MARION (OHIO)
Marion Star
March 5, 2019
By Sarah Volpenhein
At least five of the 34 clergy on a list of clergy credibly accused of sexually abusing minors released by the Diocese of Columbus Friday were pastors or Catholic school teachers in Marion.
While three of those priests had been publicly named and defrocked, the other two were not publicly known.
Both Bernard J. McClory, who was a pastor at St. Mary Catholic Church at least from 1983 to 1991, and Alan M. Sprenger, assistant pastor at St. Mary from 1960 to 1962, were revealed in the diocese’s release to have been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor. Sprenger also taught at Marion Catholic High School, according to his obituary.
The Star could not find any prior public accusations against McClory or Sprenger. Both priests have since died.
The remaining three priests on the list who had been stationed in Marion were R. Michael Ellifritz, Michael F. Hanrahan and Thomas L. McLaughlin, all of whom have been defrocked.
Both Hanrahan and McLaughlin were criminally charged in connection to sexual abuse of children and spent time in prison.
The list of clergy released by the Catholic Diocese of Columbus Friday did not include the parishes where the accused clergy worked. But in searching its archives, the Star was able to identify five priests who had worked as pastors or Catholic school teachers in Marion.
The list also did not include any details on the allegations, such as where the abuse was alleged to have occurred or when.
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