A priest I know and worked with has been removed from ministry due to past allegations of sexual abuse. Please pray for him, his parishes, his alleged victim(s), and all who will be hurt and scandalized by this news. U of I alumni who want info can drop me an email or just google it.
Diocese of Peoria: May 2006 Archives
Today, it was officially announced that Monsignor Stuart Swetland will be leaving the Newman Foundation at the University of Illinois.
Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, has named Father Gregory Ketcham, presently pastor of St. Philomena's Parish in Peoria, to guide campus ministry efforts serving more than 10,000 Catholic students at the university and another 3,000 at Parkland College in Champaign.
Father Ketcham will succeed Msgr. Stuart Swetland, Newman director for the past nine years, who has accepted a position on the faculty of Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. Msgr. Swetland will direct the pre-theologate program and teach homiletics at the nation's second largest Catholic seminary.
The move is effective June 14.
Monsignor Swetland came to Newman the year I went through R.C.I.A there. He was one of three priests who had a great effect on me in my first few years of being fully Catholic and I had the good fortune of being able to work for him as a sacristan. I know the Newman Foundation will greatly miss him. But Newman's loss is the Mount's gain. He is a natural teacher and a great homilist, so this will be a good position for him.
