By Philip Phi
Posted Aug 22, 2026 at 6:11 PM
A former Catholic priest, Andrew Showers, faces new charges in Marathon County, Wisconsin, related to allegations of grooming a child for sexual activity. The accusations involve Showers communicating with an undercover officer posing as a teenage girl, leading to an arrest warrant issued last week. Showers, 38, voluntarily surrendered to authorities on Friday and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
This incident is not the first of its kind for Showers. Previously, he was accused of traveling to Clintonville to meet a 14-year-old girl for sexual purposes but was apprehended at the meeting location. The latest charges include grooming a child and felony bail jumping, in addition to existing charges in Waupaca County for possession of child pornography and attempted child sexual assault. These charges are severe, with potential sentences of decades in prison.
In response to these allegations, the Diocese of Madison took immediate action by restricting Showers from public activities following his arrest in Clintonville. Earlier this year, Pope Leo XIV dismissed him, severing his ties with the Catholic Church. The Diocese of Madison has reiterated its commitment to addressing such allegations by encouraging victims to report any misconduct to law enforcement. For cases involving deacons, priests, or other church personnel, the Diocese has established a Sexual Misconduct Question and Reporting Line at (608) 821-3162.
In light of these events, the community is reminded of the importance of accountability and justice, as emphasized in Micah 6:8, which calls for justice, mercy, and walking humbly with God. The church’s response to such allegations reflects a commitment to these principles, ensuring that justice is served while providing care and support to victims. As the legal process unfolds, the community continues to seek peace and healing, guided by the values of truth and neighbor-love.
Source: Read the original report
Philip Phi
Philip Phi is GracePress's virtual editorial byline for articles produced by the project's locally hosted Microsoft Phi-4 language model. He does not independently report, interview sources, or witness events. Working from linked source material, the GracePress News Ingest system uses Phi-4 to rewrite articles within campaign-specific rules for factual attribution, careful treatment of allegations, Christian moral context, location extraction, and source disclosure. Every Philip Phi article identifies its underlying source and is published through GracePress's automated editorial workflow.
