Category Archives: Priest Abuse

Diocese of Rockville Centre Knows How to Deal with Pedophile Priests

Apr 20, 2018 Joseph Saunders Posted in Catholic Church, Priest Abuse, Sexual Abuse

Long Island skyline

The Diocese of Rockville Centre is home to 1.5 million Catholics living in the counties of Nassau and Suffolk, a region known better as Long Island.  It is the sixth largest diocese in the United States and approximately 60 of its priests have been accused of the sexual abuse of children.  But Rockville Centre knows how to deal with this issue.

The diocese routinely reassigned accused or suspected pedophiles to churches on the East End dating back to the 1960s.  The East End is sparsely populated and the strategy of moving problem priests there is analogous to the dioceses of Ireland banishing offending priests to Australia.

According to the grand jury report filed in 2003, “Bishop William Murphy aided and abetted the concealment of criminal conduct of defendant individual priests by failing and refusing to report sexual abuse allegations by said priests to civil authorities, which caused, allowed, and permitted additional children to be molested by predatory priests.”

Murphy learned how to deal with pedophile priests as an assistant bishop in Boston.  He was Cardinal Law’s principal assistant and was part of the cover-up involving notorious priest John Geoghan.

Rev Angelo Ditta was a priest at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Mattituck in 2002. According to the grand jury, “He began abusing a boy when the boy was 10.” An associate pastor testified that he heard “horsing around” in the priest’s bedroom and believed it was sexual in nature. The pastor told the jury he “never made an official report to anyone in the diocese” about the priest.

Two weeks after Bishop Murphy said there were no “credible” allegations of sexual abuse against any active priest on Long Island, the diocese quietly removed Rev. Ditta from active duty based on a complaint.

“The diocese required the priest to receive psychological counseling, and it later assigned him as chaplain to an ‘area’ hospital, allowing him to celebrate Mass at a parish on weekends,” according to the grand jury minutes.

It was later discovered in civil court the allegations that a victim and his therapist made to a top diocesan official were five years old and kept under wraps by the diocese. Then-Suffolk District Attorney Tom Spota said the charge “might have been prosecutable had the diocese reported them” in a timely manner.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre knows how to deal with pedophile priests — transfer them to the end of Long Island where their crimes will go unnoticed and unreported.

Catholic Church Reports Dramatic Rise in Sexual Abuse Claims Last Year

Jun 08, 2017 Joseph Saunders Posted in Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Priest Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Statute of limitations, Victim Abuse

Sex Abuse Claims Rise in Chatholic Church

The Boston Globe is reporting that the Catholic Church in the United States experienced a sharp increase in abuse claims last year.  It is the largest rise since the country’s Catholic bishops began keeping tallies of claims in 2004.

The annual report from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which covers July 2015 to June 2016, said 911 victims came forward with allegations the church deemed credible, the vast majority of which were from adults who said they were abused when they were children.  The bishops’ report noted that the previous year there were only 384 claims of abuse.

The report attributed the rise in claims to Minnesota, the state temporarily lifted its statute of limitations in 2013 to allow alleged victims older than 24 to sue for past abuse, and the deadline to file such claims was in late May 2016.

However, other factors such as the documentary film Spotlight which served to bring the issue back into the forefront of public attention.

Victims who came forward during the most recent reporting year included 26 minors, the report said.

The report’s definition of “minors” included people under age 18 or anyone who “habitually lacks the use of reason.”

As of June 30, 2016, two of the 26 cases had been substantiated, while 11 had been deemed unsubstantiated by church officials. The rest remained under investigation, the report said.

The offenders in the substantiated cases were removed from ministry, as were 26 other priests or deacons accused of past abuse, officials said.

The report did not break down the location of the allegations but said its data was based on information from all 196 diocese and eparchies of the bishops conference and from 180 of the 232 religious institutes of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.

The latest figures mean that between 1950 and June 2016, more than 18,500 people nationwide made clergy abuse allegations deemed credible by US Catholic officials, and more than 6,700 clerics have been accused of abuse, church records show.

