Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
November 11, 2003

Despite the promises made in Dallas in June of 2002, here are a few selected examples of known and suspected abusers remaining in ministry during 2003:

1. His bishop admitted he has abused & settled lawsuit, yet he's still in ministry

State: CT
Diocese: Bridgeport
Priest: Msgr. Martin Ryan
Parish: St Edward The Confessor (203) 746-2200
City/Town: New Fairfield
His victim(s): Three teenaged girls (one sued, the other two did not)

Summary:
According to an 10/17/03 AP story, "Bridgeport Bishop William Lori . . . announced a $21 million settlement with 40 people who said they were molested by priests." Among them was Ryan, who "was accused of misconduct with a 17-year-old woman 25 years ago and is not considered a threat to children, church officials said." (NOTE: the diocesan attorney disclosed to the victim who sued that two other girls had also filed complaints about being abused by Ryan, which the diocese has not publicly disclosed.) According to the diocese's own news release: "Of the 16 priests in the settlement, 1 remains in active ministry with the full support of the Diocese and Bishop Lori, as the claim of misconduct with a 17-year-old woman 25 years ago does not pose a threat to children."

According to the New York Times, "Bishop Lori said he stood by the decision to allow Monsignor Ryan to continue working. 'He's not a predator,' he said. 'These allegations are old. He's not at all a threat to young people.'"

Link:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1281&dept_id=31007&newsid=10333258&PAG=461&rfi=9
http://www.bridgeportdiocese.com./october_03.shtml#global
(See also New York Times, 10/17/03)

For more information: Attorneys Cindy Robinson, Jason Tremont, Doug Mahoney
(203)

2. His bishop settled two civil lawsuits against him, yet he's still in ministry

State: Kentucky
Diocese: Louisville
Priest: Rev. Donald Ryan
Parish: St. Denis
City/Town: Bardwell
His victim(s): Raymond Wilberding and Richard Lanham

Summary:
Last month, even after settling two civil molestation lawsuits against Ryan, Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly returned the priest to his duties as pastor. According to the Courier-Journal, "The decision was met with disbelief by one of the two plaintiffs who filed civil lawsuits against the archdiocese earlier this year, alleging abuse by Ryan in the 1960s and a cover-up by the archdiocese. "I'm just really disappointed, and I can't believe that they would do something like this," Wilberding said in a telephone interview. "This is business as usual," (Attorney Ross) Turner said. "Investigations conducted in the dark and no action taken." (Church spokesman) Price said the decision to reinstate Ryan was a separate issue from settling the lawsuits. "The task of determining whether a priest can continue in ministry requires an individual case review," she said.

Link:
http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2003/10/24ky/met-front-abuse10240-6351.html

For more information:
Attorneys Ross Turner and William McMurray

3. His bishop settled a civil lawsuit against him, yet he's still in ministry

State: Kentucky
Diocese: Owensboro
Priest: Fr. Delma Clemons
Parish: St. Jerome's
City/Town: Fancy Farm
His victim(s): Karen Roby

Summary: In 1999, Roby received a $41,000 settlement because two Owensboro priests who abused her. In June 2002, one of the perpetrators, fearful he'd be removed because of the new "zero tolerance" policy, pleaded with her to change her story and claim she was 18, instead of 17, when she was victimized. Roby wrote a statement to that effect. On May 2, 2003, she shot herself and died. Last week, her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the diocese. Clemons remains in ministry.

Link:
http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2003/11/07ky/met-front-abuse11070-8962.html
http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2003/11/08ky/met-5-abuse1108-4561.html

For more information:
Attorneys John and Don Cox of Louisville 502 589 4215 or 502 585 2489
Church lawyer Marvin Nunley 270 683 3535

4. He's accused in a civil lawsuit, yet he's still in ministry

State: Kentucky
Diocese: Owensboro
Priest: Fr. Richard Powers
Parish: St. Mary Magdalene
City/Town: Owensboro
His victim(s): Karen Roby

Summary: See above. Note that he has not been removed pending investigation, as the bishops' promised

Link:
http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2003/11/07ky/met-front-abuse11070-8962.html
http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2003/11/08ky/met-5-abuse1108-4561.html

For more information:
Attorneys John and Don Cox of Louisville 502 589 4215 or 502 585 2489

