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Archdiocese of Dubuque – Table of Accused Priests
September 22, 2006

[Note from BishopAccountability.org: This table was released by the Dubuque archdiocese after SNAP members handed out leaflets at two Ames IA churches where accused priest Robert Marcantonio had worked 1970-75. See Parishioners Get Leaflets on Accused Priest, by Shirley Ragsdale, Des Moines Register (9/18/06). The archdiocese had not included Marcantonio in an earlier version of the list, which was released on 2/21/06 as part of a settlement. On the settlement and abuse in the archdiocese generally, see Sins & Silence, by Mary Nevans-Pederson et al., Telegraph Herald (3/5/06). This web page was created from the Google HTML version of the archdiocese's PDF file of the 2/21/06 table, and then was updated to reflect the changes made by the archdiocese to create their 9/22/06 PDF table.]

Table of priests against whom public accusations of sexual abuse of minors have been made and/or lawsuits have been filed. They are listed chronologically according to the earliest time the sexual abuse occurred, according to the accusations. The name of the priest is included, as well as dates of birth, ordination, and death. In the “Comments” section, the time that the accusation became public is indicated. At the end of the table, there is provided an alphabetical list of the priests, with each priest’s dates and places of assignments. The current status of the priest is also listed in that summary.

Being included in this table does not necessarily mean that the accusation has been proven in a court of law or shown to have occurred through an outside investigation or admitted to by the person accused.

[Note from BishopAccountability.org: The "table" and "list" from the archdiocese are somewhat difficult to use, because certain kinds of information about the priests are given in the table, and different kinds of information are provided in the list.

In the web version below, we have presented the archdiocese's table and list in black. Then we have copied the information from the table (decade of first offense, date of birth, date of ordination, date of death, and comments) into the list. This duplicated information is displayed in red.

Thus the list is a collated record of all the information provided by the archdiocese in this document.

We have also provided links (in red) between the entries in the table and the entries in the list, for another way of cross-referencing the two collections of information.

Occasionally we have added a comment in square brackets to explain an entry.]

Earliest Claimed Abuse Name Date of Birth Date of Ordination Date of Death Comments
1930s Joseph I. Patnode 11/20/1885 06/11/1918 12/30/1977 Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Accusation made public in the Telegraph Herald on June 18, 2003. For Patnode's assignment record see below.
1940s Robert V. Swift 02/01/1918 12/17/1944 08/20/1980 Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public in a letter to the editor of the Telegraph Herald on January 22, 2006. For Swift's assignment record see below.
1950s Henry N. Dunkel 01/31/1921 07/28/1945 10/28/1998 Accused of sexual abuse of several female minors. Accusation made public in several letters to the editor of the Telegraph Herald in the 1990s and 2000s. For Dunkel's assignment record see below.
1950s William A. Goltz 02/18/1925 04/16/1950 01/07/2006 Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Three lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006. For Goltz' assignment record see below.
1950s Albert L. Carman 05/25/1911 07/28/1945 04/19/1980 Accused of sexual abuse of male minors. Lawsuit filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006. For Carman's assignment record see below.
1950s John A. Schmitz 06/10/1929 02/02/1957 10/15/1991 Accused of sexual abuse of female minors. Made public at Pastoral Study Day in Waterloo in 2002. First lawsuit filed in California in 2004. A second lawsuit was filed in 2005 and settled in mediation February 21, 2006. For Schmitz' assignment record see below.
1950s Thomas B. Knox 11/21/1910 05/30/1942 03/09/1968 Accused of sexual abuse of a male minor. Made public in a letter to the editor of the Telegraph Herald on January 22, 2006. For Knox's assignment record see below.
1950s Julius J. Olinger 06/14/1906 05/30/1931 04/19/1993 Accused of sexual abuse of a female minor. Claim made in 2006 and settled as part of mediation February 21, 2006. For Olinger's assignment record see below.
1960s Patrick W. McElliott 10/18/1910 06/06/1936 11/14/1987 Accused of sexual abuse of several female minors. Five lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006. For McElliott's assignment record see below.
1960s Albert J. Forster 06/24/1901 05/29/1926 03/26/1990 Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Lawsuits filed in 2004; settled in 2004 and 2005. For Forster's assignment record see below.
1960s John J. Brickley 08/12/1909 06/15/1935 10/30/1998 Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Lawsuit filed in 1990s. Settled without trial. Made public also at Pastoral Study Day in Waterloo in 2002. For Brickley's assignment record see below.
1960s William T. Schwartz 05/07/1932 02/01/1958   Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Lawsuit filed in July 2004 and settled without trial. Three other lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006. Made public also at Penetential Rite in Waterloo in 2003. For Schwartz' assignment record see below.
1960s Robert J. Reiss 07/17/1929 06/04/1955 02/03/2005 Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public at the time of his reported death in Mexico in 2005. Claim settled as part of mediation February 21, 2006. For Reiss's assignment record see below.
1960s William A. Roach 02/21/1921 07/28/1945 04/09/1986 Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Three lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006. For Roach's assignment record see below.
1960s John M. Peters 10/23/1920 12/17/1944 05/31/1997 Accused of sexual abuse of male minors. Lawsuit filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006. For Peters' assignment record see below.
1970s Allen M. Schmitt 08/15/1945 05/23/1971   Accused of sexual abuse of male minors. Made public in spring of 2002. For Schmitt's assignment record see below.
1970s Robert Marcantonio 11/30/1942 06/24/1967 10/20/1999 A priest of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public in the Des Moines Register July 12, 1990. Mediation and settlement of various claims followed. For Marcantonio's assignment record see below.
1990s Timothy L. DeVenney 07/24/1963 06/05/1993   Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public in June 1996. For DeVenney's assignment record see below.

