Rev. Robert P. Klein

Summary of Case: Klein was accused in a 2003 lawsuit of having molested a 14-year-old boy in 1964. A lawsuit by another victim settled. The allegations were deemed credible by the diocese. Klein died in 2005.

Ordained: 1953
Died: June 20, 2005

     

Start Stop Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1953

Covington bishop was William Theodore Mulloy (1944-1959)

1954 Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption Covington KY 6/7 The Cathedral had a school with 190 boys and 175 girls.
1954 1957 Corpus Christi Newport KY 2/3, 1/2 Parish had a school with 145-150 boys and 152 143 girls.

 

Mulloy was succeeded by Richard Henry Ackerman, C.S.Sp. (1960-1978)

  Newport Catholic High School Newport KY   While at Newport Catholic, in 1961, Klein discovered that up to 40 students had been molested by six different priests, and Klein told no one. He did tell Bishop Ackerman only about Earl Bierman's sexual abuse of children. Klein is said to have told the boys who had disclosed abuse "not to let it happen again and to pray for Father Bierman". (The Kentucky Post [Covington KY]
Downloaded December 24, 2003)
1957 1963 Sacred Heart

Bellevue

• Klein was accused in a 2003 lawsuit of having molested a 14-year-old boy at Sacred Heart in 1964. (KY Post, December 24, 2003) Admitted the abuse. (Diocese of Lexington, August 17, 2020)           

 KY 2/3

Parish had a school with 332-302 boys and 289 girls.

 
1963 1964 St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Southgate KY 2/3 Parish had a school with 212 boys and 228 girls.
1964 1968 Good Shepherd Frankfort KY 2/2 Parish had a grade school with 190-201 boys and 156-185 girls, and a high school with 89-65 boys and 66-52 girls.
1968 1976 Sacred Heart Bellevue KY 2/3, 2/2 Parish had a school with 374-237 students.
1976 1978 St. Joseph's Camp Springs KY 1/1 Parish had a school with 126-120 students.

1978

Ackerman was followed as bishop by William Anthony Hughes (1979-1995)

1992 Carmel Manor Ft. Thomas KY Chaplain Carmel Manor was a home for the aged.
1990 1992 Regina Cleri Ft. Thomas KY Chaplain Regina Cleri was a home for retired priests, on the grounds of Carmel Manor.
1992 1994 St. Rose of Lima Mays Lick KY

2/2

In residence.

 
1994 1995 Retired Erlanger KY   Address listed is for The Catholic Center.

1995

Robert William Muench replaced Hughes (1996-2001)

1996 Retired/St. Augustine's Covington KY

2/2

In residence.

Parish had a school with 165 students.

1996

Muench was succeeded by Roger Joseph Foys (2002- )

2002 Retired Erlanger KY   Address listed is Misty Creek Dr.
2002 2005  

 

• According to the Diocese of Lexington's list of credibly accused in 2020, a second victim received a settlement in Boone County at some point. (Diocese of Lexington, August 17, 2020)  

    

Klein is not indexed in the 2002 through 2005 Directories.He was removed from active ministry in 2002.

Klein died June 20, 2005. (Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio)
June 23, 2005)


Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1954- 2001)

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Klein's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on March 9, 2021.