Erie Catholic Diocese Release List Of Priests, Laypersons Accused Of Sexual Abuse


ERIE, PA – A list of priests and other nonordained members who are believed to have taken part in sexual abuse has been released by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie.
The list includes 34 priests, 20 of whom are deceased, and 17 laypersons, two of whom are dead.
This announcement comes after a investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office into Erie’s Diocese and five other churches in Pennsylvania.
Bishop Lawrence Persico told our news partner Erie News Now Friday morning that they revised policy for the protection of children and youth.
The Bishop says the policy is a “living document” and expressed his “sorrow and apologies” for the victims on behalf of the Diocese.

The new policy includes three major new components:

First, it has an expanded set of definitions that leave no doubt as to what constitutes abuse. It also includes definitions for terms such as threshold evidence. In addition, it explains what needs to be present for a child abuse case to be considered substantiated.
The second significant change in our policy is the greatly expanded role of the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth. It will now become the central depository of all allegations from any school, agency, parish or other source connected to the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Erie.
As you may know, anyone working or volunteering with minors or youth in any Catholic institution in the Diocese of Erie currently must secure clearances from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Going forward, in addition to those clearances, they will need a clearance from our Office for the Protection of Children and Youth.
The third aspect of our new policy is an updated and revised website, going live today at www.ErieRCD.org/policyupdate.htm. The site contains the new policy in its entirety.

The Diocese is working with law enforcement, medical experts, survivor support groups, compliance experts and academia to make sure it is doing the most it can to keep children and others safe.

Believed to be alive:
  • Former Fr. Michael J. Amy – Niceville, Florida
    • Laicized (removed from ministry and later voluntarily resigned from the clergy).
  • Fr. Michael G. Barletta – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Fr. Robert F. Bower – Edinboro, Pennsylvania
    • Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Andrea C. Butler – Rosedale, New York
    • Former lay agency employee.
  • Former Fr. Dennis C. Chludzinski – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Laicized.
  • Megan E. Fecko – Cleveland, Ohio
    • Former lay teacher.
  • Kevin Feyas – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Former lay teacher and parish musician.
  • Former Fr. Chester J. Gawronski –  Sahuarita, Arizona
    • Dismissed from the clergy.
  • Timothy G. Hanson, Sr. – North East, Pennsylvania
    • Layman prohibited from volunteer work or entering school property.
  • Fr. Stephen E. Jeselnick – Colorado Springs, Colorado
    • Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Former Fr. Gary L. Ketcham – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Laicized.
  • Fr. Thaddeus T. Kondzielski – Waterford, Pennsylvania
    • Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Kevin S. Kulhanek – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Former lay School volunteer.
  • Fr. Salvatore P. Luzzi – Bradford, Pennsylvania
    • Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Eve Minter (nèe Spangler) – Henrico, Virginia
    • Former lay teacher.
  • David Montgomery – Otisville, New York
    • In federal prison until 2041. Former lay teacher.
  • Fr. Leon T. Muroski – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Denise J. (nèe Geitner) Myer (Meyer) – Greensburg, Pennsylvania
    • Former lay teacher.
  • Hattie B. Nichols – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Former lay agency employee.
  • Philip J. Pochatko – Subiaco, Arkansas
    • Former lay school teacher
  • Brian J. Radachy – Elkton, Ohio
    • In federal prison until 2024. Former lay school teacher.
  • Former Fr. Samuel B. Slocum – Bradford, Pennsylvania
    • Dismissed from the clergy
  • Former Fr. Thomas E. Smith – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Dismissed from the clergy
  • Fr. Daniel J. Taylor – Tucson, Arizona
    • Forbidden to function as a priest
  • Ron Thomsen – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Former lay volunteer
  • Dennis E. Vickery – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Former lay teacher
  • Joseph M. Votino – Masury, Ohio
    • Former lay teacher/coach
  • Craig T. Ward – Erie, Pennsylvania
    • Former lay agency employee
Deceased:
  • Fr. Donald C. Bolton, CSsR – Forbidden to function as a priest
  • Fr. Edmund S. Borycz, OFM – Forbidden to function as a priest
  • Msgr. Bonaventure M. Ciufoli – Returned to Italy
  • Fr. Donald J. Cooper – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • William (Bill) Couse – Former lay school employee.
  • Fr. David V. Dobrowolski – Was able to function Abuse reported after his death.
  • William P. Garvey – Former lay teacher/coach. Later served as college president.
  • Fr. Herbert G. Gloekler – Was able to function. Abuse reported after this death.
  • Fr. Robert E. Hannon – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Fr. Joseph W. Jerge – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Fr. Edward W. Jungquist – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Fr. Thomas C. Kelley – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • FR. Gerard (Gerald, Gerry) H. Krebs – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Fr. Jerry Kucan, OFM – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Msgr. Daniel Martin – Restricted from ministry. Abuse reported during retirement/physical-health-leave and later after death.
  • Msgr. Joseph F. Meisinger – Was able to function. Abuse reported after his death.
  • Fr. John L. Murray – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Fr. Giles L. Nealen, OSB – Was unable to function. Was already confined to infirmary when abuse was reported.
  • Fr. John A. Piatkowski – Believed to have died in 1970 with ability to function.
  • Former Fr. William F. Presley – Dismissed from the clergy.
  • Fr. John P. Schanz – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Fr. Charles A. Sheetz, Jr. – Forbidden to function as a priest.
  • Bishop Alfred M. Watson, Bishop of Erie – Failed to stop abuse which was credibly reported to him.
Three individuals are currently under investigation by law enforcement (presumed innocent unless proved otherwise):

  • Fr. Sean P. Kerins — Naples, Florida
  • Fr. David L. Poulson – Oil City, Pennsylvania
  • John (Jack) E. Tome — location unknown (last known to be in Columbia, Maryland)

1 Comment

  1. My name is Don Nogay, former resident of NE PA, at st Greg’s church. I experienced with some friends their total crushed feelings for their children from Bolton, my advice to them was to hit up the diocese. Not for bucks, but scholarships for the children, at first class colleges. I moved to Florida soon after the incident occurred, to New Smyrna Beach. There is a CSSR home for retired priests. I never did see him in the streets of NSB, but one day at Holy Thursday, I was in the front pew and he was with a group to move body and blood, to the chapel. We looked at each other with surprise, obviously! I never did get a chance to talk with him about his actions in NE. However, I do remember in his homily’s he always was telling us exactly what to do. And how to act! I believe that this is the worst action that a person could do! Basically, this is why the Catholic church in Ireland is literally powerless now! My last trip to Rome convinced me that this attitude is still very strong. I thank the Holy Spirit that we have a Pope now not concerned with power and image. Hes trying, obviously, to put the Curia in a position to do what they are supposed to do ie, lead us spiritually. And change the attitude of the Church! Good Luck. Thanks for the “guts” to do this, obviously if it would have been done twenty years ago. The amount of people that have been destroyed under previous attitudes of the Church would be a definitely a smaller group.

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