NORTH CAROLINA
BishopAccountability.org
Summary of Case: William J. Kuder was a priest of the Diocese of Raleigh, ordained in 1936. He assisted at parishes in New Bern, Greensboro and Leaksville-Spray. After a three-year leave of absence, he was assigned in 1942 as pastor of St. Lucien’s in Spruce Pine, and from 1949 until his death in 1960, he was pastor of St. Joan of Arc in Asheville.
In 1995 a man reported to the Charlotte diocese (which absorbed Raleigh when established in 1971), that Kuder had sexually abused him at St. Joan of Arc for four years, beginning when the man was age 9 in 1952. He said the abuse included oral and anal rape, and that Kuder would drive him to rectories 20 and 50 miles away to confess his “sin” of sex with a priest. Kuder allegedly threatened the boy with eternal damnation if he broke the seal of confession. After coming forward, Kuder’s accuser said he heard from 10 more victims. His two brothers also alleged abuse by Kuder when they were ages 9-13, and said the priest drove them, too, to faraway priests for confession and used the threat of hell to silence them.
Born: 1898
Ordained: 1936
Died: March 24, 1960
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