5. He's currently facing a civil lawsuit, yet was returned to ministry

State: California
Diocese: San Francisco
Priest: Fr. Daniel E. Carter
Parish: Immaculate Heart of Mary
City/Town: Belmont
His victim(s): Danielle LaCampagne (who has filed a civil lawsuit) and at least one other victim who has not been public

Summary:
More than a year after Dallas, and just hours after deeming abuse allegations against Fr. Carter "unsubstantiated," San Francisco's Archbishop William Levada reversed himself and removed the popular priest from his post. The apparent provocation: a civil lawsuit filed by a victim who had met previously with an auxiliary bishop and told she was "credible" (yet nothing was done). On April 1, even thought Ms. LaCampagne has since gone public and her lawsuit is still progressing, Levada restored Carter to ministry.

Link:
http://www.poynter.org/dg.lts/id.46/aid.4280/column.htm
http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/2003-07-30/bayview.html/1/index.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2002/08/10/BA209419.DTL
For more information: Dave Drivon 209

6. He's currently facing a civil lawsuit, yet was returned to "good standing"

State: Pennsylvania
Diocese: Altoona-Johnstown
Priest: Msgr. Thomas Mabon
Parish: retired from Bishop Carroll High School and St. Mary's Church City/Town: the school is in Ebensburg and the church is in Hollidaysburg
His victim(s): Darrin M. Mangiacarne, 25, of Philadelphia

Summary: Recently, despite being accused of abusing a ten year old in a current civil lawsuit, Mabon "is being reinstated as a priest in good standing." Bishop Joseph V. Adamec said a diocese investigation did not substantiate allegations of abuse. While reinstated to a cleric in good standing, Mabon will not return to full-time priestly duties considering his age."
NOTE: A second Altoona cleric, Fr. Robert Kelly, also faces a civil lawsuit yet remains in ministry. (See Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, 3/5/03, tribune-democrat.com)

Link:
http://www.tribune-democrat.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10462320&BRD=2332&PAG=461&dept_id=484742&rfi=6

For more information: Attorney Richard Serbin 814 944 6111

7. He admitted abuse, yet was kept in ministry 13 months after Dallas

State: California
Diocese: Sacramento
Priest: Fr. Gus Krumm
Parish: St. Francis Parish
City/Town: Sacramento
His victim(s): one or more of 34 students who were victimized by 11 friars over a 23-year period at the St. Anthony's Seminary in Santa Barbara, according to a 1993 report by an independent review board.

Summary:
One year after Dallas, a Catholic priest who had been assigned to St. Francis parish in Sacramento was removed from ministry in Oregon last year after he admitted to sexual misconduct with minors.
From the Sacramento Bee (7/11/03): "The Rev. Gus Krumm was relocated here six weeks ago by his Franciscan order, which never informed the Sacramento Diocese of his past problems. Krumm lives in the St. Francis friary, next to the parish elementary school in midtown.

The excuse: "We didn't think we had to tell them," said Brother John Kiesler, spokesman for the Province of St. Barbara, the Franciscan regional headquarters.

Link:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/religion/story/7010282p-7958830c.html

For more information:
Attorney Joseph C. George 916 442 7100

8. Despite two allegations and one civil lawsuit, he's still in ministry

State: Missouri
Diocese: St. Louis
Priest: Fr. Alex Anderson
Parish: Sacred Heart
City/Town: Eureka
His victim(s): Arthur Andreas

Summary:
Father Anderson alleges that he has been falsely accused twice, once years ago when he worked at an orphanage, and last year by Andreas. Church officials interviewed the Andreas once, spoke with no other witnesses, never placed the Anderson on leave, yet immediately decided the victim was not credible. An auxiliary bishop then invited the media to a Mass at which Anderson's "innocence" was declared. The priest went on to sue Andreas for slander. Andreas has countersued.

Link: St. Louis Post Dispatch, New York Times story by Sam Dillon

For more information:
Attorney Pat Noaker 651 227 9990, 612 961 1307 cell
David Clohessy 314 566 9790

9. Despite a criminal abuse conviction, he stayed in active ministry until exposed

State: Illinois
Diocese: Chicago
Priest: Father Kenneth Martin
Parish: Cardinal Francis George's mansion
City/Town: from Delaware originally
His victim(s): a child in Maryland

Summary:
Nine months after Dallas, Martin worked part time for the Chicago Archdiocese and lived in George's mansion one week each month. In fact, the Cardinal "invited" Martin to come work in Chicago. But Martin pleaded guilty in Dec. 2001 to sexually abusing a student.
The Sun Times (3/1/03): "A Maryland prosecutor wants to know why Cardinal Francis George didn't ask for details after being told a Delaware priest he had hired as a consultant for the Chicago Roman Catholic Archdiocese”and invited to stay in his Gold Coast home-had been accused of sexually abusing a teenager.

