Wisconsin priest removed from priesthood after child sex abuse charges

Pope Leo has removed Madison priest Andrew Showers from the priesthood following his arrest on charges of child sexual abuse, with advocates calling for an investigation into the Diocese of Madison's handling of prior allegations

By Nick Bohr, WISN 12 News, June 26, 2026

MILWAUKEE — Pope Leo has removed 38-year-old Madison priest Andrew Showers from the priesthood following his arrest last summer on charges of child pornography possession and attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex.

Clergy sex abuse victim's advocate Peter Isely with Nate's Mission said Showers had prior allegations of questionable sexual conduct before his arrest last August in Waupaca County, where he was caught in a police sting.

"There's this whole history of covering up for this priest, moving him to assignments, not alerting anybody about his history," Isely said.

The Madison Diocese said Showers had six different assignments in his 8 years as a priest. Isely is calling on the state attorney general to investigate not only Showers but also how the Diocese of Madison handled any previous incidents of sexual misconduct involving him.

"The bishop needs to be investigated by the attorney general. So, let's see the records. Let's see what you did and didn't do in this case. And, wow, if you did a good job, what's the problem?" Isely said.

In a statement, the Madison Diocese said it learned of an alleged sexual assault in Chicago in 2024 only after Showers' arrest in the Waupaca County sting, but was not previously aware of it. The Diocese acknowledged a 2021 case in which parents called Lodi police after Showers asked a 14-year-old boy about his sexual experiences. However, the Diocese said it "determined the priest was simply trying to help the student make a good and thorough confession."

"You don't give credit to the bishop or the pope for the fact that he's not a priest anymore?" Isely was asked Friday.

"No. He should not have been a priest years ago. So what we need to do is hold them accountable for how he was able to be a priest this long," Isely said.

Showers is free on $10,000 cash bail. WISN 12 News reached out to the attorney general's office for comment, but has not yet received a response.