An accusation against Rev. Nicholas Cigrand, which resulted in a lawsuit, is not considered true by the Archdiocese. The lawsuit was dismissed on motion for summary judgment. That court decision is being appealed by the plaintiff.

Regarding the case of the Rev. Michael Fitzgerald: In 2000 he admitted improper use of the Internet but denied sexual abuse of minors. One anonymous phone call claimed to know from a third party about sexual abuse of a minor, but the person making the accusation declined to identify himself or the supposed victim. Because of the media attention devoted to the matter, Father Fitzgerald resigned his position as pastor of St. Joseph in Marion, Iowa. He died as the result of an highway accident on October 2, 2001.

Other accusations which have been made against other priests (and which have been described as “credible”) are not included for one or more of the following reasons: They have either not been sustained, not proven, not admitted to, or not adjudicated by a civil court or ecclesiastical process. In some cases the information came in connection with medical reports, which are governed by civil law restrictions, or from other sources for which church and/or civil law imposes restrictions. In a very few cases, the sacramental seal of confession was involved.

Listing of the dates and places of assignment
of the priests included in the above table

John J. Brickley born 8/12/1909, ordained 6/15/1935, died 10/30/1998

Cresco Assumption 1935-1939
Ames St. Cecilia 1939-1943
Gilbert SS. Peter and Paul 1943-1949
Ackley St. Mary 1949-1954
Nevada St. Patrick 1954-1966
Colo St. Mary 1954-1957
Eagle Grove Sacred Heart 1966-1969
Williams St. Mary 1969-1973
Britt St. Patrick 1973-1985
  Retired 1985
 

Activities restricted

1998
  Deceased 1998
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1960s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Lawsuit filed in 1990s. Settled without trial. Made public also at Pastoral Study Day in Waterloo in 2002.


Albert L. Carman born 5/25/1911, ordained 7/28/1945, died 4/19/1980

Dubuque St. Patrick 1945-1946
Dubuque Loras College 1946-1968
Dubuque Mary of the Angels (chaplain) 1959-1968
Manly Sacred Heart 1968-1971
  Leave of absence 1971-1973
Dubuque St. Mary 1973-1976
Garber St. Michael 1976-1978
Littleport Sacred Heart 1976-1978
Monticello Sacred Heart 1978-1979
Sand Springs Immaculate Conception 1978-1979
Clutier Immaculate Conception 1979-1980
Carroll St. Wenceslaus 1979-1980
  Deceased 1980
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1950s. Accused of sexual abuse of male minors. Lawsuit filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006.


