A digest of links to media coverage of clergy abuse.
Click on the headline to read the full story.
February 22, 2019
List of Evansville Diocese priests accused includes one in active ministry until 3 days ago
EVANSVILLE (IN)
Courier & Press
Feb. 22, 2019
By Abbey Doyle
One of the 12 men on a list of "credible" allegations of abuse by clergy in the Diocese of Evansville was still active in public ministry until Feb. 19: three days before the list was released to the public.
Jean Vogler was arrested in 1996 in a massive child pornography ring, according to Courier & Press archives. The federal sting nabbed 130 people across 36 states.
Vogler pleaded guilty to receiving pornographic tapes in the mail. He spent about a year in federal prison and underwent psychiatric treatment when he got out.
He was reinstated to the ministry in 1999. At the time, then-Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger told the Courier that Vogler’s case didn’t fall under a zero-tolerance policy because receiving child pornography didn't constitute direct abuse of a child.
Evansville Diocese spokesman Tim Lilley, when asked about Vogler's reinstatement even after a federal conviction of possession of child pornography, said Friday "the U.S. Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People did not exist at that time. Following its issuance and subsequent revisions, the Charter recognizes the receipt, possession or distribution of child pornography as constituting sexual abuse of a minor. Keep in mind that, when reinstated, Father Vogler had completed his sentence and been released.
"Since the time of Father Vogler's conviction, the Church has recognized the tragic availability of child pornography and clarified that child pornography is a form of child sexual abuse, and that a cleric who acquires, possesses or distributes that material is not to be in public ministry; and if that offense occurs from 2010 forward, it may lead to dismissal from the clerical state (laicization) as a penalty," Lilley continued in his emailed response to questions from the C&P.
Lilley said Vogler was recently removed from public ministry after a more recent study by the Review Board.
"The bishop determined that Father Vogler is not to be in public ministry," Lilley wrote in the emailed response. "Bishop (Joseph) Siegel made the decision to remove Father Vogler from public ministry on Feb. 19 after the diocese consulted with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and, as I mentioned, the Diocesan Review Board."
Post-conviction, Vogler lived next to Memorial High School, at Villa Maria on Lincoln Avenue.
When Vogler was still in active ministry, he "celebrated Masses on weekends when pastors had to be away from their parishes," Lilley said.
In September, the diocese promised to release the names of priests "credibly" accused of sexually abusing a minor.
In a release to media Friday, the Diocese said they compiled the names previously published in The Message, a newspaper of the Diocese. They also contacted a private investigator to review records dating to its founding in 1944 beginning in early October and ending in mid-December.
In December 2003, the diocese said allegations had been brought against 15 priests. This list names 12.
Courier & Press
Feb. 22, 2019
By Abbey Doyle
One of the 12 men on a list of "credible" allegations of abuse by clergy in the Diocese of Evansville was still active in public ministry until Feb. 19: three days before the list was released to the public.
Jean Vogler was arrested in 1996 in a massive child pornography ring, according to Courier & Press archives. The federal sting nabbed 130 people across 36 states.
Vogler pleaded guilty to receiving pornographic tapes in the mail. He spent about a year in federal prison and underwent psychiatric treatment when he got out.
He was reinstated to the ministry in 1999. At the time, then-Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger told the Courier that Vogler’s case didn’t fall under a zero-tolerance policy because receiving child pornography didn't constitute direct abuse of a child.
Evansville Diocese spokesman Tim Lilley, when asked about Vogler's reinstatement even after a federal conviction of possession of child pornography, said Friday "the U.S. Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People did not exist at that time. Following its issuance and subsequent revisions, the Charter recognizes the receipt, possession or distribution of child pornography as constituting sexual abuse of a minor. Keep in mind that, when reinstated, Father Vogler had completed his sentence and been released.
"Since the time of Father Vogler's conviction, the Church has recognized the tragic availability of child pornography and clarified that child pornography is a form of child sexual abuse, and that a cleric who acquires, possesses or distributes that material is not to be in public ministry; and if that offense occurs from 2010 forward, it may lead to dismissal from the clerical state (laicization) as a penalty," Lilley continued in his emailed response to questions from the C&P.
Lilley said Vogler was recently removed from public ministry after a more recent study by the Review Board.
"The bishop determined that Father Vogler is not to be in public ministry," Lilley wrote in the emailed response. "Bishop (Joseph) Siegel made the decision to remove Father Vogler from public ministry on Feb. 19 after the diocese consulted with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and, as I mentioned, the Diocesan Review Board."
Post-conviction, Vogler lived next to Memorial High School, at Villa Maria on Lincoln Avenue.
When Vogler was still in active ministry, he "celebrated Masses on weekends when pastors had to be away from their parishes," Lilley said.
In September, the diocese promised to release the names of priests "credibly" accused of sexually abusing a minor.
In a release to media Friday, the Diocese said they compiled the names previously published in The Message, a newspaper of the Diocese. They also contacted a private investigator to review records dating to its founding in 1944 beginning in early October and ending in mid-December.
