The following is taken from the website: http://www.companionsinhope.com/ All the words are theirs. They allege that there was more than a case of sexual abuse of a minor but a cover-up by the pastor in order to save a major expansion fund. The cover-up may have allowed a second abuse to occur and further cover-ups continued until 2009. The parishioners petitioned Bishop Doran to make the subpoenaed Campolbella files available. Funds are withheld by contributors. This is an unbelievable, never ending fight.
The following time line taken from the website is a good summary of the case.
Some historical facts about St. Peter parish and Geneva, Illinois:
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The Kane County Courthouse in downtown Geneva was the site of a campaign stop for John F. Kennedy during his run for the U.S. presidency. The same courthouse is now the site for the civil proceedings against Fr. Mark Campobello and Bishop Thomas Doran.
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The first St. Peter church was built in 1912 directly behind the Kane County Courthouse. The church has since been demolished for what is now the courthouse parking lot. The old St. Peter rectory, however, still stands and is currently occupied by the Kane County Child Advocacy Center which serves children who have been neglected or abused.
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St. Peter School was one of the visits made by President Ronald Reagan while promoting his plan for school vouchers. The classroom he visited was that of then teacher/later principal Debbi Bray.
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The altar of St. Peter church was blessed with the presence of Vicka, one of the visionaries of Our Lady of Medjugorie. During a spontaneous visit, Vicka briefly addressed the school children and teachers.
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Former St. Peter pastor Fr. Jim McLoughlin was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with several parishioners and other members of the clergy when the plane was hijacked by Lebanese terrorists. Fr. McLoughlin and others were held captive while others were released. All captives were eventually freed.
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Click here for a timeline of parish history from its beginning.
1997-98
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Fr. Joe Jarmoluk is appointed pastor of St. Peter by Bishop Doran to replace Fr. Jim McLoughlin. Jarmoluk was transferred from St. John the Baptist parish in Savanna, Illinois which is a small town near the Mississippi River, a two and a half hour drive from Geneva. Fr. Mark Campobello is a priest in residence at St. Peter while working at Aurora Central Catholic High School.
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Jarmoluk begins an $8 million parish expansion campaign for the renovation of the school and parish offices and the construction of an adoration chapel.
1999-2000
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Campobello abuses an 8th-grade student of parish school.
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The student confides in teacher Alison Ward about Campobello.
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Campobello begins abusing a 15-year-old female student at Aurora Central Catholic High School where Bishop Doran has appointed him assistant principal and spiritual advisor to students.
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Ward tells teacher Barbara Houston about the student and Campobello.
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Houston reports to principal Deborah Bray at the end of that school day and urges her to make a report.
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Bray tells Houston she has to think about it and that she'll get back to her.
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The following Monday, Bray tells Houston she decided her report was not valid because it was really "hearsay".
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Houston asks Bray if "hearsay" could be reported. Bray asks Houston if she understands that it could be gossip.
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ACC H. S. students complain of Campobello's inappropriate behavior at the high school, "chasing" and flirting with a female student.
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Campobello, who had taken up residence at Holy Angels Parish in Aurora, moves to Mooseheart, a Catholic orphanage in North Aurora, several miles south of Geneva.
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Campobello's abuse of the Aurora Central Catholic High School student continues.
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Bishop Doran pulls Campobello out of ACC mid-school year
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Bishop Doran assigns Campobello to St. Patrick' parish in McHenry.
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Bishop Doran sends Campobello to St. Luke's treatment facility in Maryland.
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Bishop Doran assigns Campobello to St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Crystal Lake, Campobello's hometown, with the title of parochial vicar. St. Thomas also has a school yet parishioners are not informed of any propensity of Campobello's to abuse children.
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Bishop Doran transfers Campobello to St. James Parish in Belvidere with the title of parochial administrator.
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Bishop Doran officially gives Jarmoluk the title of 'monsignor'.
2002
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Mother of parish school student urges principal Bray to look at injuries on her son's back after a visit with his father.
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Bray refuses and will have nothing to do with the matter.
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Mother goes to parish priest Fr. Simon Akan for help addressing her son's injuries. Simon refuses and says he can't get involved because of problems at a previous parish. Simon tells the mother to get help from a woman in the chapel.
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The woman in the chapel drives to the police department to report of what she had seen. They take the report. She then goes back to the school to inform Principal Bray that the incident was reported to the police and, as a mandated reporter, she had the responsibility to do that herself.
