know (and Fr. Wild has previosuly acknowledged) that one of the three Jesuits was Don McGuire, a convicted, serial monster in this world of monsters:  http://www.bishop-accountability.org/assign/McGuire_Donald_J_SJ.htm. 

In all events, whether Fr. Wild unilaterally stepped forward or this was an agreed (with powers that be) action in light of pending additional disclosures, it is better to rip off the bandage now.