Fr. James J. Ahern

Viewed by State:
AL AK AR AZ CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY
Total Individuals: 247
Return to main database page. See abbreviations and posting policy. Send corrections.
Also known as Pierre Amen. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province, joined the Vice Province of St. Benedict of the Amazon in Brazil 3/11/1990. Died in 2006. (Placing Amen for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Sacred Heart Province is based.)
Diocese: Archdiocese of St. Louis MO
Accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing a girl 1999-2002 at Holy Innocents in Tower Grove Park. Also accused of sexually abusing the girl is Rev. James Grady. Allegedly Sr. Annette heard about the abuse by Grady, told the girl she was bad, then sexually abused her daily and gave her detention when she resisted. Further, other priests and the school principal were said to have accused the girl of lying. The girl was a special education student.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Averbeck for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.)
Died: 05/29/2011
Diocese: Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau MO
Accused in 2007 of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in 1952 after using alcohol to incapacitate her. Lawsuit filed in 3/2008. The abuse included intercourse and continued through 1954. Baskett was then transferred to a parish later located in the Jefferson City, MO diocese. He became an Air Force chaplain in 1955, first as a priest of the Kansas City MO diocese, later as a Springfield-Cape Girardeau priest. Per the Catholic Directories, he had a Kitty Hawk, NC address in the Raleigh diocese 1978-1979. He died 6/23/1995 in Las Vegas. The civil suit settled in an 8/2008 $10M settlement involving 12 priests. Included on the Springfield-Cape Giradeau diocese's list updated 4/1/2019. It notes that Baskett left the priesthood in 1975. On the KC-St. Joseph diocese's list 9/5/2019.
Parish priest, high school faculty member, hospital chaplain. Assigned to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in St. Louis when removed by his order in 5/2021 after colleagues found nude photos of him on a church printer. Investigators found about 6000 child sexual abuse images on one computer, 236 images on another and 40 videos. Beighlie had also created two PowerPoint presentations of the images. Pleaded guilty in 10/2022 to possession of child pornography.Sentenced in 1/2023 to five years in prison and ordered to pay restitution to one of the victims in the images and other child crime victims. Living in 1/2023 at the Vianney Renewal Center in Dittmer MO. Included on the Vincentians Western Province list of credibly accused.
Pleaded guilty in 1995 to sodomizing an 11-year-old boy in 1988. The assault occurred at LaSalle Institute in Wildwood MO. Police were informed prior to 1995 while Bland was working as a missionary in Africa. Upon his return, his victim met with Bland while wearing a wire and Bland was arrested. He was sentenced to 15 years prison with all but 1 year suspended. The year was spent in a work release program so he only spent nights in jail. In 1997 a lawsuit filed by a man claiming Bland sexually abused his five sons, ages 5-18, settled just before trial.
First named publicly as accused by the Diocese in 10/2018. Parish priest. Air Force chaplain 1971-1974. Retired in 2007. Died 6/25/2014. Allegedly sexually abused a minor in the 1970s.
Added in 2/2023 to the Jesuits' Southern and Central Province's list of credibly accused. Campbell was a St. Louis University faculty member in the late 1950s. Abuse estimated to have occurred during 1955-1959. Per his obituary, Campbell taught at St. Louis University High School, SLU's Parks College in Cahokia and Marquette University. He was a member of the Province's Mission Band, preaching at retreats in the 1940s, and for eight years an Air Force chaplain. He died in 1986.
Bernard Law, then Bishop of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese, responded to a 1981 allegation against Chambers by sending him for extended treatment and then reassigning him to two other parishes. Chambers was placed on restrictions in the mid-1990s by Bishop Leibrecht. Permanently removed from ministry in 1998 after violating the order forbidding him to be alone with any child. He had worked in a total of 22 parishes. Not indexed in the Official Catholic Directory after 2002, and is last known to have been living in Joplin. Per the Diocese's list in 11/2018, Chambers was laicized in 2006. Its updated list in 4/2021 shows his laicization to have been on 12/9/2005. Named in a federal lawsuit in 9/2024.