Activists have questioned whether the church’s count of clergy sex abuse victims is lower than the actual total.  The Media Report, a conservative online site, hit back against the Globe’s article accusing the newspaper of attempting to keep an old story alive by rehashing old news and false claims.  Of course, they also include the obligatory criticism of lawyers.  The truth of the matter is this:  lawyers who are involved in this fight for justice are doing it to help the survivors of sexual abuse and those who come forward show a great deal of courage and their claims have been shown to be true.

Pope’s Actions Contradicting His Words

Jan 05, 2017 Joseph Saunders Posted in Catholic Church, Priest Abuse, Sexual Abuse

Pope Francis Actions Contradicting His Words

On January 2nd, Pope Francis released a letter reminding the world’s Catholic bishops that he will not tolerate any tolerance of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests.  The letter was dated December 28th.  In the letter, Pope Francis is unequivocal about the issue and if you were to judge him solely on his written words, you’d have to conclude that he was serious about stamping out clergy sexual abuse.

Yet, the press have caught Francis in at least two instances where his actions directly contradict his words.  The first incident involves Italian priest Nicola Corradi who, along with four other men, was arrested in November for sexually abusing hearing impaired children.  All but Corradi were sanctioned by the Vatican.  This was not the first time Corradi’s name had been linked to the sexual abuse of children at the school.  He was named along with other priests in 2009 for abusing children.  The students from the school sent a personal letter in 2014 directly to the Pope asking him to do something about Corradi, who was living in Argentina, the Pope’s native country.  The Pope did nothing with the letter.  In fact, it was only a few weeks ago that the Vatican acknowledged its existence.

Pope Francis Oddly Reinstates Mauro Inzoli Despite Sexual Abuse History

Mauro “Don Mercedes” Inzoli

The second instance is perhaps more troubling and indicates a papal mindset that should be deeply troubling to those of us concerned with child safety.  It involves the case of Mauro Inzoli or “Don Mercedes” as he was known for his flamboyant lifestyle.  Pope Benedict had defrocked him in 2012 for child sexual abuse.  In 2014, Pope Francis took the highly unusual step of reinstating Inzoli as a priest.  Michael Brendan Dougherty, writing in The Week wrote,

But Don Mercedes was “with cardinal friends,” we have learned. Cardinal Coccopalmerio and Monsignor Pio Vito Pinto, now dean of the Roman Rota, both intervened on behalf of Inzoli, and Pope Francis returned him to the priestly state in 2014, inviting him to a “a life of humility and prayer.” These strictures seem not to have troubled Inzoli too much. In January 2015, Don Mercedes participated in a conference on the family in Lombardy.

This summer, civil authorities finished their own trial of Inzoli, convicting him of eight offenses. Another 15 lay beyond the statute of limitations. The Italian press hammered the Vatican, specifically the CDF, for not sharing the information they had found in their canonical trial with civil authorities. Of course, the pope himself could have allowed the CDF to share this information with civil authorities if he so desired.”

Dougherty intimates that Pope Francis in speaking one way but doing the opposite is more of a Machiavellian figure than a vicar of Christ.  He’s not the only writer to come to that conclusion.  Rod Dreher, writing on the same topic, concludes, “As ever with church leaders who talk about reform, don’t listen to what they say, but rather watch what they do.”

Photo Credit By Tânia Rêgo/ABr (Agência Brasil) via Wikimedia Commons

 

Three More Priests Named in Diocese of Harrisburg Priest Abuse Investigation

Aug 29, 2016 Joseph Saunders Posted in Diocese of Harrisburg, Priest Abuse

Investigations into Catholic priest abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg is still in its infancy.  Yet, for those of us who’ve witnessed and participated in similar investigations of priests in other dioceses around the country, there is a very real and dark sense of déjà vu.  

This past Friday, the York Daily Record which broke the original story concerning the Diocese of Harrisburg, reported that three more priests who worked in the Diocese have been cited as potential abusers.

“The diocese confirmed credible allegations of abuse had been made against Robert Maher and George Koychick. The Daily Record is not naming the other priest at this time, as the allegation is still under investigation.