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Houston hears that Campobello is ministering at Mooseheart so she visits principal Bray in her office to ask her about that. Bray tells Houston that it has been taken care of and they were all "moving on".
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Bishop Doran transfers Campobello to St. James Parish in Belvidere.
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Houston ends her teaching career at St. Peter School.
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Houston calls Jarmoluk and asks if Bray ever told him about Campobello. He says that Bray didn't tell him about it.
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Houston informs Jarmoluk of all that she knows regarding Campobello and the student.
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Jarmoluk informs Houston that she was at risk of creating media problems and that others would attack the church.
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Jarmoluk reminds Houston about the current building campaign and how a child abuse report would hurt everything.
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Jarmoluk tells Houston that he had problems with Campobello when he lived in the rectory.
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Jarmoluk tells Houston he will contact the diocese and that Rev. Barr would be calling her.
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That evening, Houston finds on her caller ID that Rev. Barr had called but didn't leave a message.
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Jarmoluk calls Houston to inform her that the diocese would not take the report, claiming it was "hearsay" and that they didn't want to be involved in "gossip".
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Jarmoluk suggests Houston read the book The Courage to be Catholic to help her faith crisis.
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Houston tells Jarmoluk she would find a way to have Campobello reported.
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Houston contacts Alison Ward and urges her to try to get the girl to report since she was no longer a minor.
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Houston calls DCFS to report what she knows. DCFS informs Houston that Campobello is not listed on the database and that there has been no report of him.
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Jarmoluk informs the diocese of the allegations.
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Officials from the diocese (attorney Ellen Lynch, Msgr. David Kagan, Msgr. Eric Barr) interview Ward in the St. Peter Rectory with the knowledge and/or presence of Jarmoluk).
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Ward asks her interviewers if they are aware of a girl at ACC to which they assure her that has been dealt with.
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Parishioners are not informed of the allegations.
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Campobello remains in active parish ministry at St. James Parish in Belvidere.
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St. Peter victim hires an attorney and contacts the Geneva police.
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Geneva Police initiate and investigation which includes recording conversations between the student and Campobello.
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Campobello is arrested in Belvidere on charges of child sexual abuse.
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Doran strips Campobello of his priestly assignments after he is taken into custody.
2003
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Campobello pleads not guilty to the charges.
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The student from ACC comes forward with allegations.
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A Grand Jury indicts Campobello, adding additional counts to the original charges.
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In the discovery phase of the criminal proceedings, prosecutors request from the diocese it's files on Campobello.
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Judge Timothy Sheldon orders the diocese turn over the it's files on Campobello.
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Ellen Lynch, representing the diocese, refuses and asks to be held in contempt of court in order to appeal the ruling.
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Judge Sheldon holds the diocese in contempt and orders payment of a fine.
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Lynch appeals Sheldon's ruling to a higher court, claiming, among other things, First Amendment protections.
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The St. Peter choir produces a CD and travels to Rome to perform.
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The music director Jim Priovolos resigns and Jarmoluk hires Michael Pavone to replace him.
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Organist/pianist Howard Clark resigns.
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Choir members meet at a members home to discuss recent changes and invite Jarmoluk to attend.
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Cooler heads do not prevail, at least on the part of one individual.
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The majority of the choir quits immediately. Some leave the parish. Others leave the Church.
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Two choir members who work in the parish center are fired by Jarmoluk the following week.
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Bishop Doran "breaks ground" with Jarmoluk and Bray for the new school and parish expansion.
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Jarmoluk and parish finance council chair send letters to all parishioners, informing them of a "decrease in donations" and asking for more money.
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Parishioners communicate with one another about not giving to the diocese unless they turn over Campobello's files.
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Parishioner Frank Bochte calls diocese to inquire about the decision to withhold Campobello's files.
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Bochte writes letter to editor of Daily Herald connecting the decrease in donations at St. Peter with the refusal of the diocese to turn over Campobello's files.
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Jarmoluk calls Bochte and requests a meeting.
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Bochte meets with Jarmoluk who is accompanied by pastoral council member Ray Benedetto. Benedetto informs Bochte that Doran is a canon lawyer. Jarmoluk tells Bochte that he is hurting parish ministries, then pressures him to recant his letter. Bochte refuses.
