Diocese of St. Augustine FL

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Terry McKiernan February 26, 2021

13 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Richard J. Bowles

Ordained: 1961
Status: Settled

Died: 12/22/2013
Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

Monsignor. Resigned in 2003 after admitting to molesting a boy 34 years prior. The diocese investigated after someone reported the molestation in 8/2003. Shortly after the abuse in 1969, Bowles underwent a psychiatric evaluation. In 9/2003 a second man came forward to allege abuse by Bowles at age 15 in 1971. His parents had complained to diocese the same year. This accuser filed suit 5/2005 in and settled in 10/2005 for $30K. Included on the diocese's list 11/6/2020. Also included on the Pensacola-Tallahassee diocese's list of credibly accused. Died 12/22/2013.

Assignments:

Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee List 04.21.21

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Fr. Gilles J.R. Brault

Ordained: 1976
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

From Montreal, Canada. Joined the Air Force in 1965, ordained in 1976. Adopted two boys in 1981, ages 9 and 12, while chaplain at Vandenberg Air Force Base in CA. Named publicly as accused by the St. Augustine diocese on its list 11/6/2020. Abuse noted to have occurred in 1977. Deceased.

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Fr. John H. Dux

Ordained: 1973
Status: Accused

Died: 05/13/2021
Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

The Diocese announced in 3/2020 that Dux had been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor in 1976, while assigned to St. Patrick's in Gainesville. The allegation was received in 5/2019. Per his accuser, Dux abused him at age 14, in 1976, during a trip to the state fair in Tampa. Faculties removed. Dux worked in the St. Augustine diocese until 1985. He was a US Navy chaplain 1985-1998. He was living and assisting in the Charleston diocese at the time of the announcement. A second man came forward after the news of Dux's removal, alleging the priest abused him as a boy 1980-1982, at St. Madeleine Sophie in High Springs. On St. Augustine's list 11/6/2020. Added to Charleston's list. Died 5/13/2021.

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Fr. Howard T. Litts

Ordained: 1952
Status: Accused

Died: 07/11/1980
Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

Ordained for the Diocese of Steubenville. Named publicly as accused by the St. Augustine diocese on its list 11/6/2020 (erroneously with middle initial C). Abuse noted to have occurred 1967-1968; was on leave in FL from Steubenville. Died in FL in 1980, where he had been since 1964.

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Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado

Order: LC
Ordained: 1944
Status: Settled

Died: 01/30/2008
Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

From Mexico. Rejected by multiple seminaries, ordained by his uncle. Founder of the Legionaries of Christ in 1941. Called the "most brilliant fundraiser in the modern church." By 1997 the Legion had seminarians - as young as age 10 - in 18 countries. Maciel sexually abused young boys throughout his career and fathered at least three children with two women. Nine men came forward publicly in 1997 to allege abuse as young boys when they were seminarians. Maciel was suspended from Legion leadership by Pope Pius XII in 1956 reportedly due to accusations of drug abuse and abuse of boys in Mexico. Reinstated in 1958. Pope John Paul II ignored reports of his abuse and, in fact, celebrated Maciel. Removed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, given life of prayer and penitence in Jacksonville FL. Died 1/30/2008, age 87. By 2019 all but three of the men who had come forward accepted settlements from the Legionaries. The three called on the order to retract its "lies" about them to the media and called their low five figures offer a "humiliation."

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Fr. William J. Malone

Order: CSSp
Ordained: 1958
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

From Ireland, where he was ordained in 1958 for the Holy Ghost Fathers. Worked in the Diocese of St. Augustine FL 1/1982 - 3/1992. Named publicly by the Diocese in 3/2019 as credibly accused of the sexual abuse of a minor in the early 1980s at Sacred Heart in Jacksonville. His accuser was a girl, age 11. Her parents met with Bishop Snyder in 1991 after learning of the abuse, which allegedly occurred during confession. Malone was moved to St. Elizabeth Seton in Palm Coast. Diocesan documents included in the FL Attorney General's report released in 11/2020 show that, since 1991, at least four women had reported to the Diocese abuse by Malone at Sacred Heart. One said she was age 15 in 1982 when the priest molested her weekly for six weeks during counseling sessions. Another young woman gave birth to Malone's child. The Diocese paid the mother $3K per year 1993- 2010 for child support. He went to live with his Order on Long Island, NY in 3/1992, then returned to its Ireland Province, where he died in 2003. Included on the St. Augustine diocese's list 11/6/2020.