Koychick — The diocese said “credible allegations” against Koychick were made to the diocese in August 2003 about abuse that occurred in the 1970s, diocese spokesman Joseph Aponick said. Koychick had been stationed at St. Joseph’s in York from June 1953 to June 1957 and at St. Patrick’s in York from November 1967 to June 1981, Aponick said in an email. “Already being retired, and out of ministry, [Koychick] was formally forbidden to function in any capacity as a priest and law enforcement authorities were notified,” Aponick said. Koychick could not be reached for comment.

Maher — The diocese confirmed “credible allegations” against Maher were received in February 1994 from an incident that took place in the 1960s, Aponick said. According to “The Official Catholic Directory,” Maher worked at St. Vincent’s in Hanover in the 1960s and 1970s. Maher had been assigned to St. Rose of Lima in York from June 1937 to June 1939, Aponick said. He retired from ministry in May 1975 and died in June 1990, Aponick said. Aponick said law enforcement authorities were informed.”

The third priest has not been named by the newspaper since the investigation is ongoing.

It looks likely that Harrisburg will become another area of the country where Catholic priests preyed on young, innocent victims and were protected and transferred by the bishops of Harrisburg.  

Image courtesy of http://www.gannett-cdn.com/

Spotlight on Catholic Priest Abuse-Diocese of Harrisburg

Aug 27, 2016 Joseph Saunders Posted in Church Scandals, Diocese of Harrisburg, Priest Abuse

In the recent investigative exposé of Catholic priest abuse in the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania a number of priests were mentioned.  Some of those priests were listed because they had worked in the Diocese of Harrisburg but had not had any allegations of sexual abuse levelled against them according to the Diocese.  One of the names stands out in particular, Fr. Guy Marsico. Read More →

Altoona-Johnstown and Cardinal George Pell

Mar 02, 2016 Joseph Saunders Posted in Altoona-Johnstown, Cardinal George Pell, Church Scandals, Priest Abuse

Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown

Image courtesy of http://www.tribdem.com/

There is no question in my mind that if the Catholic Church is ever to end the plague of sexual abuse committed by priests it will require a sea change within the church hierarchy. Specifically, Bishops must be held accountable when priests in their charge abuse children.

For too long Bishops have placed the Church’s image and priest’s reputations above the protection of children. Time and time again Bishops ignored reports of abuse or covered-up crimes committed by priests. Their actions have been not only morally indefensible, but often criminal as well. In spite of the promises of reform delivered by St. Francis and the Vatican, news continues to surface that makes me question how serious the church really is about ending the long history of sexual abuse committed by priests.

In Pennsylvania this week, the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese issued Tuesday a 147-page report on sexual abuse in the Diocese, home to nearly 100,000 Roman Catholics. The report was based partly on evidence from a secret diocesan archive opened through a search warrant over the summer. In chilling detail the report recounted how two Catholic bishops, James Hogan and Joseph Adamec, who led the small Pennsylvania diocese helped cover up the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by more than 50 priests and other religious leaders over a 40-year period. It portrays the church has holding so much influence in the community and with law enforcement, that the Bishops even helped select the police chief. When announcing the findings, Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane said the two previous bishops “placed their desire to avoid public scandal over the well-being of children.”

The clergy sex abuse crisis erupted in 2002, when The Boston Globe reported that the Boston Archdiocese had transferred child-molesting priests from parish to parish to protect them. The recent academy award winning film Spotlight showed in detail the lengths the Catholic Church in Boston was willing to go to silence victims and protect pedophile priests. Since then similar scandals involving hundreds of offenders and victims have since erupted in dioceses across the U.S. and beyond.

The Altoona-Johnstown report, like the Spotlight investigation, exposes clearly the extent of the criminal behavior by high-level church officials and their criminal callousness driven by the desire to avoid public scandal. Reports of abuse were covered-up and known sexual predators were allowed to remain as members of the clergy.

Probably the most chilling piece of evidence uncovered in the report was a “payout chart” developed by Adamec to determine how much to pay victims who reported abuse.

