The parishioners of St. Albert the Great in Burbank gathered Friday in support of their pastor, the Rev. Robert Stepek.
Stepek is accused of sexually molesting two young boys in the 1980s while serving as an associate pastor at St Symphorosa Church in Chicago. The two boys are brothers and had been family friends for many years with Stepek.
Around 200 supporters gathered at Niko’s Restaurant in Bridgeview to show support for Stepek. Most were from St. Albert the Great. However there were also people from St. Symphorosa and other priests who have known Stepek for years.
The atmosphere around the room was upbeat. Many in attendance were happy they were able to see their pastor for the first time in months. No one there believed the charges; instead, most think the brothers are out to hurt Stepek.
Among those attending was the Stepek family. Both his parents, his brother and sister, were in attendance as well as other family members, and all were very humbled by the turnout.
“It’s beautiful,” said Dorothy Stepek, the priest’s mother, talking about the turnout. “He couldn’t do it without all of this support.” ......
....... Father Stepek’s brother, Scott Stepek, also believes the brothers are trying to get money.
“The brothers are vindictive and are on the money train,” he said.
Scott Stepek also said he is suspicious that the allegations came out after his brother would not sponsor one of the brothers who wanted to become a priest. ......
...... On May, 13, 2006 —Father Stepek’s 25th anniversary as a priest — he received a letter from Cardinal Francis George, telling him to vacate the residence at St. Albert the Great immediately because there was an accusation against him for sexual abuse.
“It was supposed to be one of my proudest days as a priest, and it was one of the worst,” said Stepek.
When Stepek went in front of the Archdiocese’s review board, he said that sharing of information between attorneys and the rules of evidence did not apply. After meeting with the review board on Oct. 20, 2006 and Nov. 3, 2006, Stepek received a letter saying there was reasonable cause to suspect truth in the sexual abuse allegations.
According to Stepek, George wrote a letter stating there was no evidence of child abuse but, given the publicity of other cases and the strong testimony, he agreed with the board’s decision. ......
........ Stepek wants to have the ecclesiastic trial. Originally, according to Stepek, Cardinal George sent a letter to Rome asking for an administrative decision but has since sent a letter asking for a penal trial.
“This is becoming too political,” said Stepek.
Stepek added that if this goes to trial, that it will be interesting to see if the brothers get more than two statements.
“I am getting my guns ready, and I am going to go after them,” said Stepek to a standing ovation at Friday’s gathering ......
....... The Archdiocese cut Stepek’s pay in half, and he is no longer allowed to perform the activities of a priest. He is living with his family, and joked that he has been cutting a lot of lawns to try to make ends meet.
Some from St. Albert, he said, have told him to call them for a job, one of whom required that he take a polygraph test. Against his lawyers’ advice, he took the test and passed.
“Some of the questions they asked me were, ‘Have you ever sexually abused anyone?’, ‘Have you ever used excess force on anyone?’, ‘Are these truthful statements?’” And I passed with flying colors,” he said.
He challenged his two accusers to take a polygraph test too.
Original article by Chuck Salvatore, SWNewsherald