In December 2003, the diocese said allegations had been brought against 15 priests. This list names 12.
Embattled priest prays U.S. Supreme Court allows libel claim against Catholic Church
FT. LAUDERDALE (FL)
Sun Sentinel
February 22, 2019
By Marc Freeman
A priest from South Florida says he has faith the U.S. Supreme Court will allow him to do the unthinkable for a member of the clergy — sue the Catholic Church.
It might be a longshot, but the Rev. John Gallagher of West Palm Beach is used to people telling him, “You’re crazy for going up against the Catholic Church.”
This is how it’s been since he first went public three years ago with accusations that the Diocese of Palm Beach tried to cover up another priest’s sexual misconduct.
Church officials, in turn, shot back with a statement: “Father Gallagher is blatantly lying and is in need of professional assistance as well as our prayers and mercy.”
They said Gallagher made his allegations after a “ministerial decision” that he’s unfit to become a pastor.
The diocese has insisted it immediately and fully cooperated with a law enforcement investigation that led to the offending priest’s arrest and deportation.
At its core, Gallagher’s defamation lawsuit poses the big legal question of whether the freedom of religion protections under the First Amendment shields the church from such claims.
Sun Sentinel
February 22, 2019
By Marc Freeman
A priest from South Florida says he has faith the U.S. Supreme Court will allow him to do the unthinkable for a member of the clergy — sue the Catholic Church.
It might be a longshot, but the Rev. John Gallagher of West Palm Beach is used to people telling him, “You’re crazy for going up against the Catholic Church.”
This is how it’s been since he first went public three years ago with accusations that the Diocese of Palm Beach tried to cover up another priest’s sexual misconduct.
Church officials, in turn, shot back with a statement: “Father Gallagher is blatantly lying and is in need of professional assistance as well as our prayers and mercy.”
They said Gallagher made his allegations after a “ministerial decision” that he’s unfit to become a pastor.
The diocese has insisted it immediately and fully cooperated with a law enforcement investigation that led to the offending priest’s arrest and deportation.
At its core, Gallagher’s defamation lawsuit poses the big legal question of whether the freedom of religion protections under the First Amendment shields the church from such claims.
Survivor speaks out after Diocese releases list of credible allegations against clergy
EVANSVILLE, IN (IN)
WFIE TV
February 22, 2019
By Kate O'Rourke
The list is not just the names. It also includes more details about the allegations and timelines for which churches and in which schools these priests worked.
From this list we were able to do more of our own research and piece together a better narrative surrounding the priests’ allegations. Among the accused is Mark Kurzendoerfer.
He admitted to two of four credible allegations. The first dates back to the year he was ordained.
He was accused of an improper physical relationship with a 14-year-old boy. On Thursday, we sat down exclusively with priest abuse survivor Ken Meyer.
While he was abused as a teenager in St. Louis, he and his family were long-time parishioners at Holy Angles Church in New Harmony. Kurzendoerfer was their priest for nine years.
He noted that many of these names have been brought to the public since 2002.
“And I know that the committee that’s looking at the credibility of the accusations is working hard on trying to come up with a list of people who have been credibly accused. And that word credibly is really important. To come up with an accusation is easy but to have some credibility takes some effort,” says Meyer.
The Diocesan Review Board is made up of six parishioners and one priest. We have tried contacting them in the past but did not get any comment.
Again today after we got the list we reached out to each board member and have not heard back. Meyer has also encountered more than a handful of other priests who turned out to be alleged abusers.
Some of them are on this list. He says he and his family did not know about it until years later.
“Some of these priests that we’ve read about over the years of being credibly accused I’ve worked with, I’m friends with, and it’s a difficult subject,” says Meyer.
Meyer recognizes five priests on the list. He is traveled with John Breidenbach and Wilfred Englert.
Breidenbach admitted to one credible allegation. Englert was convicted of sexual battery and served a prison sentence. Meyer knew Richard Wildeman through Boy Scouts years ago. Wildeman admitted to his one credible allegation.
Meyer was at a mass in New Harmony five years ago held by Jean Vogler. Even though nearly twenty years earlier, Vogler pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography, he was still in public ministry until Tuesday.
WFIE TV
February 22, 2019
By Kate O'Rourke
The list is not just the names. It also includes more details about the allegations and timelines for which churches and in which schools these priests worked.
From this list we were able to do more of our own research and piece together a better narrative surrounding the priests’ allegations. Among the accused is Mark Kurzendoerfer.
He admitted to two of four credible allegations. The first dates back to the year he was ordained.
He was accused of an improper physical relationship with a 14-year-old boy. On Thursday, we sat down exclusively with priest abuse survivor Ken Meyer.
While he was abused as a teenager in St. Louis, he and his family were long-time parishioners at Holy Angles Church in New Harmony. Kurzendoerfer was their priest for nine years.
He noted that many of these names have been brought to the public since 2002.
