Green Bay Fox 11
 
Story by Chad Doran
 
APPLETON - There was potentially troubling testimony for the Green Bay Catholic Diocese during a civil trial Thursday. 

A priest in a leadership role in the diocese admitted on the stand to hearing rumors of alleged inappropriate behavior by a now former priest. 

John Feeney was convicted in 2004 of molesting Troy and Todd Merryfield in May 1978. 

The Merryfields are suing the diocese for fraud, saying it knew of the issues surrounding Feeney. 

It was a startling moment in court Thursday when Monsignor Paul Koszarek admitted he heard rumors about John Feeney swimming nude with and showering with young boys in the early 1970's. 
 
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From Green Bay WBAY
 
Story by Tony Ullrich
 
Appleton -

Todd and Troy Merryfield testified in their civil case against the Green Bay Catholic Diocese Wednesday.

Their attorneys want $900,000 in damages, claiming the diocese knew a former priest sexually abused the brothers in the 1970s and didn't tell anyone.

Todd and Troy Merryfield's testimony was full of emotion. They focused on one night in 1978 when former priest John Patrick Feeney came to their parents' home.

Their mother testified that Feeney wanted to see the two boys that night.

"He said, well, I'm going to go up and hear their prayers, and we thought, 'OK,'" said Sharon Merryfield, Todd and Troy's mother.

When Feeney went into the boys' bedroom, the brothers testified, Feeney inappropriately touched both of them.

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Fox 11
 
Story by Chad Doran
 
APPLETON - With testimony underway, attorneys for the Merryfields laid the foundation for their case. 

"We'll show the diocese knew he had impulse control and the diocese knew he was reckless in not caring whether or not he was a molester," said Jeff Anderson, attorney for Todd Merryfield. 

A claim the diocese denies. 

"These claims are false, untrue and we will show you why," said Pat Brennan, attorney for the Green Bay Diocese. 

Bishop Aloysious Wycislo ran the Green Bay Diocese from 1968-1983. Wycislo died in 2005 but attorney's for the Merryfields read deposition testimony Wycislo gave in 1995. That testimony related to a letter written to Wycislo by a parishioner concerned about then Father John Feeney's conduct around children. Wycislo acknowledged he was aware Feeney would swim nude with boys and encouraged them to do the same. Wycislo also testified he also knew Feeney would shower with boys. An attorney for the Merryfields read the bishop's response to Feeney. 
 
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From WBAY Channel 2
 
Story by Tony Ullrich
 
The attorneys for two brothers claim the Green Bay Catholic Diocese knew one of their priests was a problem before he molested them as children.

The Merryfield brothers, who squared off in court Tuesday with the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, are seeking $900,000 in damages.

Opening statements began Tuesday morning in Outagamie County court.

The Merryfields claim the diocese knew about former priest John Patrick Feeney's history of sexual abuse and repeatedly transferred him to other parishes without telling anyone.

Feeney, now defrocked, was convicted in 2004 of molesting the brothers while he worked at a parish in Freedom in the late 1970's.

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"Sexual assault victim warns locals about defrocked priest"
 
By CBS 58 News
 
A defrocked priest convicted of molesting a child is getting out of prison after serving less than a quarter of his sentence. Tonight, the victim is warning local parishioners about it. 
"He sexually abused me over the course of two months," says David Schauer. 

About eight years ago, David watched as a judge sentence the man who inappropriately touched him when he was ten. He never thought ex-priest Donald Buzanowski would get out of prison so soon. "I was devastated. It's frustrating." 

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