Victims "Out" Twelve More Accused Sacramento Priests

Twelve more accused priests are ‘outed’ here

Some have attracted zero attention in Sac area

Six spent time at prestigious Carmichael school

Most allegedly assaulted children in other places

But each of them is or was in northern California

At least one, however, reportedly hurt two local kids  

“Each day a predator is hidden, kids are at risk,” victim says

SNAP: “Catholic officials should post ALL predators’ names NOW”
 

WHAT

Holding signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, attorneys and clergy sex abuse victims will disclose that twelve publicly ‘outed’ and accused predator priests spent time in Sacramento but remain largely “under the radar.” Most were sued, charged or ousted in other states but escaped scrutiny here.

They will also push Catholic officials to write to school alums urging them to report any abuse at Jesuit High, where at least six of the publicly accused predators worked, including one cleric who is accused of molesting two kids at the Carmichael school.

And they’ll prod Sacramento’s bishop to “stop delaying,”

--post his own ‘accused’ offenders list,

--include ALL alleged predators (nuns, priests, brothers, bishops, seminarians & lay staff), &

--provide photos, whereabouts and full work histories of all the accused.

WHEN

Friday, April 19 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside Jesuit High School, 1200 Jacob Lane in Carmichael CA

WHO

Two Sacramento attorneys and a Missouri child sex abuse victim who is the former long-time director of a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

WHY

1) More than half of the nearly 200 US Catholic bishops have released names of child molesting clerics, most of them under pressure over the last few months.

https://wgntv.com/2019/01/03/a-reckoning-is-underway-in-us-catholic-church/

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/diocesan_and_order_lists.htm

Two bishops took this step back in 2002 and dozens have done so since.

Last October, Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto (916 733 0100) promised to disclose such names. But he still hasn’t done so and SNAP believes he’s being “reckless with the safety of kids.”

The group has discovered and is disclosing a list of twelve publicly accused clergy sex offenders who spent time in the Sacramento diocese. Six of them worked at Jesuit High in Carmichael. For nearly 40 years (1963 to 1999), one or more credibly accused child molesting clerics worked at the school.

Most of the accused priests have been ‘outed’ by Catholic officials and posted on official church lists of ‘credibly accused clerics.’ Many of them have also been sued. The clerics’ names - and details about them – are at the end of this advisory, will be posted on the SNAP website and handed out at the news conference.

SNAP wants Jesuit officials and Soto to permanently and prominently post the names of ALL proven, admitted and credibly accused child molesting church staff on school and church websites, making no distinction between diocesan clerics and religious order clerics, or between living or deceased predators. That list should also include photos, whereabouts and full work assignments, SNAP says. The posting should also urge victims, witnesses and witnesses to contact the California attorney general who has asked abuse victims to step forward.

2) SNAP is especially prodding those who were victimized by Brother William Farrington to call the AG. In 2012, a man reported to the Jesuits that Br. Farrington molested him at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose in the late 1960s. School officials found the accusations credible and sent letters to hundreds of former students. 

In 2002, Farrington was removed from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles after allegations surfaced that he also molested two boys at Jesuit High in Sacramento, where he was involved with both the swim and basketball teams. SNAP suspects the Jesuits did not report Br. Farrington’s alleged crimes to police.

He is reportedly living at a Jesuit facility in Los Gatos.

CONTACT

Dr. Joseph C. George 916-802-7959 cell, 916-641-7300,  David Clohessy 314-566-9790, [email protected], Zach Hiner 517-974-9009, [email protected]

Publicly accused Sacramento clerics who are ‘under the radar’ 4/19

--Fr. Laurence X. Brett, who is accused of abusing more than two dozen altar boys and others in CT, NM, MD and CA. The Bridgeportdiocese sent Fr. Brett to Servants of the Paraclete in NM in 1964 after parents of one victim complained to papal nuncio and Fr. Brett admitted the abuse. A settlement for $250,000 was paid in 1994 to two victims Fr. Brett molested in Sacramento CA. 

From 1972-1974, he worked at a Baltimore school where at least 12 boys allege he abused them.

In 1993, then Bridgeport-Bishop Edward Egan removed Fr. Brett from ministry when a civil child sex abuse lawsuit was filed. That same year, he fled to the Caribbean island of Martinique but reportedly continued his contacts with children there. In 2002, reporters located Fr. Brett on the island but he fled again. 

In 2002, he was included on the Baltimore archdiocese’s ‘accused’ list 9/25/02 and in 2017, he was put on the Santa Fe archdiocese’s ‘accused’ list.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/assign/Brett_Laurence_F_X.htm

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news3/1997_08_12_Renner_DioceseDisavows_Lawrence_Brett_9.htm

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/diocesan_lists/Bridgeport/2019_03_22_Bridgeport_Clergy_Settlements_PDF_Version.pdf

--Fr. Melvin (Mel) Bucher, a Franciscan who worked at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Sacramento from 1977-1988. Ordained in 1961, he also spent time in one Washington city (Spokane), in three Oregon towns Troutdale and Salem) and four other California towns (Oakland, Hayward, San Luis Rey and Oceanside) before reportedly retiring in 2006.         