“And I know that the committee that’s looking at the credibility of the accusations is working hard on trying to come up with a list of people who have been credibly accused. And that word credibly is really important. To come up with an accusation is easy but to have some credibility takes some effort,” says Meyer.
The Diocesan Review Board is made up of six parishioners and one priest. We have tried contacting them in the past but did not get any comment.
Again today after we got the list we reached out to each board member and have not heard back. Meyer has also encountered more than a handful of other priests who turned out to be alleged abusers.
Some of them are on this list. He says he and his family did not know about it until years later.
“Some of these priests that we’ve read about over the years of being credibly accused I’ve worked with, I’m friends with, and it’s a difficult subject,” says Meyer.
Meyer recognizes five priests on the list. He is traveled with John Breidenbach and Wilfred Englert.
Breidenbach admitted to one credible allegation. Englert was convicted of sexual battery and served a prison sentence. Meyer knew Richard Wildeman through Boy Scouts years ago. Wildeman admitted to his one credible allegation.
Meyer was at a mass in New Harmony five years ago held by Jean Vogler. Even though nearly twenty years earlier, Vogler pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography, he was still in public ministry until Tuesday.
Advocates claim names missing from list of clergy accused of child sex abuse
RICHMOND (VA)
WRIC TV
February 22, 2019
By Kerri O'Brien
A group that documents abuse in the Catholic Church says names are missing from a list of accused sex abusers recently released by the Diocese of Richmond.
8News has been combing over the Diocese of Richmond list and comparing it to an online group's that has been tracking abuse allegations for years.
"It is really important not to let names fall through the cracks," said Terence McKiernan, president of BishopAccountability.org.
McKiernan spoke to 8News over Skype from Massachusetts about BishopAccountability.org, a website which maintains a database of priests and nuns accused of abuse.
BishopAccountability.org often works with law enforcement to fill out its database.
"We're careful to include in the database people who have been publicly accused of abusing children," McKiernan said when asked what criteria the site uses to create the database.
List reveals names of dozens of Virginia priests facing 'credible' child sex abuse allegations
"We use as evidence," he continued, "reports in publicly available court documents, reports in mainstream media."
When reviewing the Bishop Accountability database for the Diocese of Richmond, 8News found five names on their list not found on the list provided by the Richmond Diocese's bishop last week. This includes an ex-priest on Virginia's sex offender registry and a nun convicted of molesting a 10-year-old boy in Virginia Beach.
WRIC TV
February 22, 2019
By Kerri O'Brien
A group that documents abuse in the Catholic Church says names are missing from a list of accused sex abusers recently released by the Diocese of Richmond.
8News has been combing over the Diocese of Richmond list and comparing it to an online group's that has been tracking abuse allegations for years.
"It is really important not to let names fall through the cracks," said Terence McKiernan, president of BishopAccountability.org.
McKiernan spoke to 8News over Skype from Massachusetts about BishopAccountability.org, a website which maintains a database of priests and nuns accused of abuse.
BishopAccountability.org often works with law enforcement to fill out its database.
"We're careful to include in the database people who have been publicly accused of abusing children," McKiernan said when asked what criteria the site uses to create the database.
List reveals names of dozens of Virginia priests facing 'credible' child sex abuse allegations
"We use as evidence," he continued, "reports in publicly available court documents, reports in mainstream media."
When reviewing the Bishop Accountability database for the Diocese of Richmond, 8News found five names on their list not found on the list provided by the Richmond Diocese's bishop last week. This includes an ex-priest on Virginia's sex offender registry and a nun convicted of molesting a 10-year-old boy in Virginia Beach.
U.S. Catholics Wanted a Vatican Response on Sex Abuse. Is a New Proposal Enough?
NEW YORK (NY)New York Times
February 22, 2019
By Elizabeth Dias
The unprecedented summit in Rome on clerical sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church has drawn participants from around the world. But there is one country with a particularly large stake in what happens at the Vatican this week.
The clergy sex abuse crisis has engulfed the American Catholic Church for months, as leaders contend with growing state and federal investigations, and ordinary Catholics grow weary of waiting for the Vatican to finally resolve the crisis.
The yearning for a response from Pope Francis yielded on Friday a first step to holding bishops accountable for abuse in their dioceses. And it was an American — Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago — who presented the proposal. But survivors and law enforcement officials say they doubt that the church’s response so far matches the magnitude of the crisis sweeping the United States.
“Now all they are going to do is set guidelines again?” Mark Belenchia, 63, an abuse survivor and activist in Jackson, Miss., asked on Friday. “That is gibberish as far as I am concerned.”
Cardinal Cupich, who presented the proposal for increased bishop accountability, told his colleagues at the conference that the faithful had a right to doubt the church when abuse was “covered up” to protect the abuser or the institution.
“This is the source of the growing mistrust in our leadership, not to mention the outrage of our people,” he said, urging bishops to listen to victims and to provide “just accountability for these massive failures.” A key step, he suggested, was responding to the frustrations of infuriated laity sitting in their pews.
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