Timothy L. DeVenney born 7/24/1963, ordained 6/5/1993

Dubuque St. Columbkille 1993-1996
  Administrative leave and suspended 1996
  Pleaded guilty and sentenced 1997
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1990s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public in June 1996.



Henry N. Dunkel born 1/31/1921, ordained 7/28/1945, died 10/28/1998

Dubuque St. Columbkille 1945-1952
Chelsea St. Joseph (temp.) 1952
  United States Air Force 1952-1960
  Leave of absence 1960-1964
Belle Plaine St. Michael 1964-1965
Parkersburg St. Patrick 1965-1973
Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes 1973-1990
Chester St. Stephen 1973-1990
  Retired 1990
  Activities restricted 1992
  Deceased 1998
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1950s. Accused of sexual abuse of several female minors. Accusation made public in several letters to the editor of the Telegraph Herald in the 1990s and 2000s.



Albert J. Forster born 6/24/1901, ordained 5/29/1926, died 3/26/1990

Waterloo St. Joseph 1926-1930
Dubuque St. Patrick 1930-1931
Petersburg SS. Peter and Paul 1931-1932
Dorchester St. Mary (temp.) 1932
Sabula St. Peter 1932-1934
Green Island Sacred Heart 1932-1934
Grundy Center Sacred Heart 1934-1937
Hopkinton St. Luke 1937-1948
Petersburg SS. Peter and Paul 1948-1951
Otter Creek St. Lawrence 1951-1952
Haverhill Immaculate Conception 1952-1976
  Retired 1976
  Deceased 1990
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1960s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Lawsuits filed in 2004; settled in 2004 and 2005.


William A. Goltz born 2/18/1925, ordained 4/16/1950, died 1/7/2006

Dubuque St. Raphael Cathedral 1950-1953
Stacyville Visitation 1953-1954
McIntire St. Mel 1953-1954
Oelwein Sacred Heart 1954-1955
  Church trial and sentencing; activities restricted 1955-1964
Norway St. Michael 1964-1965
Cedar Rapids St. Ludmila 1965-1966
Dyersville St. Francis Xavier (temp.) 1966
Elma Immaculate Conception (temp.) 1966
St. Cecilia St. Patrick (temp.) 1966
  Leave of absence 1966-1971
Hampton St. Patrick 1971-1973
Dumont St. Francis 1971-1973
Sand Springs Immaculate Conception 1973-1976
Dorchester St. Mary 1976-1977
Hanover St. Mary 1976-1977
Waterloo St. Joseph 1977-1980
Cedar Rapids St. Jude 1980-1984
Dubuque Holy Family Hall [infirmary] 1984-1991
Dubuque Mt. St. Francis [motherhouse and novitiate of Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family] 1984-1991
Dubuque Mercy Hospital (part-time) 1984-1991
  Retired 1991
  Activities restricted 1992
  Penal precept imposed 2005
  Deceased 2006
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1950s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Three lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006.



Thomas B. Knox born 11/21/1910, ordained 5/30/1942, died 3/9/1968

Oelwein Sacred Heart 1942-1947
Iowa Falls St. Mark 1947-1950
Baldwin Holy Trinity 1950-1952
Stone City St. Joseph 1950-1952
Forest City St. James 1952-1963
Lake Mills St. Patrick 1952-1963
Eldora St. Mary 1963-1968
  Deceased 1968
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1950s. Accused of sexual abuse of a male minor. Made public in a letter to the editor of the Telegraph Herald on January 22, 2006.



Robert Marcantonio born 11/30/1942, ordained 6/24/1967, died 10/20/1999

  Priest of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island  
  Part-time priestly assistance at  
Ames St. Thomas Aquinas 1970-1975
Ames St. Cecilia 1970-1975
  while a student at Iowa State University, Ames  
  Deceased 1999
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1970s. A priest of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public in the Des Moines Register July 12, 1990. Mediation and settlement of various claims followed.