The chart recommended paying $10,000 to $25,000 to victims fondled over their clothes; $15,000 to $40,000 to those fondled under their clothes or subjected to masturbation; $25,000 to $75,000 for those subjected to oral sex; and $50,000 to $175,000 to those subjected to intercourse. This unconscionable document is then followed by a graphic chronicle of the accusations against every allegedly abusive priest known to have worked in the diocese.

While the Altoona-Johnstown was being released, Cardinal George Pell was testifying from the Vatican to the Australian Royal Commission looking into institutional responses to child sexual abuse. The commission questioned Pell on how much the cardinal knew about a number of priests and brothers accused of pedophilia during the 40 years in which he rose through the ranks of Australia’s clerical hierarchy, and whether he failed to act on the abuses. Many of the accused offenders have been convicted, but none of the Bishops who oversaw them and failed respond to the reports of abuse.

Pell was combative in his testimony, which prior to giving he had announced to reporters that he had, “the full backing of the Pope.”

In his testimony Cardinal Pell continued to insist that he has no memory of hearing about specific substantiated cases of sexual abuse during the 1970s and 1980s, but only that he occasionally heard gossip. But in earlier Royal Commission Hearings in Ballarat, Victoria compelling evidence revealed that as a Bishop, Pell had moved a disgraced pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale between parishes and even tried to pay one of his victims to remain silent. Pell was also accused by the commission of ignoring another victim’s claim that a now-convicted sex offender was abusing children at St Patrick’s College in Ballarat while Pell was auxiliary Bishop there. Again in this week’s testimony, and despite evidence to the contrary, Pell was resolute in his insistence that while he was a priest in Ballarat he was unaware pedophile priests were being moved between parishes to escape prosecution, and to protect the reputation of the church.

It is worth noting here that Pell gave his video testimony via video-conferencing rather than return to Australia in person. He was allowed to on the basis of a recent medical diagnosis that found an undisclosed heart problem. I was left wondering whether the real reason is that Pell is in fear of being criminally prosecuted in Australia. In the eternal city Pell lives alongside Bernard Law, the disgraced Boston cardinal featured in Spotlight, and both are expected to pass the rest of their days without fear of repercussions for their inactions.

Pell’s testimony and the Altoona-Johnstown report also come weeks after the high-profile Vatican Commission on the prevention of child abuse suspended one of it’s members, Peter Saunders (no relation). Saunders had complained publically of the commission’s impotence and accused the church of failing to deliver on its promises of reform and greater accountability. When announced, the commission was Pope Francis’ first formal response, but since its origin the committee has proceeded at a glacial pace and been marked by infighting. The removal of Saunders suggests that the commission has been reduced to being nothing but another toothless church panel.

Ultimately these scandals won’t be the last to be uncovered. For generations, young children were served up as prey to pedophile priests while the hierarchy of the Catholic Church covered up their crimes. In any other organization, the bishops who sheltered these sexual predators would face criminal charges. Instead, for their complicity men like Law and Pell are rewarded – allowed to live out their lives in the luxury of the Vatican never having to answer for the crimes they committed or the lives they ruined.

The victims of these heinous crimes might never find peace. But if it is to come, it must begin with a zero tolerance policy from the Vatican. This must include finally bringing to justice Law, Pell, and all the other bishops who allowed this horror to happen and making it clear the safety of children, and not the reputation of the church, will be the first priority.

Spotlight Film Wins Best Picture at Academy Awards

Feb 22, 2016 Joseph Saunders Posted in Priest Abuse

spotlight-movie

“If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse one.” Mitchell Garabedian, played by Stanley Tucci, offers this blunt assessment to a skeptical Boston Globe reporter in the recently released movie, Spotlight.

Spotlight is named after the investigative team at the Boston Globe, who in 2002 published a series of explosive articles uncovering a decades-long scandal of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. Ultimately it involved over 70 local priests, more than a 1000 victims, and was only possible with the collusion of Cardinal Bernard Law. The reportage ultimately won the Boston Globe a Pulitzer and led to revelations of pedophile priests within the Catholic Church in Dioceses around the globe.