Assigned to the Newman Center at Northeast MO State University in 1993 when a student claimed that Clohessy had sexually abused him. The Diocese substantiated the claim, removed Clohessy from active priesthood, and sent him for treatment. He was reassigned to new parish in 1995. Went on voluntary leave in 2000. A 2003 civil suit alleged the sexual abuse of a minor boy by Clohessy and a second priest. Clohessy allegedly abused the boy 1984-1993. As of 11/2018 Clohessy had not been laicized. Included on the diocese's list 11/8/2018.
Accused in an 8/2024 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy while assigned to Corpus Christi Church 1989-1990. He allegedly caught the boy drinking wine in the rectory, then fondled him after ordering him to undress. Doyle denied the allegation. He was suspended from ministry pending "more clarity."
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Dunnigan for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.) Worked in WI, MN, IN. Spent summers in Lansing, MI. louisDied in 1968.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Noted to have been removed from public ministry in 2008. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Faso in the St. Louis archdiocese for now, where the Province is based.) A civil suit against Faso and the Franciscans settled in 12/2023.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Fischer for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.) Longtime pastor of St. Peter's in Chicago. Assigned for a short time to Sacred Heart in St. Paul, MN. Musician. Died in 1998.
Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 9/5/2019. It notes a single substantiated allegation. Giacopelli died in 2018.
Monsignor. Died in 6/2004. Accused in a lawsuit filed 9/12/2024 of sexually abusing a boy, along with a "Fr. Dave," in the 1970s. The boy was ages 9-11 at the time of the alleged abuse, and a student at the St. Joseph Cathedral School. The suit was dismissed in 12/2024 "due to a lack of action by the plaintiffs."
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Gaylord on its list updated in 4/2021. Noted to have returned to his order in 1951. Died in 1973. Added in 10/2023 to the Diocese of Nashville's list. Mentioned in the MI Attorney General's 1/8/2024 report. Included on the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province list as of 1/2024. (Member of the Sacred Heart Province; placing him for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.)
Arrested in 7/2009 after arranging via the internet to have sex with a 16-year old girl at a secret location. The contact was actually an an undercover FBI agent in a sting. Immediately placed on leave from his assignment at St. Raphael the Archangel. Child pornography was found on his computer. Pleaded guilty in 3/2010 to child pornography and agreeing to pay for sex with a 16-year-old. Sentenced in 6/2010 to 6 years, 8 months in prison and to register as sex offender. Included on the Archdiocese's list 7/26/2019. Laicized. Accused in a lawsuit filed in 7/2024 of sexually abusing a girl, ages 8-12, during 1999-2002. Grady's accuser said she was also sexually abused by a Sister Annette during that time. She said she told other priests and her Catholic school principal in St. Louis City, but was told she was lying.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Gaylord on its list updated in 4/2021. Noted to have returned to his order in 1978. Died in 1996. Per his obituary, Hall worked in IN, IL, IA, OH, MN, NE. Mentioned in the MI Attorney General's 1/8/2024 Gaylord report. Included on the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province list as of 1/2024. (Member of the Sacred Heart Province; placing Hall for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.)
Named publicly as accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Noted to have been prohibited from public ministry in 1999. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Hanrahan for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.)
Prior to entering seminary at age 31, worked in radio broadcasting. Parish priest, police chaplain. Accused in a federal lawsuit filed in 9/2024 of sexually abusing a girl for three years, beginning when the girl was age 9 or 10 in the late 1980s. Per the suit, the girl told her mother in 2019, who told the Diocese; the Diocese did not respond.
Died: 07/1/2022
Diocese: Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph MO
Named publicly as accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Hiller in the St. Louis archdiocese for now, where the Province is based.) Pastor 1954-1978 of Little Flower Church in Monroe LA.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Died in 1990. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Holzer for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.)
