Retired priest with ties to Roanoke one of four investigated by Catholic Diocese

WDBJ7
June 9, 2020

https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Retired-priest-with-ties-to-Roanoke-one-of-four-investigated-by-Catholic-Diocese-571130871.html

The Catholic Diocese of Richmond has begun a review into allegations of child sexual abuse involving four retired or inactive priests.

The diocense said none of the accused priests is currently, or has recently served, in active ministry, and won't as long as the investigations are underway.

The four priests named in the allegations are:

Fr. William Dinga, Jr. is Retired Without Priestly Faculties.

Allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against Fr. Dinga, Jr. for a time when he served at Christ the King Catholic Church, Norfolk in 1986. Fr. Dinga denies the allegations.

He was ordained a priest for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond in 1975 and served as a pastor or associate pastor at Christ the King, Norfolk; Saint Andrew, Roanoke; Holy Cross, Lynchburg; Saint Jerome, Newport News; Saint Vincent de Paul, Newport News; and Saint Peter, Richmond. Fr. Dinga retired in 1990.

Fr. Joseph Slowik is Retired without Priestly Faculties.

Allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against Fr. Slowik while serving at St. Paul’s in Portsmouth in the early 1990s. The diocese has been unable to get a response to the allegations, but the Church process will proceed based on the assumption that he denies the allegations.

Incardinated as a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond in 1979, he served as a pastor and/or associate pastor at St. John, Petersburg, St. Paul, Portsmouth and Church of Saint Therese, Gloucester. He was removed from public ministry in 2006.

Fr. Thomas L. Long, Jr. has been suspended from Priestly Ministry.

llegations of child sexual abuse have been made against Fr. Long, Jr. while serving at Christ the King Catholic School in Norfolk in 1986. The diocese has been unable to get a response to the allegations, but is going under the assumption he denies the allegations.

Fr. Long, ordained a priest of the diocese in 1981, was assigned to St. Joseph in Petersburg and Christ the King in Norfolk. He took a leave of absence in 1988 and has not served in priestly ministry within the Diocese of Richmond since that time.

Fr. Eugene Daigle is a Religious Order Priest.

Allegations of child sexual abuse have been made against Fr. Daigle for a period during which he served at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea in Fort Monroe in the late 1970s.

Daigle was ordained a Redemptorist, or member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (C.Ss.R), a religious community of Roman Catholic priests and brothers, before working in ministry in the diocese. The diocese has not been able to get his response to the allegation, but is proceeding based on the assumption that he denies the allegation.

The Catholic Diocese of Richmond encourages people who have been sexually abused by a priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the diocese to report abuse to law enforcement first, including Child Protective Services (CPS) at 1-800-552-7096, and by calling the Virginia Clergy Abuse Hotline at 1833-454-9064 or going online here

People are also encouraged to contact the 24-hour confidential Victim’s Assistance Reporting number at 1-877-887-9603 or email vac@richmonddiocese.org.

The Diocesan Child Protection Policy can be viewed online here.

While the investigations are just getting underway, and no determinations have been made, Bishop Barry C. Knestout said it takes courage to come forward to report allegations of this nature. “While the alleged incidents are from the past, we recognize the pain is still a deep and present reality for victim survivors of abuse and for their loved ones,” said Knestout.

As part of the Church process into the allegations, the Diocesan Review Board will make recommendations to Bishop Knestout, who will make final determinations.