Whistleblowing in the Sanctuary – Fr. Alfred Kunz Midwest Child Exploitation Pipeline
Whistleblowing in the Sanctuary – Fr. Alfred Kunz
Midwest Child Exploitation Pipeline -Pt 8
continued from Midwest Pipeline series
Fr. Alfred Kunz, Advocate and Whistleblower
for CSA survivors
In a world where theological divides still split pews like fault lines—Latin Mass purists sparring with reformers, canon-law traditionalists warning that fraternal orders flirt with heresy—one truth slices through all the noise: Our children are not collateral. Not for corruption. Not for convenience. Not for anyone’s protection racket in a collar.
No child should ever carry the shattering betrayal of sexual assault, least of all when it comes from someone who claimed spiritual authority over them. Priests hold a pedestal of trust that, once weaponized, leaves fractures that echo across generations. This isn’t theory or catechism; it’s a battlefield where silence becomes currency, obedience becomes a muzzle, and whistleblowers too often pay in blood.
Fr. Alfred Kunz lived on that battlefield. A hard-edged traditionalist priest, Kunz would have argued with me—and perhaps with a relative through my Grandpa Woywod- that relative, just a decade older than Grandpa was born in Guttstadt East Prussia, the town next to Grandpa's village -Rosengarth, a potato throw away. He was canon-law titan Fr. Stanislaus Woywod who would eventually live in America as the expert he was—we'd debate over nearly every doctrinal nuance if alive on the same timeline, that is - on abortion absolutism. On liturgical discipline. On Masonic oaths. On whether modern leniency was mercy or moral decay. We would have locked horns like the old-school clergy I grew up around.
But on one immovable hill, we would have stood shoulder to shoulder: The Catholic Church’s child-exploitation crisis demands total, unflinching eradication. Kunz didn’t merely preach that conviction. He pursued it. He investigated it. And in 1998, he paid for it with his life.
What’s often misunderstood about Kunz’s murder is the geography of risk he walked. His investigations into abusive clergy didn’t just reverberate through chancery walls in Illinois and Wisconsin—they traveled up the I-90 spine, into rural counties where secrecy thrives, where predators move quietly between parishes, camps, and small towns that national papers never cover.
And here is where the story crosses into my own lived geography: Fr. Kunz and I share a name that shadows both our histories—Jeffrey Maas of Necedah, Juneau County. He is spoken about in current days and on podcasts and blogs as a suspect. He was. Maas, once scrutinized and later cleared in Kunz’s case, orbited the same Illinois-Wisconsin corridor of parishes, stables, and vulnerable youth that appears in nearly every exploitation pipeline I’ve traced. His name surfaced in documentation—and in my own reporting life when I worked in Juneau County.
When you’ve worked cases in Juneau County, you learn fast: Unsolved murders migrate. Trauma migrates. Predators migrate, pain spreads. This is not the first unsolved case that pulled me from Illinois to Wisconsin and back again, looping through Juneau County like a grim stitch.
So we begin this investigative pipeline with Kunz—not because his theology aligns with mine, but because his murder stands as a warning flare at the intersection where faith, silence, and child exploitation collide. His life opens the door into a broader Midwest web: alleged diocesan cover-ups, youth programs, rural traps, trafficking routes, and overlapping names that appear with unsettling frequency.
But first, the foundation—Who Fr. Alfred Kunz was. What he uncovered. Why his murder still matters. And what became of the files he died protecting.
Fr. Alfred Joseph Kunz: Life, Work, and Unsolved Murder
Fr. Alfred Joseph Kunz (April 15, 1930 – March 4, 1998) was a canon-law scholar and traditionalist priest of the Diocese of Madison. Ordained in 1956 after formation at St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, he became pastor of St. Michael Catholic Church and School in Dane in 1967. He was known for his Latin Mass ministry, private exorcisms, and his radio show Our Catholic Family, where he spoke candidly about internal corruption in the Church.
By the mid-1990s, Kunz had taken on a far more dangerous role: canon-law investigator for Roman Catholic Faithful (RCF), a lay organization exposing clergy sexual abuse. He was thrust into the center of explosive cases—the kind that produce enemies.
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Article from 02 May 1998
Wausau Daily Herald(Wausau, WI)
Timeline: Kunz’s Anti-CSA Work & His Murder
1956 — Ordination
1967 — St. Michael’s Pastor - Assigned to St. Michael Catholic Church and School in Dane. Serves 31 years.
1996–1998 — Anti-CSA Work Intensifies
Kunz joins RCF as its de facto chief canon-law investigator, reviewing multiple clergy cases across Illinois and Wisconsin.
Key cases he examined:
The provided statements outline the context surrounding Father Alfred Kunz's work and his unsolved murder. Below, these claims are broken down into established (verified by public records, legal outcomes, or investigations) and allegations/rumors/theories (conjectures, unproven claims, or motivations within an ongoing criminal investigation).
