Category:North Carolina Dioceses
From Eurêka
North Carolina Dioceses
Diocese of Charlotte
Diocese of Charlotte Five priests had been accused of sexual abuse up to January 2003. Most Rev. William George Curlin, Auxiliary Bishop of Washington and Titular Bishop of Rosemarkie, was appointed Bishop of Charlotte on 22 February 1994. In March 2002, Bishop Curlin said he had “zero tolerance for child sex abuse,” that the only Catholic clergy-abuse case he knew about in the area occurred more than 50 years ago and that the diocese had never sent money to another diocese to settle a molestation claim. A month later a local newspaper showed that Bishop Curlin had reassigned the Rev. Damion Lynch in 1997 after paying a settlement to one victim's family. The diocese also alerted authorities to at least three other cases from 25 years ago or longer.
(alphabetical listing)
[9 offenders acknowledged, 13 listed]
Anon case 1 Case known to Bishop Curlin "occurred more than 50 years ago" (March 2002).
Anon case 2 Diocese alerted authorities to at least three other cases from 25 years ago or longer.
Anon case 3 Diocese alerted authorities to at least three other cases from 25 years ago or longer.
Anon case 4 Diocese alerted authorities to at least three other cases from 25 years ago or longer.
Anon case 5 Priest relieved a priest of his duties at a Greensboro parish following allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior in another state, April 2002.
Doherty affair Former Boston deacon Mark C. Doherty was hired in 1997 by Bishop William G. Curlin as a teacher at a Catholic school in Charlotte, NC, despite warnings from Cardinal Bernard F. Law about “substantial” allegations of child sexual abuse. In 1993, shortly before Doherty's ordination in Boston, two males accused him of molesting them on a camping trip in 1977. Doherty was suspended in February 2002 after details of correspondence between Law and Doherty became public as part of a lawsuit. Curlin retired 2002. Doherty was fired March 2003.
Elliot case Rev. Larry Elliot was convicted for sexual abuse, 2 year sentence.
Farwell affair Rev. Richard Farwell (1948-) was accused in 1999 of molesting a child at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Salisbury in the mid-1980s. In 2000, Bishop Curlin wrote a reference letter for the Rev. Richard Farwell, who was seeking a job with a Catholic charity in South Florida. The bishop wrote the recommendation after the diocese determined the allegation was not credible, but the allegation was reiterated, and Bishop Curlin then suspended Farwell, who was fired from the charity. Farwell had been charged with two felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a child, stemming from incidents. One charge was dismissed and the other reduced to a misdemeanor. He pleaded no contest (punishment is accepted without admission of wrongdoing) 2 November 2004 to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor and was sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation. He was ordered to undergo psychiatric counseling and complete 100 hours of community service after agreeing to the plea in Rowan County Superior Court. He also must not be alone with anyone under age 18.
Hopwood case Rev. Frederick J. Hopwood convicted of abuse, sentenced to 3 years probation.
Littleton affair Rev.Gregory Littleton accused of abuse. Removed.
Lynch case Charlotte Diocese confirmed that it used its money and insurance funds to pay parents who accused a priest, Rev. Damion Jacques Lynch of sexually abusing their sons in 1997. Bishop Curlin acknowledged that Lynch had told him in 1995 of an “indiscretion” involving “the boy” and had undergone psychological testing. Settled 1997. Lynch was removed from ministry in 1998.
O'Neill affair Rev. James O'Neill accused of abuse. Removed.
Yurgel affair Rev. Robert Yurgel is facing multiple charges for taking indecent liberties with a child and rape. Yurgel was at Saint Matthew Church in South Charlotte in the late 1990’s. The victim just recently came forward. Reported 14 June 2008.
- Diocese cover-up Diocese transferred Yurgel to New Jersey when they learned of his activities.