Patrick W. McElliott born 10/18/1910, ordained 6/6/1936, died 11/14/1987

Waukon St. Patrick (temp.) 1936
Dubuque St. Patrick 1936-1941
  Leave of absence 1941-1942
St. Joseph Prairie St. Joseph 1942-1944
Monti St. Patrick 1944-1954
Waterloo St. John 1954-1963
Colesburg St. Patrick 1963-1966
Dubuque Mercy Hospital 1966-1967
Anamosa St. Patrick 1967-1968
  Leave of absence 1968-1969
Dubuque St. Patrick 1969-1970
Andrew St. John 1970-1971
  Leave of absence 1971-1975
  Retired 1975
  Deceased 1987
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1960s. Accused of sexual abuse of several female minors. Five lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006.


Julius J. Olinger born 6/14/1906, ordained 5/30/1931, died 4/19/1993

Mason City St. Joseph 1931-1933
Nashua St. Michael 1934-1935
Oelwein Sacred Heart 1935-1936
Dubuque St. Francis Home (chaplain) 1936-1938
Garber St. Michael 1938-1942
Littleport Sacred Heart 1938-1942
Cedar Rapids Mercy Hospital (chaplain) 1942-1947
Walker Sacred Heart 1947-1954
New Hampton St. Mary 1954-1983
  Retired 1983
  Deceased 1993
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1950s. Accused of sexual abuse of a female minor. Claim made in 2006 and settled as part of mediation February 21, 2006.


Joseph I. Patnode born 11/20/1885, ordained 06/11/1918, died 12/30/1977

Dubuque Loras College 1918-1921
New Haven St. Peter 1921-1922
Tama St. Patrick 1922-1924
Dubuque Loras College 1924-1936
Preston St. Joseph 1936-1939
Key West St. Joseph 1939-1951
Marion Mercy Sisters Novitiate 1951-1964
  Retired 1964
  Deceased 1977
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1930s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Accusation made public in the Telegraph Herald on June 18, 2003.


John M. Peters born 10/23/1920, ordained 12/17/1944, died 5/31/1997

Waterloo St. Joseph 1945-1956
Monona St. Patrick 1956-1958
Harpers Ferry St. Ann-St. Joseph 1958-1966
Hopkinton St. Luke 1966-1967
Garber St. Michael 1967-1969
Littleport Sacred Heart 1967-1969
Vinton St. Mary 1969-1979
Traer St. Paul 1979-1989
Dysart St. Joseph 1979-1989
  Retired 1989
  Deceased 1997
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1960s. Accused of sexual abuse of male minors. Lawsuit filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006.


Robert J. Reiss born 7/17/1929, ordained 6/4/1955, died 2/3/2005

Cedar Rapids Immaculate Conception 1955-1957
Ft. Atkinson St. John Nepomucene (temp.) 1957
Garner St. Boniface 1957-1960
Luxemburg Holy Trinity 1960-1967
Evansdale St. Nicholas 1967-1971
Garber St. Michael 1971-1974
Nashua St. Michael 1974-1976
Stacyville Visitation 1976-1980
  Leave of absence 1980-1981
Sabula St. Peter 1981-1985
Green Island Sacred Heart 1981-1985
North Buena Vista Immaculate Conception 1985-1990
  Activities restricted 1990
  Leave of absence 1990-1997
  Dispensed from the priesthood 1997
  Deceased 2005
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1960s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public at the time of his reported death in Mexico in 2005. Claim settled as part of mediation February 21, 2006.