This Oscar worthy movie is an outlier in an era of big-budget superhero fare. A solid procedural with a meticulous depiction of the hard work good reporting requires – there are no smoking guns. The ensemble cast, led by Michael Keaton and Liev Schreiber, depict the real-life reporters who were talented, but very ordinary people, doing their jobs. As the investigation unfolds, they discover with equal part horror and fascination how deep the scandal goes.

The film is careful never to adopt the mantle of crusade. In fact one of the more striking facets of spotlight is the tone and self-reflection. There is never the feeling that an injustice has been put to an end, but rather only that reform has been allowed to begin. And there is also the self-examination and humility amongst the journalists themselves. At one point Globe editor Walter Robinson, played by Michael Keaton, questions whether he might have been complicit in some way since he had glossed over reports of clergy abuse years earlier.

I have spent much of my career defending the victims of sexual abuse by priests and can confirm from experience that Spotlight was alarmingly accurate in themes that seem to reoccur in clergy abuse cases everywhere. These are never isolated cases. Priests succeed in abusing children because the culture of the church and communities enables them. Spotlight shows the intense clannishness that existed in Boston and exalted the Catholic Church to silence the victims of clergy abuse. The movie also shows unflinchingly how priests manipulate the Church’s power to isolate and groom victims. “How do you say no to a priest,” one of the victims offers in an interview, “its like saying no to God.”

One of the most important moments in the film comes when Marty Baron, the Executive Editor of the Globe played by Shreiber, resists the urge for a few spectacular headlines and instructs the Spotlight team to investigate systemic dimensions the Church and to find out why this horror was ultimately allowed to continue.

Spotlight is also notable for a stripped down aesthetic, both visually and in the actor’s performances. There are no “big” reveals or grand speeches. Instead there is the steady accumulation of facts and small moments that collectively form an intensely emotional movie. Director Tom McCarthy is wise to not avoid contradictions and allow the viewer to make their own moral judgments. The abuse wouldn’t have been uncovered without the work of the Boston Globe reporters, but why had they ignored the story earlier? The Catholic Church knowingly harbored predator priests. Why did community leaders choose to look the other way?

These are themes that continue today and sexual abuse cases by Catholic priests continues to be uncovered. In every new case it is usually revealed that the abuser was known to the church, yet the church chose to harbor the abuser rather than aid the victim.

Progress is being made, but Spotlight shows us that it is a long and arduous process that requires dedication and hard work.

For the past 18 years a private citizen, John Wojnowski, has stood in front of the Vatican embassy in Washington D.C. while holding up signs —“Vatican Hides Pedophiles,” “Catholics Cowards.” At the end of Spotlight a postscript reveals that Cardinal Bernard Law was never prosecuted for his complicity in sheltering pedophile priests in Boston, and was instead reassigned to a post in the Vatican, where he remains to this day.

Cardinal Law has never spoken publically of his role or responsibility in the sexual abuse cases in the Boston diocese. John Wojnowski meanwhile, continues his vigil outside the Vatican embassy.

Hawaii Sex Abuse Lawsuit

Mar 07, 2015 Joseph Saunders Posted in Brother Thomas Cumbert Ford, Diocese of Honolulu, Priest Abuse

Diocese of Honolulu

The state of Hawaii’s Catholic roots date back to the early 19th century when Catholic missionaries were sent to bring the Catholic religion to the island its surrounding environs. The Diocese of Hawaii was officially erected in January 1941 and the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu remains the only diocese serving the Hawaiian islands. The Diocese of Honolulu belongs to the Province of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

* Image courtesy of http://spiritualmomshawaii.blogspot.com/ *

Since its inception, the Diocese of Honolulu has been served by religious orders including the Christian Brothers, Marists, Capuchins, Congregation of the Sacred Heart, and Maryknoll Fathers. In addition, the diocese has been served by a number of extern (priests from other locations) priests who serve temporarily in the Diocese of Honolulu.

As is often the case, especially when a diocese is served by a largely transient population of clergy, problems of clergy sexual abuse arise. Sadly, this has been true in Hawaii, especially regarding the Christian Brothers and the Order of the Sacred Heart, both of which have operated schools for minor boys in Hawaii.