Named publicly as accused by the Jesuits Central and Southern Province on its list 12/7/2019. Accused of abuse in the 1970s. Unclear where the abuse allegedly accused. Worked at Jesuit high schools in Wichita, KS and St. Louis, MO. Left the Jesuits and priesthood in 1977. Allegation received after 1977. Included on the Wichita diocese's list of those with substantiated allegations against them. Deceased.
Died: 10/10/2006
Diocese: Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau MO
Named publicly as accused by the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese on its list updated 4/1/2019. It notes an incident in 1972, reported in 2004. Included on the Resurrectionists' list in 10/2021. Included in 10/2022 on the Chicago archdiocese's list of credibly accused. Named in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report. Juda died in 2006, age 91.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Kesterson for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.) Noted to have left the Province and Order 7/5/1991.
Accused in a lawsuit filed in 9/1993 of abusing a girl, ages 6-7, in 1954 and 1955. The girl was a student at Most Sacred Heart Elementary School during the time of the alleged abuse. Kilcullen was a frequent guest at the girl's aunt's home, where the abuse allegedly occurred. Per the complaint, on one occasion, when Kilcullen was babysitting the girl, he got into the bathtub while she was in it, had "intercourse" with her, then prayed with her and asked for her forgiveness. A year later Kilcullen allegedly grabbed her arm when she was leaving the bathroom, and another time said to her, "once a slut, always a slut." Another (unknown) priest was also accused in the complaint of sexually abusing the girl when she was ages 6-14. The lawsuit was dismissed in 1994. Kilcullen died 12/13/1998.
Priest of Order of St. Francis, Province of St. John the Baptist. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Jefferson City diocese on its list updated 10/12/2020. Retired in 1973. Died 4/13/1986. (Twin of accused Franciscan Fr. Steven Lamping.) Included on the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's list in 2/2022. Noted to have left the order and been secularized. Added in 6/2022 to the Peoria diocese's list. Also on the St. John the Baptist Franciscans list in 6/2022. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report.
Ordained in 1975 for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Elevated to Monsignor in 1994. Bishop of Springfield IL 1999-2009. Named Archbishop of Omaha in 2009. Accused in a 7/2024 lawsuit of the sexual assault in 1988 of two students at St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, where Lucas was Dean of Education. He denied the allegations.
Monsignor. Parish priest, longtime director of Catholic Cemeteries. Died in 2/2022. Accused publicly in 3/2023 of molesting girls at Christ the King Grade School in St. Louis, where he was assigned 1962-1967. Molestations allegedly occurred when he fitted the girls for their athletic uniforms. Said to have asked "purient" questions of at least one high school girl during confession.
Accused in a 9/2024 federal lawsuit of sexually abusing a girl under age 10 in the late 1990s, while assigned to Sacred Heart in Poplar Bluff.
From Ireland, where he was ordained for the Diocese of Jefferson City. First named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 11/8/2018. McMyler died in 1985.
Added in 2/2023 to the Province's list of credibly accused. Noted to have been removed from ministry in 2021 and to have left the Jesuits and priesthood in 2023. Had assignments at St. Louis University and at Xavier University in Cincinnati OH. Abuse allegedly occurred 2015-2016.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Noted to have been prohibited from public ministry in 2022. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Nguyen in the St. Louis archdiocese for now, where the Province is based.)
Diocese: Archdiocese of St. Louis MO
In 2003 a man filed a lawsuit claiming sexual abuse by Pool beginning when he was age 8 in 1979 and continuing until 1984. Pool was a deacon when the alleged abuse started. Pool went on leave of absence in 1987. (His accuser said that he went to another priest for counseling and that the other priest sexually abused him 1984-1993.) Pool denied the allegations. He was laicized in 1993 and later married. His name was included on the Jefferson City diocese's list of accused 11/8/2018.
