The sexual abuse of Native children by Catholic priests, brothers, and nuns is a crucial part of the sexual abuse crisis in the United States and every other country where the Catholic church and settler colonialism were intimately linked. This anthology of articles about clergy abuse in Native communities is our first small step in understanding this story. We will gather more articles, documents, and photographs, and work to collate the complex geography and history of the 579 officially recognized Native tribes with the structures of the dioceses and religious orders. We will also catalogue the priests, brothers, and religious sisters who are accused of sexually abusing Native children. We hope our efforts to gather sources and resources can help in a small way to overcome the neglect.
Special thanks to the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and Denise Lajimodiere, Anishinaabe artist and historian, whose Stringing Rosaries: The History, the Unforgivable, and the Healing of North American Indian Boarding School Survivors is essential reading. See also her List of American Indian Boarding Schools by State, as supplemented by NABS.
We will be adding to this page frequently – both general sources and specific information about clergy abuse. We would be grateful for any suggestions, advice, or corrections you wish to share. As with all our work, our goal is not to advance a particular point of view, but advance transparency by gathering diverse resources. Please email us at staff@bishop-accountability.org. This page was last modified on June 12, 2021.
- Navajo Woman Alleges Sex Assault by Gallup Priest, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (July 27, 2004)
- Sex-Abuse Suits Embroil Jesuits in Northwest, by Ashbel S. Green, The Oregonian (November 14, 2005)
- Missionary’s Dark Legacy, by William Lobdell, Los Angeles Times (November 19, 2005)
- Alaska Priest, by Damon Winter, Los Angeles Times (November 19, 2005)
- Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, by Canada, Plaintiffs, Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Representatives, Anglican Church, Presbyterian Church, United Church of Canada, and Roman Catholic Entities (May 8, 2006) with Schedule N mandating the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- Jesuits Tentatively Settle Alaska Sex Abuse Cases, by Ashbel S. Green, The Oregonian (November 19, 2007)
- Bishop Pelotte Resigns, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (May 1, 2008)
- Jesuit: Alaska No Hiding Place for Problem Priests, by Lisa Demer, Anchorage Daily News (January 15, 2009) with copy of lawsuit
- The “Pedophile’s Paradise”, by Brendan Kiley, The Stranger (February 4, 2009)
- Third Priest Sex Abuse Lawsuit Filed, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (May 13, 2009)
- NW Jesuits to Pay Largest Sex Abuse Settlement in U.S. History, KOMO (March 25, 2011)
- Northwest Jesuits Agree to Landmark Settlement for Hundreds of Clergy Sexual Abuse Victims, PCVA Law (March 25, 2011)
- South Dakota Sex Abuse Scandal: A Peek inside the Church’s Drawers, by Stephanie Woodard, Huffington Post (April 19, 2011) [Rosebud Sioux Reservation – St. Francis Mission SD – Br. Francis Chapman; Yankton Sioux Reservation – St. Paul’s Indian Mission/Marty Indian School]
- The Silence, by Mark Trahant and Tom Curran, Frontline (April 19, 2011) [includes introduction, transcript, timeline, and other features]
- News Analysis: At Least 16 Abusers in Gallup Diocese, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (May 27, 2011)
- Anguish Has Never Healed for Natives Physically, Sexually Abused at St. Ignatius Mission, by Gwen Florio, The Missoulian (June 5, 2011)
- Silence Shrouds St. Ignatius Jesuit Abuse Case As Settlement Vote Nears, by Gwen Florio, The Missoulian (June 6, 2011)
- Ken Bear Chief Reaches Out to Boarding-School Survivors, by Stephanie Woodard, Indian Country Today (August 19, 2011) [Flathead Reservation – Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation – St. Ignatius Mission MT]
- Sex Abuse Survivors File Suit against Helena Diocese, Kosnoff Fasy (September 22, 2011)
- John Does et al. v. Ursuline Sisters et al., Complaint for Damages (October 5, 2011)
- South Dakota High Court Green-Lights Native Childhood-Sex-Abuse Case, by Stephanie Woodard, Indian Country Today (January 9, 2012) [Lower Brule Indian Reservation – Lower Brule Sioux – St. Joseph’s Indian Mission School SD – Fr. William Pitcavage SCJ, Fr. Thomas Lind SCJ, and Br. Matthew Miles SCJ]
- Interim Report, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada (February 24, 2012) and version as modified on July 11, 2013
- They Came for the Children: Historical Document, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada (February 24, 2012) and version as modified on 7/10/13
- Catholic Church Officials Come to Agreement with 3 Navajo Men, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (July 14, 2012)
- Navajo Clergy Abuse Survivor Speaks Out, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (July 17, 2012)
- Gallup Diocese Hit with 10 More Sex Abuse Lawsuits, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (June 20, 2013)
