Category:Archdiocese of Dubuque

From Eurêka

Archdiocese of Dubuque

Archdiocese of Dubuque Diocese of Dubuque was created in 1837 it embraced what are now the entire states of Iowa and Minnesota as well as those parts of the present states of North and South Dakota which lie to the east of the Missouri River. From this vast territory have been created in later years, besides the archdiocese of Dubuque, the dioceses of Davenport, Sioux City, and Des Moines in Iowa, the archdiocese of St. Paul and the dioceses of Winona, Duluth, St. Cloud, and Crookston in Minnesota, the diocese of Sioux Falls in South Dakota, and the diocese of Fargo in North Dakota.

Archdiocese of Dubuque abuse Three priests had been accused of sexual abuse up to January 2003. National Audit showed 26 priests had been accused of sexually abusing children 1950-2002, 29 December 2003. The report tallies credible allegations by 67 victims of sex abuse by priests: 12 girls and 55 boys. “I am sorry and apologize for what those priests did to you,” Archbishop Jerome Hanus said in a letter. “I apologize also for the inaction of some archbishops and for their mistaken decisions to continue allowing abusive priests a place of authority and respect when they did not deserve it.”

Note Allegations had been received against six other priests, but due to vague information, anonymous reporting or the person not giving permission for their name to be used, adequate evaluation was not deemed possible. One case investigated by civil authorities was rejected for insufficient evidence.

Table of Accused Priests Released by the Archdiocese of Dubuque after SNAP members handed out leaflets at two Ames IA churches where accused priest Robert Marcantonio had worked 1970-75. The archdiocese had not included Marcantonio in an earlier version of the list, which was released on 21 February 2006 as part of a settlement. 22 September 2006.

Note Other accusations which have been made against other priests (and which have been described as “credible”) are not included for one or more of the following reasons: They have either not been sustained, not proven, not admitted to, or not adjudicated by a civil court or ecclesiastical process. In some cases the information came in connection with medical reports, which are governed by civil law restrictions, or from other sources for which church and/or civil law imposes restrictions. In a very few cases, the sacramental seal of confession was involved.

(alphabetical listing)

[26 offenders acknowledged, 22 listed]

Anon nun Steve Theisen, who grew up in the Dubuque area and served on the police force there 1984-91, was abused by a nun while attending Catholic grade school, beginning at age 9 and continued for about two years, early 1960s.

Anon priest Mother of abused sons told a congregation in Waterloo, “Unless you also experienced this you can’t understand. This priest sexually abused our sons. He never denied the accusations and he told us ‘It was for their own good,’ ” 12 March 2003.

Brickley affair Rev. John J. Brickley (1909-1998), ordained 1935, accused of sexual abuse of several male minors 1960s. Lawsuit filed in 1999. Settled without trial. Made public at Pastoral Study Day in Waterloo in 2002.

Carman affair Rev. Albert L. Carman (1911-1980), ordained 1945, Accused of sexual abuse of male minors 1950s. Lawsuit filed in 2005; settled in mediation 21 February 2006.

Cigrand affair Rev. Nicholas Cigrand, accusation of abuse resulted in a lawsuit which was dismissed on motion for summary judgment. That court decision is being appealed by the plaintiff.

Devenney case Rev. Timothy L. Devenney (Timothy L. DeVenney) (1963-), ordained 1993, accused of sexual abuse of several male minors, 1990s. Made public in June 1996, was convicted for abuse of boys for 3 years, 1997. DeVenney served four years of a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to fondling several boys at St. Columbkille Catholic Church in Dubuque in the mid-1990s. He left the priesthood after being granted a dispensation from all obligations and rights arising from Holy Orders, 12 December 2008.

Dunkel affair Rev. Henry N. Dunkel (1931-1998), ordained 1945, accused of sexual abuse of several female minors 1940s. Accusation made public in several letters to the editor of the Telegraph Herald in the 1990s and 2002.

Fitzgerald affair Rev. Michael C. Fitzgerald (d. 2001) admitted improper use of the Internet but denied sexual abuse of minors, 2000. One anonymous phone call claimed to know from a third party about sexual abuse of a minor, but the person making the accusation declined to identify himself or the supposed victim. Because of the media attention devoted to the matter, Father Fitzgerald resigned his position as pastor of St. Joseph in Marion, Iowa. He died as the result of an highway accident on 2 October 2001.

Forster affair Rev. Albert J. Forster (1902-1990), ordained 1926, accused of sexual abuse of several male minors 1960s. Lawsuits filed in 2004; settled in 2004 and 2005.

Goltz affair Rev. William Goltz (1925-2006), ordained 1950, was a serial pedophile who the Church kept moving on. He served at St. Raphael Cathedral, Dubuque 1950-1953; visitation, Stacyville 1953-1954; St. Mel in McIntire 1953-1954; Sacred Heart in Oelwein 1954-1955 where he was accused of sexual abuse by John Doe who he abused in 1954; Church trial and sentencing (Goltz cover-up) saw his activities restricted 1955-1964 during which time he was put on extended sick leave in New Mexico; then reassigned to St. Michael in Norway 1964-1965; then returned to Iowa and was reassigned to Saint Ludmila's Parish in Cedar Rapids 1965-1966; St. Francis Xavier (temp.) in Dyersville 1966; Immaculate Conception (temp.) in Elma 1966; St. Patrick (temp.) in St. Cecilia 1966; then on leave of absence 1966-1971; St. Patrick in Hampton 1971-1973; St. Francis in Dumont 1971-1973; Immaculate Conception in Sand Springs 1973-1976; St. Mary in Dorchester 1976-1977; St. Mary in Hanover 1976-1977; St. Joseph in Waterloo 1977-1980; ending his active priesthood at St. Jude in Cedar Rapids 1980-1984; thereafter at Holy Family Hall [infirmary] in Dubuque 1984-1991; Mt. St. Francis [motherhouse and novitiate of Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family] in Dubuque 1984-1991; and Mercy Hospital (part-time) in Dubuque 1984-1991. He officially retired when his activities were restricted 1992. Penal precept imposed 2005. Three lawsuits filed in 2005, settled in mediation 21 February 2006.

