Teacher who knew of allegations in that Rockford case fired.

Late last week, the head of schools for the diocese, Sister Patricia Downey, requested a meeting with Ward, which took place at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Charles library. The meeting was between Ward, her daughter, Downey and the diocese’s lawyer, Ellen Lynch.

Downey and Lynch first asked Ward to resign her position because the diocese had received calls from concerned parents about her failure to report the abuse allegations as mandated by state law, Ward said. When she refused to resign, they gave her a letter terminating her contract, Ward said.

Lynch said the diocese would not discuss Ward’s specific situation but that “every single teacher knows full well their obligations under that law.”

But should more heads roll?

“What Doran needs to do is to come clean, and if he’s going to fire people who are not turning information over to police, he should resign himself or start turning the information over to the police and prosecutors in this case and any other information he has about child molesters,” said Blaine of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

Silence from St. Peter officials also has been wearing on parishioners still searching for answers.

“It appears that evidence is mounting that the leadership at St. Peter’s not only knew of the allegations but ignored them,” said Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, a graduate of the school and longtime parishioner. “If the parish community is sincere about beginning the healing process then we must confront the uncomfortable truth that the current leadership must go.”