Since the abuse crisis broke more than a decade ago, two Hawaii Christian Brothers have been credibly accused of the sexual abuse of minors. Brother Robert Brouillette Brouillette, a Christian Brother who served as a religion and history teacher at Damien High School in Hawaii, was arrested in an undercover sex sting operation in Cook County Illinois in 1997. During the police interrogation, he admitted to possessing more than 400 images of child pornography. He was eventually convicted of possession of 10 counts of child pornography and received probation. He has been the subject of at least three sex abuse allegations during his tenure at Damien High School.

The Christian Brothers continually transferred Brouillette in order to cover-up these sex abuse allegations. In 2004, the Christian Brothers ordered him to a church-run treatment facility in 2004. According to high school yearbooks, Brouillette served at the school in 1971-1973 and 1985-1988. He has since left the Order and changed his last name to Sullivan.

Brother Thomas Cumbert Ford

Ford was perhaps one of the worst abusers in Hawaii. During his tenure as Dean of Students at Damien High School from 1972 to 1975. The abuse he perpetrated on young children included savage physical abuse (on one occasion his physical beating left a young boy unconscious) as well as sexual abuse. In 1996, Canadian law enforcement officials charged him with 9 counts of physically assaulting abandoned children. During this time, he was hiding out in the United States and refused extradition. Eventually, he was convicted and sentenced to five months in jail. He died in 2008. In spite of multiple allegations of beatings and sexual abuse of children in Newfoundland in the late 1950’s Ford was allowed to work as the Dean of Discipline at Damien High School where his reign of terror continued unabated by the Christian Brothers or Hawaii law enforcement.

Thirteen other Catholic priests and brothers serving in Hawaii have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children. While the media has not focused much attention on the Hawaii sexual abuse problem, these names have been compiled from various media sources and sexual abuse lawsuits filed by courageous survivors of sexual abuse. The Diocese of Honolulu has steadfastly refused to publish these names or protect future children from sexual predators. The names of these priests and brothers are: Roberto Batoon, Eugene Blazek, Alphonsus Boumeister, Joseph Bukoski, Roberto A. de Otero, Joseph Ferrario, Lowell Fischer, James Gonsalves, Joseph Henry, James Jackson, Andrew Mannetta, Henry Sabog and Dominic Stone.

The recent decision by the Hawaii Legislature to open the statute of limitations for survivors of sexual abuse provides those who’ve been abused by priests, brothers, coaches, and those in positions of trust and authority in the community to bring civil justice sexual abuse lawsuits against their perpetrators and the institutions that protected them.

Syracuse New York Priest Abuse Watch

Jan 07, 2012 Joseph Saunders Posted in Diocese of Syracuse, Priest Abuse

Diocese of Syracuse

Diocese of Syracuse

There are approximately 300,000 Catholics in 142 parishes in the Diocese of Syracuse. The Diocese was created in 1886 from the Archdiocese of New York. The Diocese covers seven counties of Central and South Central New York State. The seven counties are Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga and Oswego.

(Image courtesy of http://blog.syracuse.com/)

Since the 1950’s at least 17 priests have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. Those are the figures that have been reported. It’s estimated that many more remain unreported to officials.

Rev Daniel Casey

ordained 1975; abused at least three boys and sued; cases settled for $475,000.

Rev Donald Crosby

ordained 1963; abused teenage girls at a Utica Catholic school in 1970’s.

Rev Francis Furfaro

ordained 1941; abused from 1949 to 1987; seven victims have come forward thus far.

Rev Bernard Garstka

ordained 1948; A former altar boy accused the late Bernard A. Garstka, a priest at St. Mary’s from 1962 to 1964, of rape, court documents show. Garstka served in brief stints beginning in the 1950s at St. Anne’s Church in Binghamton, Blessed Sacrament Church in Johnson City and at St. Stanislaus Church in Binghamton.

Rev John Harrold

ordained 1973; arrested in 1983 for sending child porn through mail.

Rev James Hayes

ordained 1965; abuse allegations first surfaced in 1990 but he was not removed until they resurfaced in 2002.