William A. Roach born 2/21/1921, ordained 7/28/1945, died 4/9/1986
Waukon St. Patrick 1945-1947
Cascade St. Martin 1947-1950
Dubuque Holy Ghost 1950-1951
  Archbishop’s Secretary 1951-1952
Rome Graduate studies 1952-1955
  Chancellor 1955-1960
Dubuque St. Anthony Home (chaplain) 1956-1957
Dubuque Mt. Carmel (chaplain) 1957-1961
  Vicar General 1958-1961
Cedar Rapids Immaculate Conception 1961-1967
Oxford Junction Sacred Heart 1967-1969
Key West St. Joseph 1969-1979
Waukon St. Patrick 1979-1984
West Ridge St. John the Baptist 1979-1984
New Melleray Holy Family 1984-1986
St. Joseph Prairie St. Joseph 1984-1986
  Deceased 1986
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1960s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Three lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006.

 

Allen M. Schmitt born 8/15/1945, ordained 5/23/1971

Waterloo Sacred Heart 1971-1977
Cedar Rapids St. Patrick 1977-1981
Marshalltown St. Mary 1981-1988
Garwin St. Boniface 1981-1987
Haverhill Immaculate Conception 1987-1988
Protivin Holy Trinity 1988-2000
Schley Holy Cross 1988-1994
Little Turkey Assumption 1994-2000
Ft. Atkinson St. John Nepomucene 1997-2000
Dorchester St. Mary 2000-2002
Hanover St. Mary 2000-2002
Waukon St. Patrick 2000-2002
  Activities restricted 2002
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1970s. Accused of sexual abuse of male minors. Made public in spring of 2002.


John A. Schmitz born 6/10/1929, ordained 2/0/1957, died 10/15/1991

Lansing Immaculate Conception 1957-1958
Dubuque Sacred Heart 1958-1960
New Hampton St. Joseph 1960-1965
Mason City St. Joseph 1965-1970
Cedar Rapids All Saints 1970-1973
Manchester St. Mary 1973-1974
Greeley St. Joseph 1973-1974
Clermont St. Peter 1974-1975
St. Anthony Sacred Heart 1975-1979
Zearing St. Gabriel 1975-1979
Greene St. Mary 1979-1982
  Leave of absence 1982
  Activities restricted 1985
  Deceased 1991
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1950s. Accused of sexual abuse of female minors. Made public at Pastoral Study Day in Waterloo in 2002. First lawsuit filed in California in 2004. A second lawsuit was filed in 2005 and settled in mediation February 21, 2006.


William T. Schwartz
born 5/7/1932, ordained 2/1/1958

Ryan St. Patrick 1958-1963
Waterloo St. Joseph 1963-1967
Raymond St. Joseph 1967-1968
Gilbertville Don Bosco High School 1967-1968
Marshalltown St. Mary 1968-1974
Waterloo Columbus High School 1974-1980
Dubuque Holy Ghost (temp.) 1980
Dubuque St. Anthony 1980-1982
Rockwell Sacred Heart 1982-1989
Cartersville St. John 1982-1989
Swaledale St. Lawrence 1982-1989
Clarion St. John 1989-1992
  Leave of absence 1992-1993
  Activities restricted 1993
  Retired 1993
  Dismissed from the priesthood 2005
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1960s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Lawsuit filed in July 2004 and settled without trial. Three other lawsuits filed in 2005; settled in mediation February 21, 2006. Made public also at Penetential Rite in Waterloo in 2003.


Robert V. Swift born 2/1/1918, ordained 12/17/1944, died 8/20/1980

Mason City Holy Family 1945-1947
Anamosa St. Patrick 1947-1950
Oelwein Mercy Hospital (chaplain) 1950-1953
Garryowen St. Aloysius 1953-1954
St. Anthony Sacred Heart 1954-1956
St. Joseph Prairie St. Joseph 1956-1963
New Melleray Holy Family 1956-1963
Walker Sacred Heart 1963-1969
Urbana St. Mary 1963-1969
Oxford Junction Sacred Heart 1969-1974
Eagle Center St. Mary of Mt. Carmel 1974-1980
Blessing Immaculate Conception 1974-1980
  Deceased 1980
Earliest claimed abuse [in] 1940s. Accused of sexual abuse of several male minors. Made public in a letter to the editor of the Telegraph Herald on January 22, 2006.


 
 

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