The Sun Times (2/28/03): "The Rev. Kenneth Martin, 57, a priest from Wilmington (Del.) Diocese who in 2001 was charged criminally with sexually abusing a high school boy in Maryland in the 1970s, has stayed at the cardinal's on North State Parkway about one week a month since last May."

The initial excuse: "Well, he was not a priest at the time he molested the youngster, so the Charter didn't apply."
The second excuse: "Well, I didn't really ask questions about his background."

Link: http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-priest01.html

For more information:
Barbara Blaine 312 399 4747

10. Despite a pending civil lawsuit, he stayed in ministry until it hit the news

State: Iowa
Diocese: Davenport
Priest: Monsignor Drake Shafer
Parish: none (chancery official)
City/Town: Davenport
His victim(s): a teenaged boy

Summary:
On July 19, 2003, Monsignor Drake Shafer was serving in active ministry. In fact, he was vicar general of the Davenport diocese, despite a civil lawsuit alleging that he molested a teenager. Only after the lawsuit was disclosed in the local newspaper did something happen. Was he removed? No, he voluntarily took "a leave of absence." But he served nearly a month after been sued.

The excuse, quoting from the Des Moines Register (7/19/03):
"Because the case was filed before the diocese adopted its new policies (on) sexual abuse, the diocese did not acknowledge the lawsuit or otherwise make the information public."

Link: http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4788993/21783770.html

For more information:
Attorney Roxanne Barton Conlin

11. Despite credible allegations, he was still in ministry 15 months after Dallas

State: Illinois
Diocese: Chicago
Priest: Father John Powell
Parish: Loyola University
City/Town: Chicago
His victim(s): Patrice Regnier and at least three others

Summary:
Regnier had notified Loyola University 10 years ago in a letter that she had been sexually abused by Powell. The university did not take action at that time. As of two months ago, four women have filed lawsuits against Powell and the Jesuits. He was then finally removed. Powell is a popular professor and an accomplished lecturer and writer.

Link:
http://www.nbc5.com/news/2464713/detail.html?z=dp&dpswid=2265994&dppid=65193
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-metro06.html

For more information:
Attorney Marc Pearlman 312 261 4550

12. He admits touching a boy's penis, yet he has been returned to active ministry

State: New Jersey
Diocese: Paterson
Priest: Fr. Thomas Rainforth
Parish: St. Philip the Apostle
City/Town: Clifton
His victim(s): young boy

Summary:
Rainforth admitted touching a child's penis, but remains both Associate Pastor and serves as the Boy Scout Chaplain.
The Daily Record (11-28-02) stated: "Church officials . . maintained that the alleged abuse did not meet the church's standard of sex abuse. " (dailyrecord.com)

The excuse: The Diocesan Review Board deemed the victim's account credible but determined that the definition of sexual abuse under the charter could not be applied since the priest was drunk when he had genital contact with the minor and it could not be established necessarily that he was seeking sexual gratification.

Link: www.dailyrecord.com

For more information:
Attorney Gregory G. Gianforcaro (908) 859 2200

13. Despite credible allegations, he was still in ministry 15 months after Dallas

State: Illinois
Diocese: Chicago
Priest: Fr. Donald McGuire
Parish: Loyola Academy
City/Town: Chicago
His victim(s): a young student

Summary:
In 1969, the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus was informed of McGuire's abusive acts. Yet he remained in ministry until Sept. of 2003, and was removed only after a 49 year old man sued him.

Link:
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=46&aid=46733

For more information:
Attorney Marc Pearlman 312 261 4550

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SNAP FACT SHEET, CONTACT
THE FOLLOWING SNAP LEADERS:

David Clohessy of St. Louis 314 566 9790
Barbara Blaine of Chicago 312 399 4747
Peter Isely of Milwaukee 414 428 7259
Mark Serrano of Leesburg VA 703 727 4940