Fr. Joseph Rappl

Ordained: 1978
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of Buffalo NY

In 4/18 a 48-year-old man stated publicly he was sexually abused at age 11 in 1981 by Rappl. He said it happened once, after confession at St. Peter’s in Lewiston. After Lewiston, Rappl was assigned to parishes in West Seneca and Holley, before working into the late 1990s as a military chaplain in CA, NY, Washington DC and NC. Left priesthood 1999. Stayed in NC and was noted in 4/18 to be working as a “married Roman Catholic Priest,” although he was no longer in “the clerical state.” Also a volunteer counselor at an overnight camp for children run by the Buffalo diocese. Rappl’s accuser filed a complaint with the diocese 3/19/18. Accused in a lawsuit 8/19 of abuse of another child, age 12-14 in 1978-80 at St. Peter’s in Lewiston. Included on the diocese’s list of credibly accused.


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