Sources:

Irish Independent 03.03.58
News4Jax 03.21.19
Diocese of St Augustine Statement 03.22.19
Diocese of St Augustine List 11.06.20
News4Jax 02.04.21

Fr. Thomas V. McNamara

Donate Photo

Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

Accused in 2004 of inappropriate contact with three minors in the late the 1960s. He was a visiting priest from Ireland assigned to Christ the King and St. Patrick's parishes in Jacksonville 1966-1968. Irish Bishop confirmed in 12/2004 that McNamara continued to abuse boys for many years after his return to Ireland. Retired in 1993. Bishop denied knowledge of abuse in the U.S. McNamara died in Ireland in 1997. Per a 5/2014 report on the Killaloe diocese, there were 26 complaints against him there. Included on the St. Augustine diocese's list 11/6/2020.

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Fr. Jose Mena

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1961
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

Accused in a 2005 lawsuit of abusing a 5th-grade boy many times during the 1965-1966 school year at Incarnation Catholic School. Suit settled by the St. Augustine Diocese for $150K. In 2005 Mena was retired and living in Jacksonville. Two 2008 suits alleged abuse in the 1960s and 1970s in the Orlando diocese. Mena may have moved to Spain. Another suit filed in 12/2009; plaintiff had already settled with the Diocese. Included on the Diocese's 10/6/2021 list of credibly accused.

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Fr. David Terrence Morgan

Ordained: 1976
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

The Diocese announced to parishioners in 12/2020 that Morgan was being investigated for multiple allegations. Morgan had gone on a six-month "sabbatical" in the summer of 2018 at St. Luke's Institute; it appears that he did not return. In 9/2020 someone reported to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office that Morgan had a sexual 'relationship' with a Bishop Kenny High School student in 1977. Morgan was a religion teacher at the school. No criminal charges due to the statute of limitations. In 2/2021 Morgan was reportedly being investigated by the FL Attorney General's office after it learned that the Diocese did not disclose the local criminal investigations of him until after the A.G. had concluded its state-wide investigation in 11/2020.

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Fr. Michael E. Morse

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1984
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 11/6/2020. Abuse noted to have occurred 1989-1991.

Sources:

Diocese of St Augustine List 11.06.20

Fr. Leonard Prusinski

Order: CR
Ordained: 1936
Status: Arrested

Died: 06/27/1995
Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

Name also spelled Pruszynski. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Resurrectionist Order on its list in 10/2021. Included on the Chicago Archdiocese's list in 10/2022. Per news accounts in 1961, Prusinski was arrested in Florida, along with 19 other men, for molesting children. Prusinski was pastor of St. John's in Panama City at the time. He was evidently kept in ministry. Prusinski died in 1995. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report.

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Fr. James Flannan Walsh

Ordained: 1965
Status: Accused

Died: 05/14/2013
Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

From Ireland. Arrived in the Diocese of St. Augustine in 8/1965, several months after ordination. Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 11/6/2020. Abuse noted to have occurred 1965-1966. Died in Florida 5/14/2013.

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Fr. William J. Weinheimer

Ordained: 1946
Status: Sued

Died: 01/20/1986
Diocese: Diocese of St. Augustine FL

In a civil suit filed in 2/2008, a man alleged that Weinheimer sexually abused him as a boy in 1954. Plaintiff had "love" letters that Weinheimer wrote to him at the time, beginning when the man was age 9. Petition claimed diocese knew of other allegations against Weinheimer, who died 1/20/1986. Diocese was investigating. Included on the diocese's list 11/6/2020.

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