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Jarmoluk spends 20 minutes at the end of each weekend Mass defending the bishop's refusal to release Campobello's files to prosecutors and railing into "the letter writer", claiming without evidence or debate that the letter was "full of falsehoods". Jarmoluk calls out several parishioners by name and asks them if they'd like their personal information released by their employer. He says he doubts "the women" would like their "height and weight" made public. None of the parishioners in attendance were under investigation of child molestation. Jarmoluk continues by claiming "the letter writer" had sinned by bearing false witness and warns parishioners not to associate with the Enemy. At one Mass is told parishioners that what "the letter writer" had done was "worse than murder". Houston confronts Jarmoluk after Mass.
2004
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An anonymous outraged parishioner contacts a Chicago reporter about Jarmoluk's speech.
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The Chicago Tribune publishes a column written by John Kass about Jarmoluk's speech.
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NBC Channel 5 reporter Mary Ann Ahern broadcasts an interview with Bochte about Jarmoluk's speech.
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Jarmoluk ignores requests by both journalists for his comment prior to printing/airing their respective pieces.
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Tables are set up in the church narthex after weekend Masses and parishioners are urged to sign a petition defending Jarmoluk's speech as they enter the church.
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SNAP has a silent protest after Sunday Mass and hands leaflets to parishioners urging them to contact civil authorities with any information they have regarding possible abuse at the parish. The flyer also urges parishioners to urge Doran to cooperate with law enforcement officials.
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Jarmoluk tells the parish, at the end of each weekend Mass, that he is postponing a planned sabbatical because "the parish needs me". He tells a story about a parishioner coming up to him and asking, "What will this parish do while you are gone?" In his announcement, Jarmoluk doesn't mention the fact that he had received a subpoena in the criminal case against Campobello.
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Rockford Diocese "passes" Bishop's self-audit mandated by the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
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Howard Clark comes across Michael Pavone's name on a Crimestoppers web site regarding a murder in Buffalo, NY.
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Clark contacts a friend who contacts an employee of the parish and informs her of Pavone's name on the web site.
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The employee assures her friend that the administration was made aware of Pavone's name on the web site.
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Pavone continues employment at the parish and parishioners are not informed of the Crimestoppers information.
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Clark contacts Crimestoppers and informs them of a music director named Michael Pavone working at St. Peter's.
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Pavone continues to work through all Lenten and Easter Services.
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On Easter Monday, Pavone is arraigned in Buffalo on charges in the 1999 murder of Keith Sutherland.
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On Easter Tuesday, parish communications coordinator Rama Canney tells the press that Pavone was fired "this week" for not being truthful on his employment application and then lying when approached about it.
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Campobello accepts a plea bargain in which he receives an 8-year sentence for pleading guilty on one count of sexual assault for each of the two students.
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Campobello is taken into custody without making a comment. Still nothing about the abuse is mentioned at the parish.
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Parishioners request and receive permission to provide blessed prayer cards in the lobby of the Adoration Chapel, requesting prayers for the girls who were molested by Campobello. A total of 150 cards are placed near the sign-in sheet of the chapel, which is situated next to the parish office with a window providing full view of the lobby, and one by one they are removed. One parish center employee is seen intentionally tucking the prayer card behind the sign-in binder and hidden from visitors.
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Jarmoluk is again asked if the parish could provide some kind of outreach to the girls to which he replies with stone faced silence.
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Since coming to St. Peter, Jarmoluk had always opened prayer for those in attendance to share aloud after the other intercessions. A parishioner prays aloud for the healing of the girls, the parish and the entire Catholic Church during weekday morning Mass celebrated by Jarmoluk. The very next day, Jarmoluk stops the practice of sharing personal petitions aloud. None of the other priests open the petitions, either. One priest told parishioners that Jarmoluk instructed him not to open prayers "because some people were praying for the wrong thing". Two years later, a visiting priest, apparently not aware of Jarmoluk's directive, opened petitions to which there was dead silence. The priest said that in all his years of saying Mass and opening the petitions, that was the first time that at least one person did not have a petition.
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Fr. Simon starts giving inappropriate homilies during weekday morning Mass and Sunday Masses. He accused the choir member who left the choir of having "little faith". He ranted, "anyone who thinks the bishop supports his priests are idiots". He judged, "Some people think they are Christians but they use the media and so they shouldn't even get out of their pews for Communion". He bragged, "Some people think they know about this parish but they don't and I do because I hear confessions here and they don't". At the end of one weekday morning Mass, he told everyone to sit down and then he informed everyone that there were people in the church who held a rosary of turned their attention to the tabernacle during the Mass and if they ever do it again, he would call their names out in front of everyone during Mass.
