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  A Look at the Six Priests Accused of Child Abuse

By Nina Culver
Spokesman Review
October 24, 2002

The Spokane Diocese released little information about the priests named as suspects in the sexual abuse of minors. However, some biographical information about the priests was available in Spokesman-Review archives and other sources.

Bernard O. Oosterman

Ordained May 10, 1956, at Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane. In 1957, he was named assistant pastor at St.

Francis Xavier Church in Spokane and was assigned to teach religion at the Holy Names Academy and Marycliff High School. He served as assistant pastor at Holy Family Church in Clarkston before being transferred to St. Patrick's in Pasco in 1961. He also served at the Sacred Heart Mission in Wellpinit, Wash., Sacred Heart Church in Wilbur, Wash., and St. Benedict Parish in Coulee Dam, Wash. He was named associate director of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane's retreat apostolate in 1975. He resigned from ministry in 1980.

Reinard W. Beaver

Ordained May 19, 1956, at St. Patrick's in Walla Walla. He was a native of St. Patrick's Parish (born in Walla Walla) and studied at St. Edward's Seminary near Seattle. He taught religion at Marycliff High School for a year, served as an assistant at St. Augustine's, then at St. Ann's. In 1960, he joined the Army Chaplain Corps for three years. Beaver, who was removed from ministry in 1983, now lives in Steilacoom, Wash.

Theodore F. Xavier Bradley

Ordained Aug. 15, 1958, in Our Lady of Lourdes. He was born May 18, 1926, in Spokane and graduated from Gonzaga Prep. He was the assistant pastor at St. Patrick's in Walla Walla until he became an assistant at Our Lady of Lourdes in 1961. He was also an assistant at St. John Vianney before being assigned to be the pastor of two parishes, Sacred Heart in Brewster, Wash., and St. Genevieve in Twisp, Wash., in 1969. He was the pastor of St. Joseph's in Spokane (1972-1977). After a study leave, he was assigned to St. Agnes in Ritzville, Wash., St. Ambrose in Lind, Wash., and Holy Trinity in Washtucna, Wash., in April 1977. Other assignments were at St. Augustine and St. Francis Xavier. Bradley was removed from ministry this year, and lives in Spokane.

Arthur C. Mertens

Ordained in 1949. He was born in Mansfield, Wash., and grew up in St. Paschal's in the Spokane Valley. He served as assistant pastor at St. Augustine's for two years, then at Sacred Heart Church (1951 to 1956) before he went to St. Rose of Lima in Cheney. In 1961 he was assigned to the Guatemalan mission, where he remained for 16 years. He served in Franklin County from 1978 until he was transferred as an associate pastor to St. Francis Xavier in 1980. He was promoted to monsignor before being transferred to St. Patrick's in Walla Walla in 1981. He was removed from ministry in 1989, and lives in Spokane.

Patrick G. O'Donnell

Ordained May 29, 1971, at Sacred Heart Church. Graduate of Sacred Heart Grade School in Spokane, Gonzaga Prep and Gonzaga University. He was born in Quincy, Ill. He earned a teaching certificate from Gonzaga University in 1967 and a master's in counseling in January 1971. Served 15 years in active ministry at Spokane and Whitman county parishes, and resigned in 1985.

James J. O'Malley

Served at St. Mary's in Chewelah, Wash., and was pastor of St. John Vianney in the Spokane Valley from 1969 and unitl he was transferred to St. Paschal's in 1980.

 
 

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