Rev Donald Hebert

ordained 1981; Hebert admitted to abusing a 14 year old during a camping trip. Police never charged him. Coordinated religious activities for Boy and Girl Scouts

Rev Thomas Keating

ordained 1966; abused girl after she told priest that another priest had raped her. Keating served in the following parishes: Most Holy Rosary Church, Maine, Broome County, 1993 ?, St. Mary’s Church, Cortland, 1982 1993 Our Lady of Angels Church, Endwell, 1980, St. James Church, Johnson City, 1975 1978

Rev William Lorenz

ordained 1963; seduced and abused teenage girl; Lorenz sent to St. Luke’s Institute in Maryland for counseling and then reassigned as a priest

Rev John Lugowski

ordained 1976; Franciscan priest served in Syracuse Diocese; in 1987 pled guilty to felony sexual abuse of 10 year old boy; admitted to abusing five boys from 1981 1987

Rev Chester Misercola

ordained 1964; abused 14 year old boy using porn and alcohol to seduce him.

Rev Thomas Neary

ordained 1954; abused and raped hundreds of boys according to news reports.

Rev Albert Proud

ordained 1968; abused two boys in 1970’s. Diocese determined one accusation credible

Rev James Quinn

ordained 1958; Director of Office of Vocation Promotion; abused boys in 1960’s and 1970’s. Diocese returns him to active ministry in 2004.

Rev H. Charles Sewall

admitted to abusing high school boy while priest was principal of school

Rev Thomas Trane

ordained 1960; abused two boys in Oswego parish

Rev John Zeder

raped a woman and threatened to put her in a mental institution if she told anyone

Rochester New York Pedophile Priest List

Joseph Saunders Posted in Diocese of Rochester, Priest Abuse, Rochester New York

Diocese of Rochester

The Diocese comprises 12 counties in New York State (Monroe, Cayuga, Livingston, Wayne, Tioga, Tompkins, Ontario, Seneca, Schuyler, Yates, Steuben, and Chemung) with 350, 000 Catholics in 125 parishes. The Diocese was created in 1868.

Since the 1950’s, at least 19 priests of the Diocese of Rochester have been accused of priest sexual abuse.

Reverend David Bonin

abused two boys during the 1980’s.

Rev Thomas Burr

ordained 1961; removed in 2002 after abuse allegations surfaced

Reverend Albert Cason

ordained 1962; removed in 1985 after numerous sex abuse allegations

Rev Bernard Casper

ordained 1955; originally ordained for Pueblo CO; abused boys in Rochester, two of whom were in the custody of Casper as their guardian. Rochester diocese denied giving Casper permission to serve as a priest

Reverend Thomas Corbett

ordained 1965; charged with 3rd degree sex abuse of a woman

Rev John Costello, SJ

ordained 1984; accused of sex abuse of 15 year old high school student

Reverend Eugene Emo

ordained 1961; arrested and convicted of sexually abusing a 31 year old mentally disabled man; He’s had numerous prior sex abuse allegations. In 1999, charged with violating his probation by having contact with a 16 year old boy

Rev John Gormley

ordained 1959; admitted to abuse of boy in 1966; ordained in spite of church knowledge of previous sex abuse

Reverend David Gramkee

ordained 1966; abused teen girl in 1970’s

Rev Robert Hammond

ordained 1967; abused boy while director of Summer Youth Program

Reverend William Lum

ordained 1969; pled guilty in 1997 of sexual abuse of 16 year old boy in 1992

Rev Robert O’Neill

ordained 1962; abused and sued by 10 men.

Reverend Foster Rogers

ordained 1966; two men accused him of abuse when they were young boys in 1970’s.

Rev Dennis Sewar

charged with abuse of 14 year old boy

Reverend David Simon

ordained 1967; abused teenage boys from 1973 to 1982. Removed in 2002 after victims complained that Diocese knew about abuse and had failed to remove him earlier.

Rev John Steger

ordained 1951; charged with sexually abusing 12 year old girl. Died before trial.

Reverend Francis Vogt

ordained 1938; Vogt molested pre-teen boys in 1950s-1970s at St. Bridget Church

Rev Michael Volino

charged with possession of child porn on his computer. Pled guilty and registered as a sex offender.