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.
Assignment records are all around us:
* Newspaper
accounts of the crisis
* Diocesan
records
* Investigative
files
* Obituaries and
other old newspaper reports
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.
Viewed by Last Name:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Total Individuals: 31
Return to main database page. See abbreviations and posting policy. Send corrections.
Fr. Hilary Zach

- Capuchin List of Friars with Confirmed Reports of Sexual Abuse of Minors 06.18.13
- Report of the Audit and Review of the Files of the Capuchin Province of St Joseph 06.18.13
- Statement on the Public Release of the Names of Friars with Confirmed Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors and Vulnerable Adults 06.18.13
- Capuchin Friars St. Joseph Province List 08.19.21
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Michael J. Zacharias

- United States of America v Michael Zacharias 08.17.20
- Richland Source 08.18.20
- Yahoo News 08.18.20
- Toledo Blade 08.18.20
- The Courier 08.19.20
- WTOL 08.19.20
- Richland Source 08.20.20
- Courier 08.21.20
- Toledo Blade 08.21.20
- Courier 08.22.20
- Toledo Blade 09.06.20
- Daily Beast 10.23.20
- Shore News 10.24.20
- International Business Times 10.26.20
- Mansfield News Journal 02.04.22
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Dennis B. Zacheis

Fr. Francis Zachman

Ordained: 1951
Status: Accused
Died: 07/29/1983
Diocese: Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis, MN
Fr. Edward J. Zalewski

Fr. Salvatore V. Zangari

Fr. Robert E. Zasacki

- Archdiocese of Newark List Tobin Letter 02.13.01
- St. Paul Pioneer Press 05.21.02
- St. Paul Pioneer Press 05.22.02
- Star Tribune 05.22.02
- Star-Ledger 05.22.02
- USA Today 11.11.02
- Star-Tribune Obituary 03.06.08
- Quad Community Press 12.05.13
- Minnesota Public Radio 12.05.13
- Catholic Spirit 12.05.13
- St. Paul & Minneapolis List of Credibly Accused Priests released 12.05.13
- Star Tribune 12.05.13
- Hopkins Patch 12.05.13
- Archdiocese of Newark List 02.13.19
Sources:
Fr. George F. Zatarga

Fr. David Harry Zaumeyer

Fr. Charles J. Zaunbrecher

Fr. Gabriel Zeis

Fr. Peter F. Zemeikis

Named publicly in 11/21 by Attorney Jeff Anderson as accused in a lawsuit filed under the NJ Victims’ Rights Bill. Retired in 1990, per his obituary. Left the priesthood and married. Died 12/8/15.
Bishop George Patrick Ziemann

Fr. Raynor Ziemski
Fr. Francis J. Zilkoski
Fr. Luke Zimmer

Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Ralph A. Zimmer
Fr. Francis A. Zimmerer

In 9/08 the Fort Worth diocese announced a credible allegation that ZImmerer sexually abused a boy, age 11, while assigned to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Decatur in 1978. Zimmerer died in 1/23/83 at age 74. As of 9/15, two more men had come forward with credible allegations of abuse at the same church. Also worked in AR, MI, WI. Name included on Little Rock's 9/10/18 list (mistakenly as Francis 'Zimmer'). On the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese's list updated 4/1/19. On the La Crosse diocese's list 1/18/20.
- Ft Worth Star-Telegram 09.08.08
- DFW Catholic 09.09.08
- North Texas Daily 09.09.08
- Ft Worth Star-Telegram 09.15.08
- Dallas Morning News 09.16.08
- Diocese of Fort Worth List of Accused Priests accessed 01.01.12
- Diocese of Little Rock list 09.10.18
- Country Monks bio accessed 02.22.19
- Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau List 04.01.19
- Diocese of La Crosse List 01.18.20
- Diocese of Springfiled-Cape Girardeau List updated 04.13.21
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. George Zirwas

First publicly named as accused in the 8/14/2018 PA Grand Jury Report. The diocese knew as early as 1987 of allegations against him of child sex abuse. Sent to St. Francis Hospital for evaluation in 3/1988 after an allegation. Sent to St. Luke's Institute in 12/1988 after two reports of abuse, of boys ages 16 and 17. Another complaint 1991. Kept in ministry until placed on leave 11/1994. Returned to ministry 7/1995 after threatening diocese with legal action. Another accusation 11/1995, placed on leave. Moved to FL, then Cuba where he was murdered in 5/2001. Grand Jury found him to have been involved, along with Revs. Francis Pucci, Robert Wolk and Richard Zula, in making child porn, sharing victims, and using sadism while raping them. Their "favorite boys" would allegedly be given big gold crosses to wear to signal them as targets for other predators. Lawsuit in 11/2018. Included on the diocese's list of credibly accused.
Fr. Nelson B. Ziter

Fr. Peter J. Zizka

Br. Douglas Zlatis

Fr. Joseph A. Zmijewski

Fr. Benjamin Zoeller

Fr. Stanislaus J. Zolnierzak

Also known as Stanley. Named publicly as accused on the Diocese's list in 2019. Pastor of St. Hilary in Washington PA 1958-1986. Died in 1998.
Fr. John G. Zolondek

Lisa Zuccarelli

Fr. Richard F. Zula

- United Press International 10.14.88
- Associated Press 11.11.88
- Associated Press 11.14.88
- United Press International 05.23.89
- United Press International 06.02.89
- United Press International 04.03.90
- Philadelphia Inquirer 07.28.02
- Miami New Times 04.17.03
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 06.15.03
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 02.28.04
- Pittsburgh Tribune Review 09.28.05
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 10.01.17
- PA Grand Jury Report Profile 08.14.18
- Tribune Review 10.05.18
- Diocese of Pittsburgh List 2019
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Richard Zumpino
Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Harrisburg on its list in 4/20. May be deceased.