- Anon accusation Lawsuit accused Robert Yurgel of sexually molesting the then 14-year-old boy. It also accused the Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and the religious order that sent Yurgel to St. Matthews church of collaborating and conspiring to conceal the abuse. The abuse started in 1999 when Yurgel befriended the boy and his family. It alleged the first incident happened when Yurgel volunteered to take the boy home from youth group. Instead of going straight home, the lawsuit said Yurgel brought the boy into the church office and fondled him.
Diocese of Raleigh
Diocese of Raleigh Diocese has 98 parishes and mission churches throughout eastern North Carolina.
Diocese of Raleigh abuse Two priests had been accused of sexual abuse up to January 2003. Diocese removed three priests from their parishes after allegations surfaced against them; all the charges originated in other states where they worked. In a new report, the diocese said that since 1950, credible allegations of sexual misconduct were made against 13 of its priests, national audit 8 February 2004. Allegations of sexual abuse made against two other priests but they were “completely exonerated.”
Strange fired Editor of the NC Catholic, the semi-monthly newspaper published by the Diocese of Raleigh, John Strange, was fired by Bishop Joseph Gossman, who also is publisher of NC Catholic, when he walked into Strange's Catholic Center office a week before Christmas 2003 and notified his editor he was being immediately terminated from the position he had held for almost a decade. Strange found out there can be severe consequences for criticism of the church expressed such as were contained in an interview with Chapel Hill author William Powers.
Diocese of Raleigh settlements Diocese paid almost $2 million to settle sexual misconduct claims made by 37 people against at least 15 priests since 1950. Two of the priests have been cleared of wrongdoing, while the others have either died or retired. Diocese paid more than $1 million to settle five sexual abuse claims against two priests from the 1960s and 1970s, 2006.
(alphabetical listing)
[15 offenders identified, 8 listed]
Corbin case Rev. Andre Anthony Corbin convicted of sexual abuse 1989. Also lawsuit in Springfield, MA.
Garrity affair Jesuit Rev. Stephen M. Garrity, pastor of Holy Cross Church, Durham, to return to the Provincial House in Baltimore. The Jesuits acted in light of information alleging Garrity engaged in sexual misconduct with five adults ages 18 to 23, about 25 to 30 years ago. The alleged acts did not take place in North Carolina .Reported 28 April 2007.
Gondek affair Bishop Peter J. Jugis returned Rev. Albert James Gondek to the position of pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Lexington, NC, after an investigation by his religious order, the Oblates of St. Francis DeSales (OSFS), and an inquiry by the Review Board of the Diocese of Charlotte, dismissed a claim that Gondek fondled Michael Sowden, a 14-year-old, while both were swimming at a summer camp in Maryland 1960. Reported 24 December 2007.
Kuder affair Rev. William Kuder accused of abuse.
LaForge affair Bishop Gossman employed the Rev. Joseph LaForge after the priest was charged in New Jersey with helping a cleric accused of child molestation to flee the country. Father LaForge admitted giving $5,000 in church funds to the Rev. Florencio Tumang, but said he had no idea the priest would flee. Charges against Father LaForge were dismissed after he completed a pretrial intervention program for first-time offenders. He has since died and Tumang remains a fugitive.
McSweeney affair Rev. James E. McSweeney (d. 1999) accused of abuse.
Perry affair Rev. Francis Perry accused of abuse. Removed 2002.
Watkins affair Bishop Gossman suspended the Rev. Thomas Watkins from a parish after a man alleged that he had been repeatedly sexually harassed by the priest while a college seminary student in Ohio many years earlier, spring 2002. Watkins had been accused of inappropriate contact with three other people during Bishop Gossman's 27-year tenure, but the diocese would not elaborate. Watkins denied the allegations.
Woods case Bishop Cartrell Woods was accused by two childcare workers who worked at the Little Grace and Mercy Child Care Center of exposing himself late May 2002, and he was charged with simple assault and indecent exposure, both misdemeanors, 20 June 2002.