Died: 02/11/2007
Diocese: Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau MO
Named publicly by the Conception Abbey Benedictines on their 8/5/2019 list. Allegedly abused in Missouri in 1976. Probstfield reportedly worked off and on at Conception Abbey before 1981, then became a pastor in Parnel. He also worked on Indian reservations in North Dakota and South Dakota, returning to the Abbey in 1996. He died 11/4/2008. His given name was Vernon Charles Probstfield. Brother of accused priest Edgar Probstfield, O.S.B.
Named publicly as accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Spent all but the first several years of his priesthood at St. Stanislaus in Cleveland OH, where he established and led a band. Died in 1959. First name also spelled Protazy.
Named public as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Przybylski in St. Louis for now, where the Province is based.) Died in 1977.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. Reportedly in 8/2024, Rausch was accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing a teenage boy in the late 1970s while assigned to St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Oakville. He died in 2019.
Monsignor. Pastor of Immaculate Conception in Springfield when accused in a federal lawsuit in 9/2024 of sexually abusing a boy, along with another priest, while assigned to St. Canera in Neosho. The abuse allegedly went on for two years, when the boy was ages 9-12. Placed on leave.
Retired and in active ministry St. Justin Martyr in Sunset Hills when accused in an 8/2024 lawsuit of sexually abusing an altar boy in 1997 at Immaculate Conception in Dardenne Prairie. Reiker denied the allegation. Suspended from ministry pending "more clarity."
Accused in a federal lawsuit filed on 9/13/2024 of child sexual abuse (name sometimes misspelled "Reeker.")
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Roman in St. Louis for now, where the Province is based.) Died in 1990.
Died: 05/3/2008
Diocese: Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau MO
Named publicly as accused by the Archdiocese of St. Louis on its list 7/26/2019. Allegations substantiated. Removed from ministry, laicized. Married and raised a family. Died in 2008. Included on the Jefferson City diocese's list.
First named publicly as accused of child sexual abuse by the Diocese on its list 12/6/2018. Noted to have been removed from ministry. Schlachter was on sick leave in 1985, continuing in active ministry after his return until about 2002.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Schludecker in the St. Louis archdiocese for now, where the Province is based.) Worked in IL, OH, WI, AK, MI, MO. Died in 2022.
Allegations in 1993 and 1995 that Shibley abused two boys in the 1980s. There was reportedly an investigation in the 1980s. Allowed in 1997 to return to ministry part-time as administrator at another parish, with restrictions. Placed on leave again in 3/02, faculties permanently removed. Died 9/13/02. Included on the diocese's list 11/19/18.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Skorup for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.) Worked in Cleveland OH, MO, Chicago IL. Retired in 2013 to Blessed Giles Friary in Manitowoc WI. Died in 2020.
Died: 06/28/2017
Diocese: Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph MO
Died: 05/30/2024
Diocese: Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau MO
Diocese: Archdiocese of St. Louis MO
Named publicly in a 7/2024 lawsuit filed in St. Louis of sexually abusing an altar boy, ages 13-15, at St. Alban Roe Parish in Wildwood, during 1982-1984. The plaintiff said that Wehner was in charge of the altar boys at the parish, and that he would fondle and grope him as he helped him with his robes. Wehner was found in 2024 to be working as a deacon in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, there since 2009. Suspended pending investigation. Wehner's accuser dismissed his claim in 12/2024 "for personal reasons." Wehner remained suspended pending recommendation of its Internal Review Board. On 12/26/2024 the Diocese announced that Wehner was restored to active ministry.
Monsignor. Died 1/18/2008. Accused in a federal lawsuit filed in 9/2024 of sexually abusing an altar boy on multiple occasions while assigned to St. Mary's in Joplin. Westheus was assigned to the parish 8/1/1977-8/16/1990.
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Franciscans' Our Lady of Guadalupe Province on its list as of 1/2024. Member of the Sacred Heart Province. (Placing Wilson for now in the St. Louis archdiocese, where the Province is based.) Died in 2018. Worked in IN, IA, LA, MO. Retired in 2001.