Database of Publicly Accused

"Jerry." Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list in 1/2019. Axton was prohibited from ministry in 1992 after he was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl 1985-1986, while assigned to Nativity BVM Cathedral in Biloxi and St. John's in Gulfport. The Diocese had first received the report of abuse in 1989. Axton died 10/13/2020.

Retired in 2003. Removed from public ministry as announced by the Diocese in 7/2019, due to a credible allegation that he sexually abused a girl in the 1950s. The abuse allegedly began in 1953 when Balser was a seminarian, and continued beyond his 1956 ordination. Balser died 12/15/2019, age 90.

Sued 2002, accused of sexual abuse of 3 brothers over a 4-year period. One plaintiff signed affidavit that his father met with then- Vicar General of Diocese, Bernard Law, in 1973 to report the abuse but Law did nothing. In 6/02 deposition in another case Law admitted that he failed to keep Broussard, his seminary friend and classmate, away from children after being warned that he was molesting them. Suit settled 3/06. Died in 2007. On diocese's list 3/19/19. It notes alleged abuse 1969-74 and that he left ministry in 1975.

Diocesan superintendent of education, assistant principal then principal of St. Joseph High School in Madison, parish priest. Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 3/19/19. It notes report in 1997 of alleged abuse in 1983, in the Madison area. Retired 1998. Removed from ministry in 2002. Died 2/15/20, age 92.

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 3/19/2019. Alleged abuse occurring in 1973 was reported to the Diocese the same year. Removed from ministry in 1974. Deceased. Included on the Augustinians' Midwest Province list of accused, updated 5/31/2024.

Worked in MS, LA, IL. Named publicly as accused by the Jackson diocese on its list 3/19/2019. Report to the Diocese in 2004 of alleged abuse in 1980 in Greenville. Removed from ministry. Died in 2019. Added to Baton Rouge's list in 7/2019, due to allegations elsewhere. Assigned at some point to St. John the Apostle in Baton Rouge. Included on the Order's Chicago Province list 4/18/2021. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report. Included on the Order's Southern Province list as of 2/26/2024. Accused in a lawsuit in 2024 of sexually abusing a boy, who was a student at IHM 1966-1976. The plaintiff also claims abuse at the parish and its school by Raymond Jones and Alvin Dixon.

Two accusers came forward, one in 1998 and another in 2002, alleging abuse 1964-84. A man claimed abuse by Haddican over a three-year period, beginning when he was age 12. Case settled in 2000 for $44K. Haddican died in 1996. In 2002 the original plaintiff and a man abused by another priest filed suit against the diocese and Cardinal Law (former VG of Diocese) alleging the diocese covered up their abuse and lied to them about other cases. The mother of the first complainant reportedly had asked Law for his help in 1970s, but he did nothing. Suit dismissed in 9/03. On Jackson diocese's list 3/19/19.

From Ireland. Ordained in Techny IL in 1967, worked in England then in the order's US Southern Province 1968-1988. Named publicly as accused by the Jackson diocese on its list 3/19/2019. Alleged abuse in 1988 in Vicksburg was reported the same year to the Diocese. Removed from ministry. Returned to Ireland where he died in 4/2020. Included on the Divine Word Missionaries Southern Province list of credibly accused.

Accused in a civil suit filed in 7/2007 in federal court of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy in 1983-1984 at Saint Stanislaus College/Saint Stanislaus High School. The school was run by the Sacred Heart Order. Leimbach was removed from ministry with students in 1991 after complaints by two students; he was allowed to continue work with adults and within the order. He was living since 2005 in Burrillville, RI. He died 2/7/2025.

