Assignment Record – Rev. Bernard P. Knoth, s.j.

Summary of Case: A Jesuit of the Chicago Province ordained in 1977, Knoth was known for his work as an educator. His career took him from Chicago to Indianapolis, Washington DC and New Orleans. In 2003, nine years into his position as President of Loyola University in New Orleans, Knoth was accused of having sexually abused a high school student in Indiana in 1986. Knoth was the school's principal during the time in question. The accusation was deemed credible by his superiors and Knoth was removed from public ministry. He denied the allegation. Knoth moved to Florida and is last known to have been working as a management consultant. He was laicized in 2009. Knoth's name was included on the Jesuits lists released in 2018, and was noted to have multiple allegations against him.       

Ordained: 1977
Laicized: August 29, 2009

   

Start Stop Parish/Assignment Town/Accusations State/Country Position Notes
1977 1978         Knoth is not indexed in the 1978 Directory.

1978

Chicago archbishop was John Patrick Cody (1965-1982).

1980 Jesuit School of Theology Chicago IL  

1980

Indianapolis archbishop was Edward Thomas O'Meara (1979-1992).

1988 Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School

Indianapolis

• Knoth was accused in 2003 of sexually abusing a Brebeuf student in 1986.

IN Principal 1986-1988 Brebeuf Prep. had 668-564 students, male and female.
1988 1989         Knoth is not indexed in the 1989 Directory.

1989

Chicago archbishop was Joseph Louis Bernardin (1982-1996).

1990 The Jesuit Community at Loyola University Chicago IL staff assistant to the University President  
1990 1991         Koth is not indexed in the 1991 Directory.

1991

Washington DC archbishop was James Aloysius Hickey (1980-2000).

1995 The Jesuit Community at Georgetown University Washington DC    

1995

New Orleans archbishop was Francis Bible Schulte (1988-2002), follwed by Alfred Clifton Hughes (2002-2009).

2004 Loyola University New Orleans LA  

Knoth was removed from public ministry in Oct. 2003, after the diocesan review board and his Jesuit superior deemed credible an allegation he had sexually abused a high school student in 1986. Knoth denied the allegation and quietly left New Orleans. He was known in 2007 to be living in Florida, and working as an executive recruiter. His 2013 LinkedIn account showed him to be a Sarasota area management consultant.

Per the Jesuits Midwest list released in 2018, there are multiple allegations of abuse against Knoth. He was laicized in 2009.      

 

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1979-2004)

• Sex Charge Forces Knoth out at Loyola, 1986 Incident at Indiana School Is Credible, Church Panel Finds, By Coleman Warner and Bruce Nolan, Times-Picayune [New Orleans LA], October 8, 2003
Advocates Admonish Loyola Not to Forget Alleged Victim
• Facts of Abuse Case Remain Skimpy, By Bruce Nolan bnolan@timespicayune.com, Times-Picayune [New Orleans LA], October 10, 2003
• Sorrow at Loyola, Times-Picayune [New Orleans LA], October 16, 2003
Knoth's Life, and Future, Still Enigma
• Ex-Loyola President Vanished after Resigning over Abuse Case, By Bruce Nolan, The Times-Picayune [New Orleans LA], October 7, 2004
• Former Loyola President Emerges, Ex-Priest out of Sight since Sex Abuse Charge, By Bruce Nolan, The Times-Picayune [New Orleans LA], January 30, 2007
• Priest Relieved of His Duties, Alleged Abuse | Listed As 'Absent with Permission' by Jesuits, By Susan Hogan/Albach, Chicago Sun-Times, October 11, 2007
• Jesuits 'Sorry' for Clergy Abuse, Critics Say It's All Talk, By Susan Hogan, Chicago Sun-Times, October 26, 2007
• Watchdog Group Concerned That Accused Priests Not Being Watched Closely Enough, By Jennifer O'Neill, WBBM, February 25, 2008
• When the Levees Leak: New Orleans Jesuits and Fema, What They Knew, October 2, 2012
• Linkedin, Jan. 3, 2013



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 Knoth'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 June 20, 2020.