Diocese of Lake Charles LA

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Terry McKiernan February 26, 2021

12 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Juan Alers

Ordained: 1969
Status: Accused

Died: 02/1/2011
Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Ordained for the Archdiocese of San Juan in Puerto Rico. Taught for 14 years there at Catholic University. Was also Vice Chancellor, Diocesan Vocations Director and Director of Catholic Charities. In residence 2/1986-1/1987 at Our Lady of Lourdes in Atlanta while chaplain at the Federal Penitentiary. Placed on leave from the Penitentiary after a background check, which revealed allegations of abuse of youth in a program for runaways in Puerto Rico. Arrived in the Lake Charles diocese in 1987, reportedly from the Diocese of Orlando. Appointed in 4/1988 as Coordinator for Hispanic Ministries in the Diocese of Lafayette, LA. Was also pastor of an Oakdale parish and chaplain for Torrance County Detention Center in NM. Lake Charles received an allegation in 1997 that Alers sexually abused minors 1980-1985 in Puerto Rico. Removed from ministry in 2002. Died in 2011. Named publicly as accused by the Lake Charles diocese on its list 4/11/2019. Included on the Atlanta archdiocese's list in 11/2020. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.

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Fr. Michael John Barras

Ordained: 1973
Status: Sued

Died: 07/7/2024
Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Ordained for the Diocese of Lafayette LA and incardinated into the Diocese of Lake Charles when it was established in 1980. Parish priest, pastor; hospital chaplain; involved in the ACTS community. Died 7/7/2024. Accused of child sexual abuse in a lawsuit filed sometime between 2021 and 1/2026.

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Fr. Mark A. Broussard

Ordained: 1986
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Resigned from the priesthood in 1994. In 12/2011 the Diocese told police that a man alleged abuse as a child by Broussard 1986-1989, at St. Henry Parish in Lake Charles. Arrested 3/22/2012, charged with two counts of aggravated rape and 52 counts of sexual battery. Broussard's personnel file showed a history of sexual contact with four other children, as young as age eight. Arrested in 4/2012 on new charges involving one of the four. Additional charges were filed in 6/2012. Indicted in 8/2012. A lawsuit was filed 2/21/2013. Laicized in 2013. Found guilty 2/5/2016. Sentenced 3/11/2016 to two life terms, plus 50 years in prison. Appeal denied in 6/2017. Included on the Diocese's list 4/11/2019, noting abuse of minors 1980-1991. Accused in a lawsuit(s) filed sometime between 2021 and 2026.

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Fr. James F. Burke

Order: CSSp
Ordained: 1952
Status: Sued

Died: 05/5/2008
Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Assigned after ordination to to East Africa until 1959, then to parishes in LA, OH and AR. Was the Order's Director of Public Affairs in AZ and CO. Also assigned in San Antonio TX. Died in 2008. Accused in a lawsuit filed sometime between 2021 and 1/2026 of child sexual abuse, apparently while assigned to Immaculate Heart of Mary in Lake Charles where he spent over eleven years.

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Fr. J. Richard Chachere

Ordained: 1965
Status: Accused

Died: 12/25/2012
Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Named publicly as accused by the Lake Charles diocese on its list 4/11/2019. Included on the Lafayette LA diocese's list of credibly accused in 4/2019. An allegation was received in 2009 of abuse in 1964 at Lady Queen of Heaven School. Chachere resigned from the priesthood in 1978 and worked as a Jungian-oriented therapist, writer and lecturer. He died in 2012.

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Sr. Thelma Dexheimer

Order: STJ
Status: Sued

Died: 10/19/2002
Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Named publicly as accused of child sexual abuse in a lawsuit filed in Louisiana sometime between 2021 and 1/2026. Dexheimer had been assigned to Our Lady Immaculate School in Jennings, in the Diocese of Lake Charles (Jennings was in the Diocese of Lafayette until the Lake Charles diocese was established in 1980.) Per the lawsuit, Dexheimer sexually abused a boy who was her student, age 7, at Our Lady of Immaculate. She is also known to have worked in San Antionio TX. Dexheimer died 10/19/2002.

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Fr. Gregory Mosca

Order: OSB
Ordained: 1970
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Olivetan Benedictine. Accused in a 1995 lawsuit, along with Br. Rene Dorsey, of molesting an altar boy, ages of 10-15, in the late 1970s. Included on the Lake Charles diocese's list 4/11/2019. Multiple allegations of abuse 1980-1982, received by the diocese 1986 and 1993, occurring at St. Henry in Lake Charles and in Houston TX. Removed from ministry in the diocese in 1986. Transferred to the Diocese of Monterey CA. Returned to LA to preach missions, including to children. Died in 2018.

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Br. Edmund Normantowicz

Donate Photo

Order: MS
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

La Salette Missionary. Per the 1989 Catholic Directory was also a permanent deacon in St. Louis, MO. By 1999 he was a permanent deacon in the Lake Charles, LA diocese. Named publicly as accused by the Lake Charles diocese on its list updated in 11/2019. (Name misspelled Normanmtowicz, first name Edward, but is Edmund in Directories and father's 2014 obituary.) Lake Charles' list notes accusations of sexual abuse of minors, occurring 1976-1978 and 1980 in Sulphur, LA and reported to the diocese in 2003 and 2019. Prohibited from ministry. Appears to have been long living with his order in Hartford, CT.

Sources:

Diocese of Lake Charles List updated 11.19.19

Deacon Saunier

Donate Photo

Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Accused in a lawsuit filed sometime between 2021 and 1/2026 of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl on multiple occasions in 1970. Saunier allegedly rubbed himself against the girl in the chapel of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Sulphur, LA.

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Nola.com 01.18.26

Fr. Herbert F. Schuster

Order: CSSp
Ordained: 1943
Status: Sued

Died: 09/12/1970
Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Lake Charles from 1960 until his death in 1970. Accused in a lawsuit filed sometime between 2021 and 1/2026. Allegedly sexually abused an altar boy, beginning in 1966 when the boy was age 13.

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Fr. Charles Soileau

Ordained: 1957
Status: Sued

Died: 06/5/2011
Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese on its list 4/11/2019. Accused in 1999 of the sexual abuse of an altar boy for six years, beginning when the boy was age 10 in 1990, in Houston TX and Vinton LA. Removed from ministry. Died in 2011. Lawsuit filed sometime between 2021 and 1/2026.

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Fr. J. Patrick Walsh

Donate Photo

Order: SJ
Ordained: 1952
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Lake Charles LA

Named publicly as credibly accused by the U.S. Central and Southern Province Jesuits on its list in 12/2021, with one allegation. Abuse estimated to have occurred 1959-1960. Noted to have been dismissed in 1979 and died in 1993. Included in 1/2022 on the Diocese of Lake Charles list, where the alleged abuse occurred. Also on the New Orleans archdiocese's list.

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