From Ireland. Ordained for the Diocese of Jackson, MS. Accused in 1993 of abuse, including rape, of 13-year-old boy on a trip to Ireland in 1973. Plaintiff settled for $50K. In a separate 2002 lawsuit plaintiff alleged church lied, telling him there was no previous knowledge of abuse by priests. Attached to the petition was a letter signed by a Paul Madden who said he "feels remorse and guilt for the molestation." Judge ruled in favor of the defense in in 9/2003 and the case was dismissed. Faculties in Jackson were suspended in 7/2002. Madden was 'on duty outside the diocese' in the Diocese of Saltillo, Mexico 1977-1979. Worked as a missionary of the Society of St. James the Apostle in Peru 1991-1993 and 1994-2002. Incardinated into the Chimbota diocese in Peru in 2003, despite warnings to the diocese by Diocese of Jackson officials. Still active there in 8/2015. Retired and living in Peru in 3/2019. Included on the Jackson diocese's list of credibly accused 3/19/2019.

Named publicly as accused by the Jackson diocese on its list 3/19/19. It notes report received in 1991 of abuse in 1967 in New Jersey. Retired in 2002. Died in 2008. Added to Richmond diocese's list 10/4/19 of those with abuse alleged to have occurred in the diocese.

From Mexico. Attended St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. Pastor from 1/15/2014 of St. Francis Xavier in Wiggins and St. Lucy Mission in Lucedale MS. Associate pastor 2009-2011 Immaculate Conception in Laurel and Sacred Heart in Hattiesburg 2011-2014. Arrested 9/9/2015 at the home of a 12-year-old boy whose father called police after walking in on Morales Vazquez engaged in a sex act with the boy. Charged with two counts of sexual battery against a minor. Admitted his behavior and to the abuse of other children. Pleaded guilty. Sentenced in 5/2016 to 10 years in prison and ordered deported upon his release. Included on the diocese's list 1/24/2019. Laicized.

Named publicly as accused by the Jackson diocese on its list 3/19/2019. Removed from ministry in 2010, died 3/26/2014. Per the list, abuse occurred 1987-1990 in Aberdeen, reported in 2014. Also accused of abuse of a minor in 2005 in West Liberty, KY. On Glenmary's list 10/11/2019. It notes that Richardson left the order in 2007. On the Charlotte diocese's list 12/29/2019. On the Lexington diocese's list in 8/2020. On Cincinnati's list in 1/2020. Included in 11/2021 on the Nashville diocese's list.

Monsignor. Parish priest, pastor of a number of parishes, high school teacher and principal, superintendent of MS Catholic schools university chaplain. Accused in a 10/2019 lawsuit of molesting a 12-year-old boy in 1984-1985 at Sacred Heart Church in Hattiesburg. Scanlon died in 1995. The suit was dismissed due to the statute of limitations. The plaintiff appealed to the MS Supreme Court, which overturned the lower court's ruling in 6/2021, sending it back to the county.

Religious educator and seminarian assigned to Queen of Peace in Olive Branch, MS in 7/2025 when arrested for possession of, accessing, and distribution of child pornography.

On 7/29/2018 the Jackson diocese announced a credible allegation that West had sexually abused a minor while working at St. Francis of Assisi in Greenwood, where he was teacher and principal 6/1993-11/1998. Included on the diocese's list 3/19/2019. Abuse reported in 1998 and 2018. Accused of abusing two brothers and their cousins starting when they were ages 9 and 10 and St. Francis students in the mid- to late- 1990s. The abuse reportedly included rapes and beatings. One of the three also alleged abuse by Bro. Donald Lucas, OFM. One boy told church and police in 1998; West was sent for a psych evaluation. He taught 4th and 5th grades at St. John's in Little Chute, WI 1999-2010. Left the Order in 2002. The Franciscans settled with two accusers for $15K. The alleged victims filed a federal suit in 11/2019 claiming the Order pressured them into a small settlement requiring their silence. Indicted in 8/2020 in MS. Pleaded not guilty. Charged also in WI. Suit in 6/2021 claims racial discrimination. Convicted 4/13/2022. Sentenced to 30 years on one count and an additional 15 years on a second count. Included as of 1/2024 on the Our Lady of Guadalupe Province Franciscans list of credibly accused. (West was a member of the Assumption Province.) The MS Supreme Court denied an appeal by West in 1/2024.