- Are Pedophiles Getting Free Pass in South Dakota? by Stephanie Woodard, Indian Country Today (February 17, 2014) [Rosebud Sioux Reservation – St. Francis Mission – Br. Francis Chapman,
- Forgive You, Father, by Jimmy Tobias, Missoula Independent (March 27, 2014)
- Nun Abuse Case Goes to Bankruptcy Court; Survivor Speaks Out, by Stephanie Woodard, Indian County Today (February 6, 2015)
- Clergy Sex Abuse Victims in Montana’s Diocese of Helena to Receive $20 Million in Payments, by Matthew Brown, Huffington Post (March 5, 2015)
- Findings, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada
* Calls to Action (May 29, 2015)
* The Survivors Speak (May 31, 2015)
* Principles (May 31, 2015) and version as modified on June 17, 2015
* Summary: Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future (May 31, 2015) and supplemented version (October 20, 2015)
- Priest Abusers Outed—Time Running Out to Bring More Claims, by Stephanie Woodard, Indian Country Today (July 13, 2015)
- Sex Abuse Claim Filed by Navajo Siblings, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (March 25, 2016)
- Mormon Church Faces More Abuse Suits, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (June 9, 2016)
- Utah Judge Dismisses LDS Church Challenge: Mormon Sexual Abuse Cases to Continue in Navajo Tribal Court, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (November 17, 2016)
- Diocese Adds Names to Sex Abuser List, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (April 29, 2017)
- LDS Church Faces 3 More Sex Abuse Lawsuits, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (August 16, 2017)
- Court Docs Exposed: Brother Assigned to Area While at Treatment Center for Sex Abusers, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (October 17, 2017)
- A Cautionary Tale: Clergy Sex Abuse Victim’s Confidentiality Breached, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (October 21, 2017)
- Editorial: Hard Lessons, Truths for Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Gallup Independent (November 2, 2017) [Diné/Navajo Nation – St. Michaels Indian School AZ – Br Mark Schornack, OFM]
- Clergy Sex Abuse Case Ending in Settlement, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (November 20, 2017) [Diné/Navajo Nation – St. Michaels Indian School MT – Br. Mark Schornack OFM]
- Indian Mission Official Resigns: St. Bonaventure Second-in-Command Asked to Resign After Investigation, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (December 12, 2017)
- Four Gallup Clerics Included in Sex Claim, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (April 9, 2018)
- Diné Judge to Rule on Sex Abuse Cases, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (April 10, 2018)
- Perry Denies LDS Motion to Kill Sex Abuse Cases, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (June 2, 2018)
- ‘Lamanite’ No More: Native Woman Seeks Truth about LDS Teachings, Indigenous Identity, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (June 30, 2018)
- Gallup Clergy Sex Abuser Dead at 76, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (July 16, 2018)
- Sins of the fathers, by Emily Schwing with Michael Corey and Katharine Mieszkowski, Reveal (December 14, 2018)
- These priests abused in Native villages for years. They retired on Gonzaga’s campus, by Emily Schwing, Aaron Sankin, and Michael Corey, Reveal and Northwest News Network (December 17, 2018) [with links to documents and other sources; Fr James Poole and other Jesuits in Alaska]
- A Statement from the KNOM Radio Mission Board of Directors on the Offenses of Fr. James Poole, KNOM Radio, (December 21, 2018)
- Jesuits Identify 33 Alaska Clergy and Volunteers ‘Credibly Accused’ of Sexually Abusing Children, by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News (December 26, 2018)
- LDS Church Hit with New Sex Abuse Lawsuit, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (January 10, 2019)
- LDS Church Sues Diné Abuse Resolution Holdout, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (February 9, 2019)
- Lawsuit Raises Questions about St. Catherine’s Sexual Abuse, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (April 6, 2019)
- Franciscans Confirm Death of Credibly Accused Gallup Priest, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (May 11, 2019)
- 3 Former Gallup Friars Are Named As Sex Abusers, by Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola, Gallup Independent (June 7, 2019)
- Clergy Abused an Entire Generation in This Village; with New Traumas, Justice Remains Elusive, by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News (July 26, 2019)
- Priests That Moved: Catholicism, Colonized Peoples, and Sex Abuse in the U.S. Southwest, by Kathleen Holscher, The Revealer, March 2, 2020
- Unrepentant: Despite revelations of clergy sex abuse and promises of transparency, a prominent Jesuit university does little to punish priests who cross the line, by Emily Schwing, Reveal (.June 20, 2020)
- Despite Abuse Allegations, a Jesuit with Alaska Ties Worked for a Prominent Northwest University for Years, by Emily Schwing, Anchorage Daily News (July 11, 2020)
- Kamloops Residential School Announcement, on behalf of Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc / Kamloops Indian Band (May 27, 2021)