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Doran transfers Simon to St. Patrick in nearby St. Charles. In Fr. Simon's last homily at St. Peter, he gives a 45-minute 'homily' about himself and Jarmoluk, nothing about the Gospel readings. During his long-winded speech, Simon claims Jarmoluk is the only priest he's met in the diocese who thinks he can "eat with a fork and knife". He also asks in his speech for anyone he has offended to forgive him without reaching out to them personally which would be in accordance to Catholic Christian teaching. There are several special collections/distributions at the Mass and a reception afterward. One parishioner gives a card with a check to Simon. Several weeks later, Simon sends the card back to the woman with the words, "You are the most vicious woman I know" hand written on the envelope.
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The 2nd Appellate Court rejects against the diocese's argument, ruling the First Amendment does not allow entities from cooperating with law enforcement agencies in criminal matters and that conversations between clergymen do not have the same protections as sacramental confessions.
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Judge Sheldon orders the diocese to turn over Campobello's files.
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The diocese again refuses, arguing the files are no longer relevant since the plea of Campobello.
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Sheldon allows the diocese to keep its files on Campobello in the vault with the others.
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St. Peter victim files a civil suit against Campobello and Doran as bishop of the Rockford Diocese.
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The ACC victim files a civil suit against Campobello and Doran as bishop. The girls share the same attorney.
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The Daily Herald publishes an front-page article which includes comments from Alison Ward and Barb Houston. The article indicates the diocese probably knew about Campobello's propensity to abuse and kept him in parish ministry.
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Jarmoluk is heard at the parish yelling "I'll have her house!".
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Teacher questions Jarmoluk about article in the Daily Herald after weekday morning Mass.
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Jarmoluk refuses to answer questions and suggests the teacher consider resigning.
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Parishioner who oversees this exchange in the church narthex calls Jarmoluk at the parish and gets his voice mail on which she leaves a message expressing her shock and disappointment in his conduct in the Narthex toward one of his teachers. He never gets back with her.
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The parishioner then calls the diocese and speaks to an employee who suggest she write a letter to the bishop about it.
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Having had the bishop ignore signed letters she has previously mailed him, the parishioner then writes to members of the pastoral council and others close to the pastor with a complaint of misconduct on the part of Jarmoluk against the teacher.
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Jarmoluk shows up at the workplace of the parishioner the day his council members and others receive her letter, though he says nothing to her about the letter verbally.
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Diocese (attorney Ellen Lynch and Sr. Patricia Downey) fires teacher Alison Ward two weeks after Ward is quoted in the Daily Herald. The diocese claims to Ward that she is being fired for not reporting the abuse.
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Judge rules diocese can keep files from criminal investigators.
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Parishioner who wrote to diocese and pastoral council is told by parish religious education director John Lamperis that she can no longer teach religious education at the parish because of the letter she wrote to pastoral council members.
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Lamperis recruits a non-parishioner to teach the third-grade class the other parishioner had signed up to teach.
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Lamperis admits that he has non-parishioners teach religious education.
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Lamperis admits that he is unsure if all of the religious education teachers are Roman Catholic.
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Simon pulls his car in front of the house of the parishioner who wrote the pastoral council members. As she approaches his car, he drives off.
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Simon keeps returning to St. Peter. He shows up in the morning and tells the priest assigned to celebrate Mass that he will do it instead.
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During one weekday morning Mass, Simon speaks of his telephone conversation with Jarmoluk who was on vacation. Simon explains that Jarmoluk inquired as to how everything was going at the parish. (At this point, Simon is assigned to St. Patrick, not St. Peter.) Simon goes on to say that he told Jarmoluk everything was good because he "almost kicked a couple of people out of the parish". Simon is laughing when he tells this story.
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Simon is directed by the diocese to stay away from St. Peter parish.
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Campobello's victims' attorney seeks records of 33 priests from the Rockford Diocese.
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Diocese offers to settle lawsuits with two of Campobello's victims.
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Group of parishioners, along with member of the Rockford Chapter of Voice of the Faithful, hold a candlelight vigil at Peck Farm in Geneva for Campobello's victims and all others who suffer from abuse.
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Diocese fight the release of audio tapes of Campobello recorded by the St. Peter victims and the Geneva Police Department.
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Bishop's attorney, Ellen Lynch, criticizes victims' attorney for not accepting her offers to settle the case.
