23 Accused in this Diocese
- Fort Worth Star Telegram 05.08.01
- Kansas City Star 05.12.01
- Fort Worth Star Telegram 08.03.01
- Associated Press 08.05.01
- Associated Press 12.05.01
- Wichita Eagle (AP) 12.05.01
- St Louis Post Dispatch 03.03.02
- Hutchinson News 02.27.04
- Lawrence Journal-World 06.25.10
- Missouri Sex Offenders List website 11.16.17
- Capuchin Province of Mid-America List 03.01.19
- Denver Post 03.28.19
- The Register 03.29.19
- Hays Post 04.05.19
Br. Benignus Scarry
Given name Joseph Edward Scarry. Entered the order in 1965, made final vows in 1970. Named publicly as accused by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America on its list 3/1/2019. Per the Salina diocese, there is one known credible allegation against Scarry, occurring in the 1980s. He left the order in 2016 and died 2/21/2023.
Br. David Jones
Named publicly as accused by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America on its list 3/1/2019. Abuse reportedly occurred around 1986. More than one credible allegation, per the Salina diocese. Jones was dismissed from the order in 1987.
Br. Felix Shinsky
Named publicly as accused by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America on its list 3/1/2019. Removed from ministry/under supervision, per the Salina diocese. One known credible allegation, of abuse occurring in 1977.
Fr. Allen Kent Scheer
Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 3/29/2019. Abuse reported in 2012 by Scheer of a vulnerable adult/person with disabilities. Convicted of abuse. Laicization initiated in 2012.
Fr. Arthur Van Speybroeck
Named publicly as accused by the Salina diocese on its list 3/29/2019. Multiple allegations. Report to the diocese in 1907 of abuse the same year. Van Speybroeck left the Salina diocese sometime after 1908. On the Diocese of Wichita's list 9/20/2019; worked in the diocese in 1902, "Out of Diocese" 1902-1943. Three Wichita assignments in 1943. Retired in
1943. Died in 1948. Included in the FL Attorney General's report 11/6/2020 (name spelled "Speybroek").
Fr. Christian A. Dreiling
Early priesthood was in the Diocese of Dallas TX. Named publicly as accused by the Salina Diocese on its list 3/29/2019. Allegations of abuse in the 1930s were reported to the diocese in 1939. The Diocese investigated and in 1940 Dreiling was placed on diocesan and court-ordered leave. He received five years of treatment and returned to ministry in 1948. He died in 1960.
Sources:
Fr. Daniel Schartz
Named publicly as accused by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America on its list 3/1/2019, which notes more than one credible allegation, of abuse occurring in the 1970s. Schartz left the order in 1980.
Fr. David Gottschalk
Named publicly as accused by the Kansas City Archdiocese on its list 1/25/2019. Included on the Capuchin Province of Mid-America list 3/1/2019, noted to be the subject of more than one credible allegation of abuse, occurring in the 1970s. Removed from ministry/under supervision.
Fr. Eugene Senecal
Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 3/29/2019. Allegations were reported to the Diocese in 1994 and 2002 of abuse in the 1960s-1970s. Senecal died in 1975.
Sources:
Fr. Gregory Beyer
Named publicly as accused by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America on its list 3/1/2019, which notes one credible allegation of abuse occurring in the 1970s. Died in 12/2010.
Fr. John A. Moeder
Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list in 3/2019. An allegation of abuse in the late 1970s was reported to the Diocese in 2018. Moeder died in 2012.
Sources:
Fr. John E. Walsh
Named publicly as accused by the Salina Diocese on its list 3/29/2019, which notes a single allegation of abuse occurring 1972-1978, reported to the Diocese in 2002. The Diocese investigated. Walsh retired in 2002. He died in 2009. Included on the Wichita Diocese's list of clerics with substantiated allegations 9/20/2019. Worked in the diocese 1955-1958.
Fr. Julian Haas
Named publicly as accused by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America on its list 3/1/2019. Removed from ministry/under supervision, per the Salina diocese. More than one credible allegation of abuse, alleged to have occurred in the 1970s-1980s.
