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List released of accused clergy

The Catholic Messenger
July 17, 2008

http://home.catholicweb.com/CathMessDavDio/index.cfm/
NewsItem?ID=238327&From=Home

The Diocese of Davenport has prepared the following list of clergy who have been found to have credible allegations of sexual abuse against them. The list is being released as part of the diocese’s non-monetary undertakings of its bankruptcy settlement with survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

[ Francis Bass | Herman Bongers | Bernard Brugman | Sylvester Conrad | Orville DeCoursey | Paul Deyo | Thomas Feeney | Fidelis Forrester OSB | Theodore Geerts | Thomas Hackett | James Janssen | Raymond Kalter CSSR | John Kennedy | Placidus Kieffer OSB | James Leu | Frank Martinez | Carl Meinberg | Donald Redmond OSB | Br. Francis Skube | Louis Telegdy CPPS | Br. Mark Quillen | Alphonse Wagner | Richard Welsh | William Wiebler ]

[Note from BishopAccountability.org: This diocesan list omits five priests and one brother who have been accused of abuse, and one priest who has been convicted of possessing child pornography. We are developing assignment records for these men: Martin J. Diamond, Br. Daniel K. Embrich, Joseph P. Hines, Richard J. Poster, Drake R. Shafer, Lawrence D. Soens, and Gerald E. Stouvenel. See also the diocese's 2004 assignment records for selected priests, with our commentary.]

The Diocesan Review Board determined that the clergy identified in this list have been credibly accused of sexual abuse.

The independent private investigator who was appointed by the bankruptcy court to investigate claims, James Sweeney, is continuing to investigate some claims against other clergy. When the investigations are completed, the Review Board will review that evidence and this list may be supplemented.

The five-member Review Board functions as a confidential consultative body for the bishop. The board’s duties include advising the bishop in assessment of allegations of sexual abuse of minors and in his determination of suitability for ministry; reviewing policies and procedures dealing with sexual abuse of minors; and offering advice on all aspects of responses required in connection with these cases.

Credible allegations are based on the facts of the case and meet one or more of the following criteria: more likely than not to have occurred; corroborated with other evidence or other sources; and acknowledged or admitted to by the accused.

With regard to deceased or incapacitated clergy, the evidence must be clear and convincing. This higher standard is used because the clergy member is no longer able to defend himself.

Parish assignments
(other assignments not listed)

Francis Bass
Year of ordination: 1948
Earliest claimed abuse: early 1950s
Accused of sexual abuse of 18 male minors
The Vatican recommended that Francis Bass “lead a life of prayer and penance.”
St. Mary, Clinton 1948-1957
St. Joseph, Davenport 1957-1966
St. Mary, Eddyville 1966-1967
St. Joseph, East Pleasant Plain 1967-1973
Sacred Heart, Newton 1973-1978
St. Patrick, Iowa City 1978-1981
St. Patrick, Delmar 1981-1992
St. Anne, Welton 1984-1992

Herman Bongers
Year of ordination: 1939
Earliest claimed abuse: 1948
Accused of sexual abuse of 5 male minors
Year of death: 1971
St. Mary, Keokuk 1939-1941
St. Joseph, Fort Madison 1941-1943
St. Paul, Davenport 1943-1945
St. Bridget, Victor 1962-1965

Bernard Brugman
Year of ordination: 1943
Earliest claimed abuse: 1963
Accused of sexual abuse of 1 male minor
Year of death: 1965
St. Joeseph, Davenport 1943-1946
St. Joseph, Montrose 1950-1951
St. Patrick, Charlotte 1963-1965
St. Patrick, Villa Nova 1963-1965
Assumption, Charlotte 1963-1965


Sylvester Conrad
Year of ordination: 1952
Earliest claimed abuse: early 1960s
Accused of sexual abuse of 1 female minor
Year of death: 2003
St. Patrick, Ottumwa 1952-1958
Our Lady of Lourdes, Bettendorf 1958-1967
St. Mary, Weller 1967-1996
St. Peter, Lovilia 1974-1997

Orville DeCoursey
Year of ordination: 1931
Earliest claimed abuse: 1945
Accused of sexual abuse of 4 male minors
Year of death: 1964
St. Mary, West Point 1931-1932
St. Patrick, Charlotte 1937-1938
St. Patrick, Villa Nova 1937-1938
Our Lady of Lourdes, Keswick 1938-1948
St. Joseph, What Cheer 1938-1949
St. Mary, Fairfield 1948-1964


Paul Deyo
Year of ordination: 1976
Earliest claimed abuse: 1983
Accused of sexual abuse of 3 male minors
Laicized: 2005
St. Mary, Clinton 1976-1978
St. Mary, Davenport 1988-1991
St. Patrick, Iowa City 1991-1992
St. Peter, Cosgrove 1996-1997
St. Mary, Oxford 1996-1997
St. Wenceslaus, Iowa City 1997-2000

Thomas Feeney
Year of ordination: 1937
Earliest claimed abuse: 1957
Accused of sexual abuse of 15 male minors
Year of death: 1981
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport 1953-1968
St. Anthony, Davenport 1968-1981


Fidelis Forrester, OSB
Year of ordination: unknown
Earliest claimed abuse: 1955
Accused of sexual abuse of 3 male minors
Year of death: unknown
St. John, Burlington 1955-1956
St. John, Burlington 1961-1963

