I wrote an article for Saturday's paper that was a tough one in many respects. It was about about Father Frank Murd and Father Tim Kummerer having been arrested in 1998 at a park for public indecency.

Father Francis "Frank" Murd

I personally don't like writing articles about priests' sexual indiscretions, especially ones that happened 10 years ago. But Father Murd was recently accused of sexual contact with a male and so this was relevant to that investigation. Father Kummerer's arrest just happened to be at the same park for the same crime around the same time as Father Murd's, and television news reported it on Thursday night, so therefore it was already a public issue.
My hope is that this kind of reporting will help the church clean up its act and live up to its promise of being open and honest and transparent.
I also believe the victims deserve to have their stories told. I am hoping Fr. Murd's victim will contact me so I can give his account. I tried calling the priests. I would be glad to speak to Fr. Murd or Fr. Kummerer and get their side of the story, if they were willing and had their attorneys' permission to talk. I don't think it's going to happen.
In addition, I hope these articles will serve a purpose in reminding priests and seminarians and ministers of their higher calling, and deter them from even thinking about committing such crimes or indiscretions in the future.
You can read the article about the priests here.
Toledo, Ohio
April 20, 2008