1. Goltz cover-up John Doe alleges that after the incident in 1954, Goltz was summoned to the parish for questioning by the Rev. Paul J. Maquire, one of the two priests assigned by the Archdiocese to the Sacred Heart Parish, and after Maquire questioned him, told him not to talk about the incident.

“Doe believes that a formal church trial was held against Goltz following a report of the abuse to the Archdiocese, and that as a result of the trial, Goltz was charged with a violation for being sexually involved with young men. Doe also alleges that Goltz was found guilty and the Archbishop at the time banned him from celebrating Mass and hearing confessions, removed him from the parish, and required him to live under supervision in a house of penance, but did not report the crimes to civil authorities.”

Knox affair Rev. Thomas B. Knox (1910-1968), ordained 1942, Accused of sexual abuse of a male minor 1950s. Made public in a letter to the editor of the Telegraph Herald on January 22, 2006.

McElliott affair Reverend Patrick W. McElliott (1910-1987), ordained 1936, was accused by a woman that she was sexually abused in 1964 when he was a pastor of St. Patrick parish in Colesburg. Four earlier lawsuits named McElliott, alleging he abused girls while at St. John's school in Waterloo and at St. Patrick in 1963. Diocese sued 2005, settled in mediation 21 February 2006.

McLaughlin affair Rev. William G. “Bill” McLaughlin, served at Sacred Heart Church in Rockwell from 1959 to 1964, his first assignment after ordination, and at at Columbus High School from 1964 to 1976, five of them as director of Catholic education in Waterloo-Cedar Falls. While at Rockwell, McLaughlin also served on the faculty at Newman High School in Mason City. McLaughlin was added to the archdiocese’s “Table of Accused Priests” after a claim involving him was settled in January 2008. He was accused of abusing several female minors in the 1960s. Reported May 2008.

Marcantonio affair Rev. Robert Marcantonio (1942-1999), ordained 1967, a priest of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors, 1970s. Made public in the Des Moines Register 12 July 1990. Mediation and settlement of various claims followed.

Olinger affair Rev. Julius J. Olinger (1906-1993), ordained 1931, Accused of sexual abuse of a female minor 1950s. Claim made in 2006 and settled as part of mediation 21 February 2006.

Patnode affair Rev. Joseph I. Patnode (1885-1977), ordained 1918. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors 1930s. Accusation made public in the Telegraph Herald 18 June 2003.

Peters affair Rev. John M. Peters (1920-1997), ordained 1944, accused of sexual abuse of male minors 1960s. Lawsuit filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006.

Reiss affair Rev. Robert J. Reiss (1929-2005), ordained in 1955, served several North Iowa parishes: at Sacred Heart in Osage, St. Boniface in Garner, St. Michael in Nashua and Visitation in Stacyville during his 35-year career. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors, 1960s. Pope John Paul II defrocked him, 29 September 1997. Made public at the time of his reported death in Chilpancingo, Mexico, 3 February 2005. Claim settled as part of mediation 21 February 21, 2006.

Roach affair Monsignor William A. Roach (1921-1997), ordained 1945, a chancellor and the archdiocese's vicar general at various times between 1945 and 1986, accused of sexual abuse of several male minors 1960s. Letters, memos and affidavits that appear to indicate that, at some level, church officials were aware of Roach's penchant for abusing minor boys before he assaulted Cummins. The archdiocese argued that the victim, who was 17 at the time, was not a child and that Roach was not an employee of the archdiocese but was an independent contractor, July 2005. Roach retired from active ministry in 1990 and died in an alcohol-related car accident in 1997. Three lawsuits filed in 2005, settled in mediation 21 February 2006.

1. Cummins accusation Accused in sexual abuse lawsuit filed against the archdiocese by NBC News Correspondent Jim Cummins of molesting him in 1962 when he was an altar boy at Immaculate Conception church in Cedar Rapids. Cummins claimed that Roach lured him and another youth, Jim Paddock, to an overnight trip in northeast Iowa, where both teens were sexually abused. Cummins said Roach attempted a second assault a few weeks later.

Schmitt affair Rev. Allen M. Schmitt (1945-), ordained 1971, accused of sexual abuse of male minors, 1970s. Made public in spring of 2002, removed 2002.

Schmitz affair Rev. John A. Schmitz (1929-1991), ordained 1957, accused of sexual abuse of female minors 1950s. Made public at Pastoral Study Day in Waterloo in 2002. First lawsuit filed in California in 2004. A second lawsuit was filed in 2005 and settled in mediation 21 February 2006.

Schwartz affair Rev. William T. Schwartz (1932-), ordained 1958, a diocesan priest who served at local parishes for more than two decades, accused of sexual abuse of several male minors 1960s. He was spiritual director at Columbus High School in Waterloo in the late 1970s. Lawsuit filed June 2004 and settled without trial. Three other lawsuits filed in 2005, settled in mediation February 21, 2006.

1. Ortmann accusation Daniel J. Ortmann claimed Schwartz sexually abused him in 1983 while he was an eighth-grader at Saint Jude's Catholic school in Cedar Rapids. The suit also alleges Schwartz later intimidated Ortmann from discussing the abuse. Archdiocese of Dubuque paid a $100,000 out-of-court settlement in a lawsuit filed by in Linn County District Court by Daniel Ortmann of Cedar Rapids against Schwartz and the archdiocese, June 2004.