Documenting the Catholic Sexual Abuse and Financial Crisis – Data on bishops, priests, brothers, nuns, Pope Francis, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Sunday, January 29, 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.
Named publicly in 8/18 by the Latrobe PA St. Vincent Archabbey Benedictines as credibly accused of the sexual abuse of multiple minors. The archabbey received the allegations in 2002 of abuse 1966-1971, while Ubinger was assigned to St. Vincent's Preparatory School. Ubinger died in 1997.
A woman filed suit in 1992 alleging abuse by Uboldi (spelled Ubaldi in some articles) when she was ages 12-17. At least one other victim came forward. Uboldi retired in 1982 because of ill health. Apparently moved to Italy. Died in 2001. Name included on list of priests with credible allegations released by the San Diego diocese 3/30/07. Personnel file released by San Diego 10/24/10.
In 7/02 a woman told the diocese in 10/01 that Ugliano sexually abused her at age 14 in the early 1980s, while assigned to a Linden parish. She also accused Revs. Edward Eilert and Joseph Rice. Ugliano was temporarily suspended. Law enforcement deemed the allegations not credible. (She received a settlement in a suit regarding the two other priests.) Ugliano was accused in a 5/21 lawsuit, along with Rev. Manus Duffy and Bro. Jonathan Michael Hunt, of sexually abusing a Delbarton School student, ages 13-14, 1977-78. Ugliano was assistant Delbarton headmaster 1975-78 and headmaster 1985-90. He died 11/17/14.
Professor of music at Gonzaga University. Office and apartment raided by federal agents in 4/13; warrant showed he spent over $1600 over three years on child porn. Went on leave. Removed from job at Gonzaga and sent to a Jesuit center in Los Gatos. Pled guilty in 2/18. Sentenced in 5/18 to six months in jail. Included on the Jesuit West Province's list 12/7/18.
Accused in two lawsuits settled in 7/05 of abusing at least two boys in the early 1970s. Both plaintiffs claimed that the diocese knew of abuse by 1969 and did nothing except transfer Uhran. Removed from duties in 1992 after an allegation of abuse. Two suits filed in 9/05 and three more in 12/05. Two suits settled as of 7/06 for $250K. He pleaded the 5th amendment 90 times in an 8/08 deposition. Also worked in Alaska and the Dominican Republic. New case filed in FL in 5/10. Multiple victims. Included on the diocese's 10/6/21 list of credibly accused.
Allentown priest for 20 years. Educator, held diocesan positions, worked in parishes. Moved to Metuchen NJ diocese 1993, incardinated there 1995. Allentown notified Metuchen in 2010 of allegations dating back about 30 years. A 44-year-old woman alleged sexual abuse by Uhrig for 4 years, starting when she was age 13 and in 7th grade at St. Anthony's in Easton, where Uhrig was assigned. Allegations deemed "not frivolous,'' Uhrig denied abuse.Placed on leave. Parish notified 10/10/10. Living at a priests' retirement residence in Somerset NJ beginning sometime in 2011. A 5/17 church bulletin showed him to be assisting at weekend masses at a Whitehouse Station, NJ parish. Named in 8/14/18 PA Grand Jury Report. On Allentown diocese's 8/19/18 list.
Newly identified as abuser in Chicago Archdiocesan Report 3/20/06. Died in 6/99. Personnel file released in 1/14. Documents show Ulatowski would take 2-3 boys at a time to his cottage in Wisconsin and abuse them. Later in his career, he was placed on restricted ministry and ordered not to be alone with children.
Teacher, parish priest, pastor, held prominent diocesan positions. Diocese announced 9/26/10 Ulincy's removal from ministry due to credible allegations that he had molested a minor in 1981 while assigned to Ss. Simon and Jude's in Bethlehem. In 11/81 a 17-year-old male told police that Ulincy had sexually propositioned him. Ulincy admitted his behavior. Sick leave 12/1/81-2/15/82; sent to treatment then reassigned. In 2010 the victim said he had gone to the church for help after running away from home, and that Ulincy offered him alcohol, fondled his penis then anally penetrated him. In the early 1990s a 25-year-old man, who was a contractor working at St. Joseph's in Frackville's rectory told police that Ulincly exposed himself to him. The man was given $2,500 and Ulincy was moved out of St. Joseph's. Ulincy retired 3/1/11 and died 10/28/16. Named in 8/14/18 PA Grand Jury Report. On 8/19/18 Allentown list.