Bishop Daniel L. Ryan (Springfield, IL)
Multiple accusations of misconduct with minors and adults led to his resignation in 1999 and restriction from public ministry in 2002.
It has been suggested Father Kunz helped collect affidavits and information for the 1997 RCF report documenting the bishop's misconduct.
Rev. Alvin Campbell
Convicted in 1985 of abusing boys and served prison time.
The Diocese of Springfield later permitted him limited ministry after his release.
The rumor is that he continued "grooming" behavior after this reinstatement.
Other Priests: Balke, Weerts, Durr, McCarthy (Belleville)
These individuals were later listed by the Belleville Diocese as "credibly accused" of abuse.
Again, reportedly Father Kunz gathered survivor statements and internal complaints regarding these priests as part of his work with RCF.
“Boys Club” Network Theory
Father Kunz was reported to have been recorded on tape in 1997 stating: “If they open the Springfield files, Chicago will fall next,” indicating his belief in a widespread cover-up.
He reportedly alleged that a formal, organized "ring" or "boys club" network existed within the Catholic hierarchy to facilitate and cover up abuse. This has never been proven as a criminal conspiracy in court.
February 1997 — The Ryan Exposé
The RCF publicly presented evidence regarding Bishop Ryan's actions and the cover-up.
A theory was that by exposing the Bishop, Kunz became a "marked man" whose anti-CSA work directly led to his unsolved murder in March 1998.
March 3, 1998 — Last Night Alive
Kunz recorded his radio show until about 10 p.m., appeared troubled. His last call was around 10:30 p.m., after which he returned to St. Michael School.
March 4, 1998 — Murder
Kunz was found early morning with a lethal slit throat, severing a major artery, accompanied by some defensive wounds and possibly additional sharp-force injuries. There was no forced entry, suggesting he likely knew his killer. Partial male DNA was recovered from under his fingernails and on his cuff.
1998–2009 — Largest Investigation in Dane County History
More than $1 million spent and thousands interviewed. Early persons of interest, including Jeffrey Maas of Necedah in Juneau County, were assessed and eliminated by DNA evidence and confirmed alibis in the first few years. Maas was a well-known local figure, linked to the controversial Queen of the Holy Rosary shrine, with a hand-painted apocalyptic van. Despite clearance by investigators, his name has persisted in local speculation.
** Author's note: CSA retaliation is a prominent theory among some associates and investigators but has not been officially confirmed as the sole motive. There were also rumors of illicit affairs with women in and/or near his parrish. This post concentrates on the children and that pipeline that seems to keep reappearing.
2018–2025 — Renewed Push
Genetic genealogy testing underway as of 2025 through a private lab. Sheriff Kalvin Barrett (2025) has stated publicly that the case is solvable and appealed to the public for new information.
What Happened to Kunz’s Files After His Murder?
*Based off of a vast amount of podcasts, articles and more - this is what is alleged;
Immediately following the murder, law enforcement seized parish records, personal notes, correspondence, and some RCF materials found in Kunz’s office. Detectives have not confirmed full recovery of all materials.
Much of Kunz’s most sensitive files were sent to RCF leadership ahead of time—Stephen Brady noted that Kunz shared critical investigative materials with them during his work.
Multiple RCF insiders and parish volunteers have alleged that additional files vanished, though no official theft findings have been made.
The Diocese of Madison has never publicly disclosed or inventoried remaining files it retained. At least, not that this writer has discovered.
Surviving documents, including affidavits, canonical opinions, and victim correspondence, formed the backbone of RCF’s ongoing work.
The fate of any other investigative files remains a haunting open question.
Why Kunz Still Matters to the Midwest Exploitation Pipeline
Kunz’s death was not an isolated tragedy but part of broader institutional failures spanning Illinois, Wisconsin, and farther.
I am of the opinion his investigations revealed ongoing diocesan practice of quietly transferring abusive clergy, insufficient oversight of youth programs, rural counties where predators operated with mobility, the targeting and isolation of whistleblowers, and vulnerable boys caught in a corridor of exploitation along the I-90 route.
Though his voice was cut short, the danger patterns he identified persist.
The killer’s DNA remains in law enforcement databases.
Someone still knows.
I am a collateral victim of John David Norman - we are healing together.
I do hope this helps others realize they were not ever alone.
If any information is incorrect pls contact me or leave a comment. These are complex cases and a lot of bad information is already out there.
Author's/Artist's Note: As a disabled survivor using assistive technology, which changes day by day pending health and that's days needs- (#zebralife), I pour these chapters from my own experiences and the people I've met along the path of life. Assistive tech helps me myriad of ways present my message. If Lior's eyes reflect your shadows, reach out—resources like RAINN or Support for Men at 1in6.org are lifelines. What's next? Check back. Comments welcome, always.
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