Diocese Finds 1976 Sexual Abuse Allegations against Former St. Augustine Priest ‘credible’

By Matt Bruce
St. Augustine Record
March 23, 2020

https://www.staugustine.com/news/20200323/diocese-finds-1976-sexual-abuse-allegations-against-former-st-augustine-priest-rsquocrediblersquo

A retired St. Augustine Catholic priest was accused of sexually abusing a minor 44 years ago in a recent complaint, the Diocese of St. Augustine announced in a statement Monday.

Father John H. Dux, a former clergyman at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Augustine, was immediately suspended indefinitely in May 2019 after the alleged victim’s attorney sent the Diocese a copy of the complaint. In release Monday, the Diocese said church officials reviewed the claims and deemed them credible.

“To determine the truth, and to ensure the safety and well-being of our vulnerable populations, the Diocesan Review Board conducted a thorough review of the claim,” Monday’s statement read. “They determined there was a semblance of truth and found the allegation to be credible.”

The alleged sexual abuse took place in 1976, when Dux was assigned to the St. Patrick Parish in Gainesville as a parochial vicar. The information was forwarded to the State Attorney’s Office in Hillsborough County, but prosecutors did not begin an investigation because Florida’s statute of limitations had expired for the charges, Monday’s press release indicated.