Fr. Michael Neuberger
Assignments:
- 1962 -1964: St. Philip Neri Parish, Milwaukee
- 1964 – 1968: St. Boniface Parish, Milwaukee
- 1968 – 1969: Messmer High School, Milwaukee
- 1973 – 1978: Thomas More High School, St. Francis
- 1978 – 1979: UW Parkside Campus Ministry, Kenosha
- 1979 – 1980: St Francis De Sales, Lake Geneva
- 1980 – 1981: St. Dominic Parish, Sheboygan
- 1981 – 1993: St. John Neuman Parish, Waukesha
- 1993 – 1993: St. Catherine Parish, Milwaukee
In November, 1992, Neuberger informed the vicar for clergy that someone was calling around looking for background on him. A priest reported the same day that a private investigator was looking for records of altar boys at the parish. The next day Bishop Sklba received a telephone call from an individual who reported he had been abused by Neuberger 30 years prior when he was 13 to 16-years-old.
In November, 1993, after civil lawsuits were filed saying that individuals had been sexually abused by Neuberger, he was asked to resign from his parish assignment but he did not. Parishioners at his then current parish and previous parish were informed that Neuberger had withdrawn from his pastoral responsibilities. He was later removed from the office of pastor by a canonical process.
In 1993, Dr. Elizabeth Piasecki, director, Project Benjamin, asked then-Vice Chancellor Cusack and Chancellor Father Gross to meet with an adult who reported being told as a teenager by Neuberger that the individual was excommunicated. The individual said Neuberger stated this excommunication when the individual had observed questionable behavior on the part of Neuberger with several minors. Dr. Cusack and Father Gross assured the individual that Neuberger did not have any authority or basis for saying that an excommunication had occurred.
In July, 1996, Archbishop Weakland advised the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that Father Connell had conducted a preliminary investigation regarding claims of sexual abuse by Neuberger. The services of three professionals were used to interview Neuberger and over the course of their interviews he admitted a variety of sexual encounters with adults and minors. A possible case of solicitation in the confessional also arose.
In March, 1997, the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee was authorized to conduct a penal trial. After lengthy canonical processes, Neuberger was dismissed from the clerical state in 1998. Neuberger appealed that finding. In January, 2008, Archbishop Dolan resolved the matter by placing a precept on Neuberger with the authorization of CDF, fully restricting him from any public ministry.
In 2010 Archbishop Listecki confirmed with Neuberger that he is fully restricted from public ministry.
Pastoral Assignment Gathered From The Archdiocese of Milwaukee