Diocese of Madison WI - BishopAccountability.org

15 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Archie H. Adams

Ordained: 1955
Status: Accused

First named publicly in a news article in 2/03 as one of four priests against whom documented and substantial allegations of serious abuse had been made. Adams was granted a medical leave and retired status in 1994. The 2002 Catholic Directory continues to list him as on sick leave. By 8/05 he was "no longer in the priesthood" and the diocese did not keep track of him. Included in 7/20 on the diocese's list of credibly accused, which notes that Adams died in 2008.

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Fr. Curtiss Alvarez

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Ordained: 1976
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Alvarez is one of four priests named in a 2/03 news article as having documented and substantial allegations of sexual abuse raised against them. He was reportedly removed from ministry in 1985. As of 2005, he was "no longer in the priesthood," and the diocese did not keep track of him. Per the diocese's list of credibly accused in 7/20, Alvarez was laicized in 2010.

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Fr. Peter Claver Arnoue

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Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Arnoue, a priest of the Owere Nigeria Diocese working in Madison, was placed on leave in 12/02 by Bishop Bullock. Per a 2/19/03 news report, he was accused of improper advances against a young woman.

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Fr. Joseph Gibbs Clauder

Ordained: 1973
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Placed on leave without privileges in 1999 after an allegation of sexual misconduct with an adult woman. She sued the diocese for negligent supervision for not monitoring his conduct after misconduct with another woman. In early 2009, a 20-year-old woman alleged that Clauder sexually abused and threatened her in 2003-04. In 8/10 the diocesan review board found her allegations "credible and probable." Rome ordered a canonical trial at the conclusion of civil matters. Sentenced to a life of prayer and penance. Acquitted in 12/11 criminal trial.

Fr. Robert DeCock

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Order: ISSS
Ordained: 1996
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Placed on leave in 12/02 after allegations of sexual impropriety involving a young woman. He had been working as Parochial Vicar at St. Paul University Catholic Center since 6/02. Was working in Corpus Christi TX as of 2002 Directory.

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Fr. Patrick J. Doherty

Ordained: 1959
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Named publicly by the diocese as accused in 9/19 after it received a report of "an incident" over 40 years prior. Diocese to investigate. "Retired" in 1993 due to struggles with alcoholism and "disreputable behaviors with adult men." No longer living in WI in 9/19. The diocese announced in 1/20 that its Review Board found the allegations credible. Case to be sent to the Vatican. Sentenced to a life of prayer and penance. Added to the diocese's list of credibly accused 1/17/20. Categorized as having left or been removed from the diocese, in 1993. The diocese announced in 3/20 that it had received a second credible allegation, dating to 45 years prior when he was pastor of a Boscobel parish.

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Fr. John B. Eberhardy

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Ordained: 1936
Status: Accused

Died: 08/18/1992
Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Named as credibly accused by the diocese in 9/19 after a review of clergy files. Died in 1992.

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Fr. Jude Clarence Francis Hahn

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Order: OFM Cap
Ordained: 1958
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Accused of sexually abusing a minor boy in 1976. Civil suit filed in 2/94. Hahn admitted in a deposition to having sexual contact with four teenage boys, including the plaintiff, in the 1970s and '80s. A teacher at St. Lawrence Seminary High School told the Order in 1981-82 that Hahn, a dormitory supervisor, was having inappropriate contact with students. Left priesthood in 1993 and requested laicization. Pope approved the request. Died in 2008. Included on the Capuchins St. Joseph Province list of those with substantiated allegations against them.

Assignments:

Capuchins St. Joseph Province List 08.19.21

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Fr. Kenneth E. Klubertanz

Ordained: 1966
Status: Sued

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Placed on leave in 6/02 after an allegation that he had abused a boy, age 13, 27 years prior. Placed on leave pending investigation by Review Board. A second man came forward in 8/02, alleging the priest abused him at age 16 in 1968. Klubertanz denied all allegations. In 1/03 a third man filed suit alleging he was abused as a boy by Klubertanz in 1969-70 on weekend trips to a cabin. The Diocese denied that it knew of any allegations against Klubertanz before 2002. Found guilty by Church trial per 6/07 news release. Sentenced to life of prayer and penance.