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Michael Pavone is found guilty by a New York jury and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
2005
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Victims' attorney expresses frustration as the diocese continues to "stonewall" and "drag it's feet" in the civil case.
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Rockford Diocese 'passes' another Gavin Group audit in which victims. The two girls abused by Campobello are not counted as victims in the audit. They were not counted in the 2003 or 2004 audits, either. To date, there is no record in any audit of the Rockford Diocese of Campobello's two victims, even though he pled guilty and is now incarcerated. Numerous calls to the Rockford Diocese to inquire about why the girls haven't been counted have been ignored.
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Diocese fights release of files in civil case.
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Simon returns to St. Peter parish to celebrate Sunday evening Mass the weekend Jarmoluk leaves on his sabbatical to Australia. Simon asks the Knights of Columbus for monetary help for his mother's medical expenses. The K of C sponsor a spaghetti dinner which raises $14,000 cash for Simon. The dinner is heavily advertised at St. Peter and most of the volunteers are parishioners of St. Peter, the parish in which the bishop had ordered Simon no contact.
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Dave Huen of the Daily Herald writes in his column that Fr. Simon was spending his vacation in "exotic" Geneva at St. Peter parish because of his love for celebrating Mass there. Huen was apparently unaware of the bishop's order. Jarmoluk, claimed to have no knowledge of the order. The diocese insists Jarmoluk was well aware of it at the time.
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Former choir director Michael Pavone is sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
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Civil case judge rules on the release of Campobello's files. First they are ordered sealed. Later, the diocese is ordered to hand them over to the judge to review, though are ordered sealed from public view.
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Civil case judge issues a gag order in the case.
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Jarmoluk's personal attorney, Canice Rice, files complaints at the workplace of Frank Bochte, at the Geneva Mayor's Office, with the State's Attorney's Office, and with the Geneva Police Department. In all cases, either the complaint failed to meet the threshold to merit an investigation or an investigation was done and the complaint was found to have no merit.
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Jarmoluk dismisses parish respect life coordinator who criticized the parish's lack of prayer for, and outreach toward, Campobello's victims and parishioners. He suddenly starts approving committee projects and activities that he rejected under her leadership such as bulletin inserts, lawn crosses, and a parish garden.
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Rice sends multiple copies of letters under separate cover to parishioners and newspaper editors demanding they recant statements that were made and threatening "financial peril" if they don't.
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The Rockford Diocese puts out a new brochure on responding to suspicions of child abuse. The hotline number to call in the new brochure is the telephone number to the Rockford Diocese in which any caller would get an answering machine any time of day. No where on the new brochure lists the telephone number for DCFS.
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Alison Ward sues the Rockford Diocese for wrongful termination and the dioceses agrees to a settlement with Ward.
2006
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Rockford Diocese "passes" another self-audit. Basically, the Gavin Group asks employees of the diocese if they are complying with the Charter and the employees say "yes" and a passing grade is awarded. No victims, witnesses, or parishioners who have publicly criticized the diocese's response to abuse allegations are asked for comments and no other attempts are made to verify that what employees of the diocese say is factual. This system of auditing was adopted by the bishops.
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The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops advertise for a new auditing firm to replace The Gavin Group.
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Former St. Peter music director Michael Pavone passes away while incarcerated in the state of New York.
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Jarmoluk signs all of the teaching contracts for the 2006/07 school year, except for the veteran teacher who expressed concern of the parishes handling of the abuse allegations. School parents call the diocese and demand the teacher's contract by renewed immediately. The diocese directs Jarmoluk to sign the teacher's contract and he does so but only after first writing "with reservation" on it.
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The Rockford Diocese quietly settles with Alison Ward. Jarmoluk had renewed Ward's contract after knowing she did not mandate report suspicions of child abuse. Lynch and Downey fired her only after she spoke to the media. A mediator had previously judged she is entitled to unemployment compensation by the diocese.
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Robert Serrini from New York claims to be filming a documentary about the Campobello case. Two parishioners speak with him outside the courthouse the day of the Rockford/Ward settlement. Serrini gives each parishioner his business card.
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Serrini turns out to be a hotel worker who enters film contests for kicks and monetary prizes. His pseudo-film company is called CTLNYC which stands for Cross The Line New York City.
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On his myspace.com page, Serrini brags about filming pornographic mockumentaries and taking a pornography course at University of California at Santa Barbara.
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Serrini writes on myspace that he was "contracted" to film a documentary about Jarmoluk and an alleged "conspiracy" against him by the mayor, police department, state's attorney's office, and an FBI agent. The title of the alleged documentary is "Forsaken: A monsignor's fight to save his faith".