Arrested 7/13/10 for possession of child pornography. Assigned to St. Patrick's Parish in Onalaska, WI, and taught at parish school. Served as diocese's webmaster. In 2009 he was caught following young boys into restroom at a water park. Park revoked his annual pass and local police reported him to Onalaska police, who told State Justice Department. Admitted attraction to boys in early teens. Worked in Milwaukee. Pleaded not guilty 7/28/10. Resigned from parish 7/29/10. Died of cancer 11/30/10. Included in 1/20 on the diocese's list of those with substantiated allegations against them.
Suspended from his parish assignment in 2003 after the diocese received an allegation of inappropriate sexual behavior involving a 12-year-old girl. Police notified. No criminal charges filed. Permanently removed from parish assignment in 7/03. Bishop said that while there was not enough evidence regarding the child's accusation, there was clear evidence of inappropriate conduct with regard to sexual affairs with adult women. Died 8/10/21. Included on the diocese's 10/6/21 list of credibly accused.
Accused in a lawsuit filed in 7/20 of sexually abusing a McQuaid Jesuit High School student in 1980. The suit also claims the same student was abused by McQuaid teacher, John Tobin. Prior to his brief stint as a McQuaid faculty member, Untereiner taught at Fordham Prep in NY and, after McQuaid, was on faculty at St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City, NJ. He went on leave of absence in 1985 and at some point became a priest of the Byzantine Eparchy of Passaic.
Two sisters accused Unterstein of sexually abusing them for several years when they were teenagers in the late 1960s-early 1970s. One of them filed a suit which settled in 2000. Reportedly he was "defrocked for unknown reasons in 1980." Included in 3/21 on the diocese's list of accused. It notes alleged abuse occurred in private homes on Long Island and at St. Hugh of Lincoln, where Unterstein was assigned beginning in 1966.
Placed on leave in 2004 after allegations that Unwin sexually abused a boy more than 15 years previously. Unwin acknowledged the abuse. Taught at Badin High, had been principal at Catholic Central High and principal and religion department chair at Lehman High School. Exact details of abuse allegation not released by Diocese per victim's request. Unwin's teaching certificate was revoked by the state in 11/06. Laicization announced 5/11/07.
Urban retired in approximately 1997. Assisted parishes in retirement. Placed on leave in 4/10 after a report of "inappropriate conduct" with an unnamed individual who may or may not have been a minor. Urban was accused of paying young men for sex. Diocese waited two weeks to reveal his name. D.A.'s office very slow to investigate. Not complete as of 1/1/11. Died 8/17/15.
Removed in 7/11 after recent allegations of sexual improprieties with two minors in the 1970s, while assigned to St. Francis Xavier Church in St. Joseph. Review board found allegations credible. He admitted to order that early in his priesthood he acted inappropriately. Previously served as provincial for the Society. Named by one plaintiff in a civil suit filed 2/8/12. Plaintiff said abuse occurred in mid-1970s at Bishop LeBlond High School. Suit settled 12/13 for $130K. On diocese's list 9/5/19, noting multiple substantiated allegations. Permanently removed from ministry.
Urrutigoity and Fr. Eric Ensey, another priest from a traditionalist religious society, were accused of abusing at least two seminary students in the late 1990s. At least two civil suits filed. One settled in 2005. Bishop Martino withdrew permission for the society to operate in the diocese. Living in Paraguay as of 3/06. Incardinated in the Diocese of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay; in 2012 was named its Vicar General. Vatican was asked to suspend him from ministry. As of 7/14, a Vatican delegation had been sent to investigate the matter. Faculties removed 7/28/14. Vatican also ordered all ordinations within the diocese be delayed pending further investigation.On Scranton diocese's list 8/19/18.
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