Documenting the Catholic Sexual Abuse and Financial Crisis – Data on bishops, priests, brothers, nuns, Pope Francis, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Saturday, March 25, 2023
The Assignment Record Project
BishopAccountability.org has launched a
project to gather and post the assignment records of every U.S. Catholic priest who has been
accused of sexual abuse since 1940, so that vulnerable communities can be identified and
bishops' transfer policies can be determined.
See below for a brief description of
assignment records and their importance, easy ways
that you can help with this project, and our initial list
of assignment records. For a more detailed account of assignment record research and
how you can volunteer, see our guide.
Assignment Records: Why They Are Important
An assignment record lists all the
diocesan and parish appointments of a priest, including telltale periods of sick leave. A detailed
assignment record, like this assignment
record of John Geoghan created by the Boston Globe, identifies populations that have
been placed at risk, and is also cross-referenced with a list of accusations, so that the transfer
policies of the priest's bishops can be evaluated. By identifying a priests' seminary class and the
colleagues with whom he has worked, an assigment record can also begin to identify the circle of
colleagues who kept the priest's activities secret and who might even have been involved in the
abuse themselves.
But these records are dispersed and difficult to find, and
complete assignment records for most accused priests are not publicly available. We urge the U.S.
bishops to publish detailed assignment records with treatment episodes and accusation dates for
every abuser. In the meantime, we are undertaking this work of research and collection ourselves.
See our initial
collection of assignment records below. Volunteering
for the Assignment Record Project
Please send us any assignment records that
know about or come across: * In your daily newspaper reading * In your personal experience, if
you are a survivor of abuse * In the research that you've done, if you are a lawyer or a reporter
working in this area
If you would like to join the Service Record Project as a volunteer --
for a few hours, or a few hours per week, or anything in between -- please read our guide to
service record research, and email us
to let us know you're interested. This is work that you can do at a local Catholic college library
or at most central city libraries, and you can email, snail mail, or even phone us the
results.
List of Assignment Records
The staff at
BishopAccountability.org has begun to assemble a library of assignment records for accused priests
and others who figure in the crisis.Some we have developed ourselves from the Official
Catholic Directory, diocesan documents, and investigative reports. Others were created by
lawyers and investigative reporters. Others were created by the dioceses themselves and relinquished
under subpoena, or were prepared by the dioceses in response to investigation by law enforcement.
In 10/21 three men in their 50s stated publicly that Queren repeatedly sexually abused them and "nearly a dozen" other boys when they were 10- and 11-year-old altar servers at Holy Family in Lawtell. The priest allegedly used them to recruit other boys, and tried to have them "do each other" in a group. At least one of them had come forward to the diocese in 2018. Queren died in 1992.
Sealed documents opened in 2014 revealed that church officials forced Quick into counseling in 1977 after allegations from a Eunice LA church. The 1977 memo noted that "it was assumed every time he moved it was because there was some complaint of molestation." Named as child molester in former Bishop Frey's January 1988 deposition. Quick denied abusing boys (at least two) but did admit to relationship with a seminarian. Died in 1994.
Died in 1986. Name included on archdiocese's list 1/15/16 of clergy and religious with established, admitted or credible allegations against them of the sexual abuse of a minor.
Allegation in the late 1990s. Settled. Quigg continued as a priest. Review Board Report of 6/04 identified Quigg as one of four priests where there was insufficient evident to support an allegation of abuse of a minor. Board admitted that it was sufficient evidence to prove he did sexually abuse a 17-year-old (church age of consent at the time was 16). Board stated Quigg's actions were so egregious that he was unsuitable for the priesthood. Supposedly removed from ministry, but archdiocese has admitted that he continued to perform baptisms and other services and priestly duties at other local churches. Retired in 2000. Laicization reported in 7/5/15 church bulletin. Died in 11/15. Name included on archdiocese's 1/15/16 list of clergy and religious with established, admitted or credible accusations against them of sexual abuse of a minor. Named in suit filed 5/17/16.
Suspended in 9/14 from assignment at American Martyrs parish in Queens after accusation he sexually abused a male St. Francis Prep student in 2003. D.A. launched investigation. Status of case unknown in 5/16.