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CTL - supported by Jarmoluk, his attorney and his followers - starts a message board and a radio show on which the majority of comments are personal attacks on the victims and others who have publicly supported them.
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The remaining comments are highly complimentary of Jarmoluk to point of one anonymous post saying "Fr. Joe is Truth".
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All of the comments by Jarmoluk's supporters are posted anonymously on the message board. Several supporters of the victims post using their real names.
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Bishop Doran places two precepts on Jarmoluk and directs him to fire his attorney, stop the filming of the 'documentary', and reach out to those parishioners whom he has offended.
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Jarmoluk sends a letter out to some but not all parishioners, writing about forgiveness and announcing a 'liturgy of healing' at the parish.
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Jarmoluk did not send the 'letter of forgiveness' to six registered members of the parish who had publicly expressed support for the victims.
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Followers of Jarmoluk anonymously announce on the CTLNYC message board a boycott of the liturgy of forgiveness and exchanged plans to meet in the Adoration Chapel during service.
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The same followers exchange plans to attend the Geneva city council meeting in order to confront Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns regarding comments he had made to the press.
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Parishioner Kim Koechley reads a statement about Jarmoluk and St. Peter at the end of the meeting.
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Burns and council agree that Koechley's statement is unrelated to city business and adjourn the meeting.
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Followers of Jarmoluk groan and jeer from their seats. Parishioner Maureen Pott yells out to the mayor from her seat without raising her hand or being recognized by the mayor or any other council member.
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Burns invites anyone with questions or concerns to meet him on the public sidewalk after the close of the meeting.
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Followers of Jarmoluk surround Burns and several - including parishioners Pott, Koechley, and Bob McQuillan - voice their complaints to Burns, question him, and defend Jarmoluk.
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None of the followers acknowledge their anonymous participation on the CTL message board. Koechley and McQuillan each claim to have posted one comment on the board using their real names.
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There is an anonymous post on the the CTL message board claiming that Jarmoluk will be deposed soon in the civil case. This post came from either a supporter of Jarmoluk, Jarmoluk's attorney, or Jarmoluk himself.
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Supporters of Jarmoluk begin aggressively taunting and verbally assaulting other parishioners before, during, and after 8:30 am weekday Masses. A complaint is made against Cat Richter, Debbie Nelson, Kim Koechley, and Angela Pavelich with the Geneva Police Department after one assault and an investigation is conducted.
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Bill Pott waits in the Narthex while other parishioners enter the church for Mass. He remains in the Narthex even after the start of Mass. He shakes his fingers and says "Shame on you" when a certain parishioner, but not all parishioners, enter after the start of Mass. Geneva Police officers interview Pott and Jarmoluk and advise Pott to discontinue that type of behavior.
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St. Peter parishioner Debbie Nelson continually tells others, "You can leave now" as they gather in the narthex after 8:30 weekday Mass. She opens the door, looks at them, and tries to wave them out of the narthex.
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Jarmoluk submits a letter he claims to have written to the editors of various newspapers. It is a lengthy letter about showing respect for the dignity of human persons. It is unknown the last time Jarmoluk spoke from the pulpit regarding any of the issues his letters addressed. The letter is posted in it's entirety approximately ten times on his followers' message board. A few of his followers are current members of the parish respect life committee. One poster called the letter and/or the pastor 'genius'.
2007
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Rice files motions to the judge in the civil case in an attempt to prevent Jarmoluk from being deposed or providing any documentation to the victims' attorney. In his motion, Rice requests that if Jarmoluk must be deposed, that his deposition not be videotaped and that the victims' attorney not be present.
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Judge Keith Brown strikes down the majority of Rice's arguments and rules that Jarmoluk will be deposed, that the victims' attorney will be present, and that the deposition will be videotaped.
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Weekend collection at St. Peter totals $18,087 after a front-page headline about Jarmoluk's attempt to be excused from his scheduled deposition. In 2003, the weekly collection goal was $36,000 "just to break even".
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Select parishioners of Jarmoluk's former parish, St. John the Baptist in Savanna, receive invitations to attend a benefit to raise funds for Jarmoluk due to his "financial problems" and/or "medical problems". The diocese confirms with a caller that all diocesan priests are covered with health insurance provided by the diocese. The diocese claims to be unaware of any financial troubles Jarmoluk is experiencing.