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Fr. William A. Nolan

Ordained: 1985
Status: Acquitted

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Police report filed in 4/18 said Nolan repeatedly sexually assaulted a boy 2006-10, when the boy was ages 13-17 and Nolan was assigned to St. Joseph's in Fort Atkinson. Nolan retired at age 64 in 2007, citing a heart condition. In residence at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Madison when arrested 5/17/18. Previous assignments included parishes in Watertown, Madison and Cambridge; also St. John Vianney in Janesville under Rev. Gerald Vosen, who was later successfully sued for child sex abuse. New investigation reported 5/22/18 of sexual misconduct toward an adult male in Janesville in 2009. Janesville police contacted the diocese about Nolan in 2015 after a friend of the man alleging misconduct in 2009 contacted them with concerns. Pled not guilty in 7/18. Found not guilty at trial in 9/19. In 3/18 Review Board deemed allegations not credible. Returned to status as a retired priest in good standing.

Br. Rajnal Rehmat

Order: CJD
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

From Pakistan. Assigned in the Madison diocese in 6/2022. Criminally charged in 12/2022 for the sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl, occurring between 9/5/2022 and 10/1/2022. The girl was a participant in a Bible study Rehmat led at a DeForest parish. The incidents involved kissing and touching, in a vehicle. There were also incidents via video contact in which the girl would disrobe and Rehmat would masturbate. Convicted. Sentenced in 4/2023 to two years in prison and three years of extended supervision. Required to register as a sex offender.

Assignments:

Wisconsin State Journal 12.06.22

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Fr. Andrew J. Showers

Ordained: 2017
Status: Arrested

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Assigned after his 2017 ordination to parishes in Wisconsin Dells, Madison, Waunakee, Berlin, Green Lake and Clinton. Arrested in Clintonville in a sting operation on 8/24/2025 after allegedly attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex; the "girl" was actually a Clintonville police officer. Restricted from ministry pending the outcome of the investigation. There had also been a complaint in 12/2021 to the Lodi Police Department that Showers asked a boy during confession about masturbation and if he viewed pornography. There were no charges in that case. In 2024 a young woman alleged that Showers groped her underneath her clothes at a social event in Chicago, then gave her his business card. Her father said he called the Diocese at least five times to report the abuse; he was not successful in reaching Bishop Hying but someone did take his report. He also reported the abuse to the Chicago Police. The woman came forward publicly after Showers' arrest. Despite the allegations, per a Facebook post on 8/7/2025, Showers was scheduled to take a small group of teenagers to Italy in 3/2026.

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Fr. Lawrence M. Trainor

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Ordained: 1964
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

A man claimed that in 1971 he was sexually abused by Trainor at Holy Name Seminary in Madison and by other priests over a period of several years. Trainor was named by Diocese of Madison in 2003 as an abusive priest; diocese admitted to a settlement with a victim. Removed from ministry in 1989, laicized in 2011. Settlement in 1992 with a woman who claimed abuse, including rape, by Trainor when she was age 7 in 1965. She and her family attended Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Monona, where Trainor was assigned.

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Fr. Michael G. Trainor

Ordained: 1972
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Trainor was the subject of at least three lawsuits filed by up to 18 plaintiffs beginning in 1994. Accused of the sexual abuse of boys, some as young as age 9. Diocese admitted paying settlements on behalf of Trainor and other priests. Trainor left Wisconsin in 1984 after two parents complained. Sent to New Mexico for treatment. Worked in Montana parishes 1985 until 1991 when he left the priesthood. New allegations surfaced in 12/02 of abuse in 1980. Laicized in 2010. Died in 2016.

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Fr. Gerald P. Vosen

Ordained: 1961
Status: Accused

Died: 09/27/2021
Diocese: Diocese of Madison WI

Accused 9/18/03 by a woman at a state SOL hearing of sexually abusing her brother at age 14 in the early 1970s. The brother denied the allegation. Vosen was removed. The Diocesan Review Board assessed at least three allegations and unanimously recommended leave 2/15/04. In 5/04 Vosen sued a man who alleged fondling and anal rape at age 11-12 by Vosen in 1989-91. A jury rejected the defamation claim 8/4/05; found abuse claim substantiated. Church tribunal of three judges ruled against Vosen in 8/07. Vosen appealed to Vatican's Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. The CDF upheld the diocese's decision, as announced 7/16/15. Vosen died in 2021.

Our Database of Publicly Accused does not state or imply that individuals facing allegations are guilty of a crime or liable for civil claims. The reports contained in the database are merely allegations. The U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.