"The Quality of Mercy is not Strained:" The Butler Case & Fr. William Aitcheson

The Reagans visited the Butlers in 1982
after reading about their ordeal.

After months of silence, there is finally word about my former pastor Fr. William Aitcheson who stepped down from his position at St. Leo's after being publicly exposed for his KKK activities 40 years ago.  Crux News reported today that Father sent a handwritten letter of apology dated September 8th (Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mother) including financial restitution to Barbara and Phillip Butler. He expressed his heartfelt regret for the harm he caused the couple by burning a cross on their lawn in 1977. [Read previous posts about Fr. Aitcheson here and here]

The diocese issued a statement following a press conference the Butlers and their attorney held on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th. The Butlers refused to meet personally with Fr. Aitcheson and initially refused even to accept Fr. Aitcheson's letter of apology and his check for restitution.  The Butlers later reconsidered and took the money ($23,000 in restitution and $9600 in lawyers' fees which Father is paying from his personal funds and through a loan), but the couple have publicly stated they don't know what it will take before they can forgive him.