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Parishioners Angela Pavelich, Paul Schneider, and Debbi Nelson write separate letters to the Kane County Chronicle, each of which deny Jarmoluk's attempt to excuse himself from his scheduled deposition. They also accuse the Chronicle and Frank Bochte of misrepresenting the point of the court filings and of "attacking" Jarmoluk. Bochte had a letter printed in the Chronicle in which he advised Jarmoluk to rid himself of Rice and to show up for his deposition, to tell the truth and "be done with it".
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Jarmoluk kicks off another fundraising campaign, this one called "Upon this Rock". The "challenge goal" of this campaign is $3.2 million. Meanwhile, the collections for the weekend of February 17/18 was $18,940, one of the lowest collections in recent years at the parish.
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A hearing is conducted in Judge Keith Brown's courtroom regarding motions Jarmoluk's attorney Rice had filed earlier. Judge Brown strikes down all of Rice's motion. Rice then insinuates at the hearing that Brown had a conversation outside of court with the victims' attorney and that he is biased. Brown then threatens Rice with a charge of contempt of court if he says another word.
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About 15 of Jarmoluk's followers who had attended the Thursday morning hearing meet at Geneva restaurant Villa Verone to pose and speak before the press.
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The following Sunday, a bus is parked in the St. Peter parking lot in time for 11 am Mass, celebrated by Jarmoluk. The bus contains parishioners from St. John the Baptist Parish in Savanna, Illinois which is the parish Jarmoluk was transferred from in 1997.
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A fundraising benefit is held later that day at the Villa Verone to help raise funds for Jarmoluk's "legal fees". Select St. Peter parishioners were mailed invitations to this benefit and the parishioners from the bus from Savanna also attended.
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A couple of Geneva residents, including a child, are spotted wearing "I'm an FOFJ (Follower of Father Joe)" buttons.
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Angela Pavelich, Debbie Nelson, Maureen Pott, Paul Schneider and Donna Schneider write letters to local newspapers expressing their love and support for Jarmoluk.
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Debbie Nelson continues to harass parishioners in the narthex after 8:30 weekday Masses. She tails others, stares at them, and motions for them to leave. One morning, she stood right up against the back of an elderly parishioner, pretending to read the bulletin. The following morning, she put her face within inches of the same parishioner who then had trouble breathing and others feared she might collapse. The other called on Fr. Max who had said Mass and was nearby to please intervene to which Fr. Max responded, "I don't want to get involved". Fr. Max has since been transferred from St. Peter to a parish in Woodstock, Illinois.
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Bill Pott, who had been advised by Geneva police officers to leave other parishioners alone, continues to harass others in the Narthex of the church.
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A complaint was made to the Rockford Diocese for the violations of the Rockford Diocese Code of Conduct by several volunteers at St. Peter Parish. Bill Pott, Maureen Pott, Debbie Nelson, and Angela Pavelich were all named in the complaint. According to the Code of Conduct, harassment and intimidation are prohibited and volunteers are required to sign an acknowledgement form each year. Penalties for breaking the code include being dismissed from their respective ministries.
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The Rockford Diocese agrees to pay the two victims of Fr. Mark Campobello $2.2 million. The agreement, in effect, dismisses the civil case against the diocese.
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Collections at the parish continue to dwindle. The weekend of May 19/20 brought in a total of $17,736. The following weekend collections totaled $19,350. These numbers are about HALF of what St. Peter Parish would be expected to collect each weekend. Even the monthly Parish Pay decreased from April to May by over six thousand dollars.
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Several internet bloggers/journalists, including Matt Abbott, Fred Martinez, and Rev. Randy Kanipe give mention to the "Forsaken Documentary" featuring Jarmoluk in their posts or articles. The folks behind CTLNYC seem to be contacting every Catholic in the nation trying to drum up support for their phantom project.
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Persons representing CTLNYC show up at the parish Barn Sale Fundraiser with cameras. They approach barn sale attendees, including children, and ask them questions on camera, including what kind of pastor they think Jarmoluk is and how they think he handled the Campobello case. The interviewers failed to identify themselves as CTLNYC associates.
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Jarmoluk allows the CTLNYC cameramen to attend the Barn Sale Mass for volunteers with cameras rolling. In his homily, he pandered to them, bragged that the parish had 4,000 families which is an extreme exaggeration of the actual number, and focused, as usual, on himself instead of the many volunteers who worked very hard for many, many months to raise money for the parish and school. After the Campobello arrest, Jarmoluk often requested that any members of the media in attendance at Mass turn off their recording devices. At the Barn Sale, however, it seemed that not only did he not object to the presence of CTLNYC 'media' but, rather, welcomed it and felt empowered by it.