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/assign/Portland_OR.htm#Bucher

--Fr. Louis "Louie" Wayne Ladenburger, who was at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Sacramento (with a parochial school) from 1984-1985. Ordained a Franciscan in 1963, he worked in parishes, high schools and retreat centers in dioceses including Stockton CA, Oakland CA, Phoenix AZ, Portland OR, El Paso TX, Spokane WA, Seattle WA, and Reno-Las Vegas NV. Fr. Ladenburger earned a doctorate degree in divinity from the UC-Berkeley and became a licensed marriage and family as well as chemical dependency therapist.

In the 1980s, he was treated twice for what the Franciscans called "inappropriate professional behavior and relationships." Both times, he was allowed to return to ministry. In 1993, his order restricted Fr. Ladenburger's ministry after they had him undergo another psychological evaluation due to "heightened concern and new awareness of abuse issues." Ladenburger refused the restrictions and went on leave of absence. 

He asked for a dispensation of his vows and was laicized by the Vatican in March 1996. He was hired as a therapist in 2006 by an Idahoschool for high-risk teenage boys. In 2007, he was fired after two boys accused him of sexual abuse, including fondling and oral sex. He admitted to abusing one of the boys. He was arrested in June and charged with three counts of sexual battery of a minor between the ages of 16 and 17. In a plea agreement in November 2007, Fr. Landenburger pleaded guilty to one count of felony sexual misconduct. He was sentenced to up to five years in prison, with the possibility of parole after six months.

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/assign/Ladenburger_Louis_Wayne_OFM.htm

--Fr. Michael M. Garry, who was accused by a New Jersey woman of repeatedly molesting and stalking her for thee years in 1950s and 1960s, beginning when she was eleven years old. The abuse included digital penetration and done under the guise of confession. Fr. Garry worked in the Sacramento diocese, Trenton diocese and the Newark archdiocese. A native of Ireland, he may have started as a Benedictine, was ordained in Rome, retired in 1981 and died in 1988.

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/assign/Garry_Rev_Michael_M.htm

--Fr. Jose Ribeiro, who worked at St. Elizabeth’s parish Sacramento (from 1975-1981). He was also at St. Clare's parish in Santa Clara(1975-1981), the University of San Francisco (1982-1991) and reportedly returned to his native Portugal in 1991. 

In 2003, three men had filed suits alleging Ribeiro sexually abused them in 1960s in Concord. The following year, four more victims filed lawsuits against him. Earlier this year, he was put on the Oakland diocese's ‘acused’ list. In December, his Jesuit supervisors also ‘outed’ him.

http://jesuitswest.org/Assets/Publications/File/JW_List_1207_English.pdf

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2019/03_04/2019_03_04_Marnell_LamorindaCatholic.htm

--Fr. Carlton E. Whitten, who worked at Jesuit High School in Sacramento three times (from 1963-1965, from 1980-1987 and from 1992-1999). From 1990-1992, Fr. Whitten was also at the Jesuit High School Community of Sacramento in Carmichael.

Ordained in 1961, he worked in two Arizona cities (Phoenix and Peoria) two Washington towns (Port Townsend and White Salmon) and several other California cities (Los Gatos, San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo). 

In 2007, Fr. Whitten was put on leave while the order investigated an allegation of child sexual abuse. He was included in the Los Angeles archdiocese’ list of priests accused of sexual misconduct involving minors. Fr. Whitten is believed to be living at the SacredHeart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos.

http://jesuitswest.org/Assets/Publications/File/JW_List_1207_English.pdf

https://www.andersonadvocates.com/PriestList/1858/Father-Carlton-E.-Whitten-S.J..aspx

--Fr. Angelo C. Mariano, who worked at St. Ignatius parish in Sacramento in 1990. He also worked in San Jose and Los Gatos. In December, he was ‘outed’ by the Jesuits.

http://jesuitswest.org/Assets/Publications/File/JW_List_1207_English.pdf

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2019/03_04/2019_03_04_Marnell_LamorindaCatholic.htm

--Fr. Stephen E. Speciale who worked at Jesuit High School in Carmichael from 1979-1982.

He also spent time in Berkeley and San Jose. In December, he was ‘outed’ by the Jesuits.

http://jesuitswest.org/Assets/Publications/File/JW_List_1207_English.pdf

http://www.bishopaccountability.org/assign/Speciale_Stephen_E_sj.htm

--Fr. Charles J. Onorato, who was at Jesuit High School in Carmichael twice (from 1967-1970 and again from 1980-1987). He also spent time in Los Altos, Montecito and San Jose. In December, he was ‘outed’ by the Jesuits.

--Fr. Gunter Klingenbrunner, who was at Jesuit High School in Carmichael from 1984-1985. In December, he was ‘outed’ by the Jesuits.

--Fr. Philip Sunseri, who was at Jesuit High School in Carmichael from 1973-1975. He also spent time in Phoenix. In December, he was ‘outed’ by the Jesuits.

--Fr. William J. Wood, who was at Jesuit High School in Carmichael (from 1979–1984). He also spent time in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Los Gatos, San Jose and Santa Clara and abroad (Belgium and Italy). In December, he was ‘outed’ by the Jesuits.