Assignments in Manhattan, Staten Island and Stony Point. Pled guilty in 12/94 to offering several teenage boys in Haverstraw Village money for sex. Received probation and sent to treatment in Maryland for "alcoholism." Absent on Leave until laicized in 12/05. Last known to be living in Brick, NJ. Died 4/04/10. On archdiocese's list 4/26/19.
Named publicly in 11/21 by Attorney Jeff Anderson as accused in a lawsuit filed under the NJ Victims' Rights Bill. Quigley was ordained in 1903 and died in 1960.
Named as credibly accused on the Davenport diocese's Creditors Committee website in 8/07. A man alleged abuse by Bro. Quillen and another religious brother in 1977 when the man was a minor seminary student. He said he told Bishop O'Keefe in 1977, but no action. Quillen was ordained in 1990 for the Benedictines and changed his name to Fr. Andrew Quillen. Name (Bro. Mark) on Davenport's 7/08 list, noting one minor accuser and one adult accuser. Davenport diocese didn't add his new name (Fr. Andrew) until confronted by investigative reporters in 10/18. Sent to treatment in 2003 by Benedictines, then put on "safety plan." Living at Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham, MA, without faculties. On Burlington diocese's list 8/22/19 as Mark L. Quillen; worked as a priest in Burlington 1990-94.
Accused of abuse of four St. Francis of Assisi parish altar boys 1957-62, per 2003 civil suit. HIs accusers said he also abused other altar boys, and that he "rushed through mass" so he could molest them. One mother reportedly told authorities, after which Quinlan was transferred to WIllitis CA. (Part of the San Francisco archdiocese until the Santa Rosa diocese was established in 1/62.) Plaintiffs' attorney said that the Church told them that Quinlan had been sent to an Indian reservation in Arizona to pay penance for his sins. Quinlan died in 1970. Listed in L.A. Archdiocesan report. On Santa Rosa diocese's list 1/12/19. Assigned there 1962-68.
Quinlan's name was added to the diocese's list of credibly accused in 11/21, due to an allegation that he had abused a minor in 1974. Assignments included parishes in Palmer, Springfield and East Longmeadow, as well as Cathedral High School in Springfield. Quinlan died in 1989.
Director of the Office of Vocation Promotion, camp director youth leader, pastor. Placed on leave 5/03 pending investigation of allegations that he sexually abused and exploited a youth, starting at age 13, 1963-70. Suit filed 5/03 (later dismissed on SOL) also claimed Quinn was negligent in death of a camper in 1968 and that Diocese covered for him. Suit on this matter filed 6/04. In 12/04 Diocese cleared him to return to ministry after finding insufficient evidence. Died 2/1/13. Per news in 12/18, Diocese received a complaint in 2014 from another man alleging abuse by Quinn in the late 1980s. Included on Diocese's list 12/3/18, after the Review Board determined that the allegations 2003 of abuse of a boy 1963-70 were credible. Quinn allegedly plied the boy with alcohol, gave him cash and gifts, would beat him if he resisted. Suit filed 2/19.
Named publicly as accused by the Santa Fe archdiocese on its list 9/12/17. The list shows Quinn to have been a priest of the Manchester diocese. Assigned in 1960 to Villa Madre de Dios in Santa Fe.
Parish priest, director of Holy Family High School in New Bedford. Also worked at St. Mary's Home for Children where, per his obituary, he was "father figure to many children." Died 6/14/96. Included in 1/21 on the diocese's list of those with substantiated allegations of the sexual abuse of minors.
From Ireland. Attended seminary in AL and Emmitsburg MD. Assigned to parishes in Norfolk, Petersburg and Cape Charles. Died in 1995. Named publicly by the Diocese of Richmond in July 2021 as the subject of a credible and substantiated claim of the sexual abuse of a minor.
Assigned to Apostolate for Spanish Speaking People in Lancaster, PA 1976-80. Moved in 1980 to the Diocese of El Paso, TX and by 1984 was in the Diocese of Victoria,TX, where he was incardinated in 1986. It notes that he died 5/15/08. Name included on Harrisburg diocese's list released 8/1/18. Noted to have multiple allegations of child sex abuse against him. Included in PA Grand Jury Report 8/14/18. On the El Paso and Victoria dioceses' lists 1/31/19.
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