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Information begins to surface regarding James W. Grice of Wayne, Illinois and his criminal history of fraud and deceptive practices. The Grice name appears on a caller I.D. on a returned call from CTLNYC's Rocky number. The name "Farnsworth" which was supposedly a CTLNYC 'producer' also happens to be listed as an 'associated name of James Grice. At least one witness claims to have seen a man resembling James Grice's mug shot at a recent Geneva/St. Peter function. Grice happens to hail from St. Louis, the same city as Jarmoluk's attorney, Canice Rice.
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St. Peter parishioner Debbie Nelson continues to harass other parishioners. Other Jarmoluk supporters continue to report on their anonymous blog the activities and whereabouts of other parishioners and residents. Note: It is clearly a violation of the Rockford Diocese Code of Conduct to behave in the way Nelson and other parish employees/volunteers are behaving. Yet, the Rockford Diocese, though well aware of these incidents, refuses to take appropriate action against them, thereby condoning the harassment of innocent members of their parishes.
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St. Peter parishioners receive in the mail the 2007 parish financial report. In it, Jarmoluk and members of the parish finance council explain the necessity of making a hefty withdrawal from savings and taking out two new loans from the diocese in order to pay the bills. The report reveals that, even with the loans, the parish is only able to pay one-half of its assessments from the Rockford Diocese. It also is admitted that the Upon This Rock, which was promoted as endowments for the future, actually has 75% of the money raised going toward getting the parish out of severe debt and only 25% going toward endowments. Meanwhile, weekend collections continue to come in under $30,000 each week, well below the amount expected and significantly below the totals of smaller neighboring parishes.
2008
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The parish weekend collections continue to lag under $30,000 per week, well below the budget requirements.
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Mark Campobello is released from prison after serving not even half of his 8-year sentence. He registers as a sex-offender as required by Illinois State law and moves back to Crystal Lake, Illinois.
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The vulgar CTLNYC message board continues with several anonymous bloggers using multiple fake names to spread their hate and disdain for anyone and everyone in sight except for Jarmoluk and 'Rocky' toward whom the blogger's often express praise and adoration. These hooded cowards act like wild animals cornered in their cage and going berserk with anger and resentment. The pathetic bullies attack and assault victims of child abuse, their families, and their advocates. They overtly display their lack of ethics and morals by posting details of abuse either taken from police reports, known from their own personal witnessing, or "confided" to them by the molester himself. The more the CTL/Forsaken scam is exposed, the more the blogger's rage - cockroaches scattering when the light shines upon them. The ranting and venting of the CTLNYC blogs are the nastiest when posted in the wee hours of the morning - midnight, 1 am, 2am. It's hard to imagine any sane or sober individual engaging in such behavior. The message board itself is sad display of addiction, mental illness, and unaccountable Catholic clergy. Bishop Thomas Doran and Francis Cardinal George are well aware of the blog, the scam, and the scam artist. Still they do nothing to stop it, so long as parishioners keep giving them envelopes filled with money.
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St. Peter parishioners Debbie Nelson and Bill Pott, both school bus drivers with the Geneva School District, continue to harass and mock other parishioners on parish property.
2009
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Campobello is taken into custody again for violating his parole.
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Jarmoluk continues to lose support among parishioners with many of them counting the days until he is replaced at St. Peter.
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Jarmoluk's supporters continue to decline in number and the web site created to support him is all but non-existent. The documentary that was supposedly about him and his faith struggles never came out even though it was advertised to be released in 2006.
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The few supporters Jarmoluk has left are planning a party to celebrate the anniversary of his ordination. Staff member Rama Canney is putting together a book to present to Jarmoluk at the party in which all of his followers create pages expressing their love and adoration of him.
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Former St. Peter parishioner threatens to sue Companions in Hope for posting his picture on the site, blaming the web site for lost business with absolutely no proof.
- Jarmoluk is finally removed from St. Peter parish in Geneva. However, Rockford's negligent bishop, Thomas Doran, chooses to transfer him to another parish, St. Peter in Spring Grove, Illinois.
- It doesn't take long for Jarmoluk to divide the parish of St. Peter in Spring Grove. The turmoil continues as Doran sits cozily behind his bullet-proof windows.