Theodore Geerts
Year of ordination: 1946
Earliest claimed abuse: 1961
Accused of sexual abuse of 3 male minors
Year of death: 2004
St. Joseph, Fort Madison 1946-1947
St. Patrick, Clinton 1947-1962
St. Boniface, Farmington 1962-1969
St. Mary, String Prairie 1962-1969
St. Mary, Dodgeville 1969-1969

Thomas Hackett
Year of ordination: 1943
Earliest claimed abuse: 1940s
Accused of sexual abuse of 3 male minors
Year of death: 1951
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport 1943-1943
St. Joseph, DeWitt 1943-1945
Sacred Heart, Fort Madison 1945-1946

James Janssen
Year of ordination: 1948
Earliest claimed abuse: 1953
Accused of sexual abuse of 36 male minors
Laicized: 2004
St. Bridget, Victor 1948-1948
St. Paul, Burlington 1948-1950
St. Iranaeus, Clinton 1950-1953
St. Joseph, East Pleasant Plain 1953-1953
Sacred Heart, Newton 1953-1956
St. Michael, Holbrook 1958-1958
St. Patrick, Delmar 1959-1959
St. Mary, Davenport 1959-1961
St. Joseph, Fort Madison 1961-1967
Ss. Mary & Joseph, Sugar Creek 1967-1979
St. Mary, Bryant 1972-1979
St. Anthony, Davenport 1979-1980
Ss. Philip & James, Grand Mound 1980-1990

Raymond Kalter, CSSR
Year of ordination: 1930
Earliest claimed abuse: 1950s
Accused of sexual abuse of 3 male minors
St. Alphonsus, Davenport 1958-1962

John Kennedy
Year of ordination: 1936
Earliest claimed abuse: 1960
Accused of sexual abuse of 2 male and 1 female minors
Year of death: 1989
St. Wenceslaus, Iowa City 1936-1936
Immaculate Conception, Petersville 1951-1957
Assumption, Charlotte 1957-1963
St. Patrick, Charlotte 1957-1963
St. Patrick, Villa Nova 1957-1963
Petersville, Immaculate Conception 1957-1963
St. Patrick, Brooklyn 1963-1968
St. Mary, Wilton 1968-1974

Placidus Kieffer, OSB
Year of ordination: unknown
Earliest claimed abuse: 1960s
Accused of sexual abuse of 2 male minors
Year of death: 1984
St. John, Burlington 1963-1969

James Leu
Year of ordination: 1971
Earliest claimed abuse: 1988
Accused of sexual abuse of 2 male minors
Holy Family, Davenport 1971-1977
Sacred Heart, Newton 1977-1978
Our Lady of Victory, Davenport 1978-1985
St. Mary, Lone Tree 1985-1988
St. Mary, Nichols 1988-1988

Frank Martinez
Year of ordination: 1982
Earliest claimed abuse: 1986
Accused of sexual abuse of 1 male minor
Laicized: 2008
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport 1982-1984
Sacred Heart, Lost Nation 1984-1985
St. James, Toronto 1984-1985
St. Peter, Buffalo 1985-1986
St. Joseph, Bauer 1986-1987
Sacred Heart, Melcher 1986-1987

Carl Meinberg
Year of ordination: 1914
Earliest claimed abuse: 1943
Accused of sexual abuse of 4 male minors
Year of death: 1975
St. Mary, Iowa City 1940-1967

Donald Redmond, OSB
Year of ordination: unknown
Earliest claimed abuse: 1958
Acused of sexual abuse of 5 male minors
Year of death: unknown
St. John, Burlington 1958-1963
St. John, Burlington 1965-1967
St. John, Burlington 1974-1984

Bro. Francis Skube
Franciscan Brothers of Christ the King
(lay group)
Earliest claimed abuse: 1977
Accused of sexual abuse of 1 male minor and 1 male adult

Louis Telegdy, CPPS
Year of ordination: 1942
Earliest claimed abuse: 1950s
Accused of sexual abuse of 3 male minors
Year of death: 1995
St. Francis, Mystic 1956-1961

Bro. Mark Quillen
Franciscan Brothers of Christ the King
(lay group)
Earliest claimed abuse: 1977
Accused of sexual abuse of 1 male minor and 1 male adult

Alphonse Wagner
Year of ordination: 1944
Earliest claimed abuse: 1969
Accused of sexual abuse of 2 male minors
Year of death: 1974
St. Anne, Welton 1965-1966
St. Mary, Bryant 1966-1968
St. Patrick, Charlotte 1968-1974
St. Patrick, Villa Nova 1968-1974
Assumption, Charlotte 1968-1974

Richard Welsh
Year of ordination: 1952
Earliest claimed abuse: 1962
Accused of sexual abuse of 6 male minors
Year of death: 1971
St. Mary, Ottumwa 1952-1955
St. Mary, Davenport 1955-1959
St. Anthony, Davenport 1959-1966
St. Joseph, Columbus Junction 1970-1970
St. Mary, Lone Tree 1970-1970
St. Peter, Buffalo 1970-1971

William Wiebler
Year of ordination: 1955
Earliest claimed abuse: 1960
Accused of sexual abuse of 29 male minors
Laicized: 2006
Year of death: 2006
Ss. Peter & Paul, Clear Creek 1955-1957
St. Mary, Clinton 1964-1967
St. Mary, Iowa City 1967-1969
St. Mary, String Prairie 1969-1971
St. Boniface, Farmington 1969-1971
Our Lady of Lourdes, Bettendorf 1971-1980
St. Mary, Ottumwa 1980-1985

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

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