Fr. Louis L. Bachand
Parish priest, care home chaplain, involved with Boy Scouts. Died in 1991. Named publicly as accused by the Salina diocese on its list 3/29/2019. A single allegation of abuse in the late 1950s-early 1960s was reported in 2011.
Fr. Louis Mattas
Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 3/29/2019. Allegations of abuse in the mid 1960s and early 1980s were reported to the Diocese in 2005 and 2007. Only the 2007 allegation was substantiated. Ordered by the Vatican to a life of prayer and penance. Died in 2011.
Sources:
Fr. Maurice Bruno Dion
Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 3/2/9/2019. Allegations of abuse in the 1960s-1970s were reported to the Diocese in 2002. Dion died 3/29/2004.
Fr. Robert J. Reif
In 1986, 2002 and 2005 the Diocese received reports of abuse by Reif. Accused of sexually abusing two boys, who were brothers, 1975-1986. Sent to treatment 1986-1987. He denied the allegations but wrote an apologetic letter to the boys' parents in 1988. Left the priesthood in 1989. Suit filed in 1995; dismissed due to the statute of limitations. Appealed to KS Supreme Court which reversed the decision in 7/1996 and sent the case back down for trial. Settled in the mid-1990s. Reif was laicized in 2006. Included on the Diocese's list 3/29/19 of those with substantiated allegations against them.
Fr. Robert Schleiter
Named publicly as accused by the Salina Diocese on its list 3/29/2019. Allegations of abuse occurring in the 1950s were reported in 1957, 1980 and 2003. The Diocese noted it did not respond to the 1980 allegation, but did so when the alleged victim again came forward in 2003. In 1957 Schleiter was dismissed by Salina after an investigation and moved to the Diocese of Wichita. Included on the Wichita Diocese's 9/20/2019 list of clerics with substantiated allegations. It notes "ministry ended" in 1969. Died in 1995.
Fr. Roger William Hough
Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 3/29/2019, which notes an allegation of abuse 2001-2002 was reported in 2002. Removed from ministry in 2005, ordered to a life of prayer and penance. Died in 2018.
Sources:
Fr. Ronald Sam Gilardi
Arrested and charged in 2000 with 14 counts of indecent solicitation of a child and other crimes, including sodomy, of a 14-year-old boy at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School 1993-1994. Pleaded guilty in 2001 to 3 counts; sentenced to at least 32 months in treatment at Vianney Center in MO and 5 years probation. Lawuit filed in 2001 in TX. Dismissed and refiled in KS. Settlement announced 12/2001. School paid $30K. Family also settled with insurance co. and Diocese in confidential settlement. Living with Order in St. Louis 12/2006. Registered as a MO sex offender. Last known address per a 11/2017 internet search is RECON/Wounded Brothers Project in Robertsville, MO. Included on the Capuchin Province of Mid-America list 3/1/2019.
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Ryan A. McCandless
Ordained in 2017. Assigned parishes in Hays, Manhattan, Mankato, Concordia, and Ebson. Pastored parishes in Belleville, Munden, and Cuba. Arrested 7/22/2026, charged with sexually abusing a 6-year-old child in Belleville, between 7/2025 and 9/2025. In 9/2026 a woman alleged in a lawsuit that McCandless sexually harrassed and pressured her into sexual activity. She was a parishioner and had gone to McCandless for spiritual guidance. The misconduct allegedly occurred 3/2024 through 10/2024. She said she reported his behavior to Church officials and was met with a "pattern of concealment and inaction."
Fr. Thomas O’Donohoe
From Ireland. Named publicly as accused by the Salina diocese on its list 3/29/2019. An allegation of abuse occurring 1943-1945 was reported to the diocese in 2004. O'Donohoe died in 1951. Included on the Wichita diocese's list 9/20/2019, name misspelled "O'Donohue." Worked in the diocese 1911-1913.
Fr. William H. Merchant
Monsignor. Diocesan CYO director 1948-1964. Superintendent of Seven Dolors Grade School and Luckey High School in the 1950s and 1960s. Member of the diocesan consultors 1961 until his death in 1975. Rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral 1968-1975. Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list in 3/2019, which notes abuse occurring in the 1960s-1970s, reported 1968, 1999, 2000-2004.