3 Accused in This Religious Order
Br. Robert E. Hayden
Bro. Robert a/k/a "Paul" Hayden a/k/a Bro. Declan. Entered the Order in 1966 in Albuquerque NM. Worked with the disabled at Good Shepherd Manor in Momence IL, with the homeless in Philadelphia PA, in Miami FL and in Columbus OH. Sentenced to one year in prison in 1986 for sexually abusing mentally retarded men at a group home in Columbus. One resident contracted AIDS and died. A civil suit filed in 1993 accused Hayden and Bro. Fintan Shaffer of abuse. Also named was Order, which ran the home, and other religious. Suit settled in Fall 1997. Mother of victim was to donate proceeds to charity to help other victims. Hayden died in NM 10/3/2009.
Br. David J. Nickerson
Known as "Brother Dave" while ministering in Milwaukee in the 1980. Confessed in 2007 to the sexual abuse of a 9- or 10-year-old altar boy in the mid-1980s at St. Vincent De Paul school. His confession was only after another "Brother Dave" (David Sanders) had been wrongly arrested, convicted at trial, and given a 15-year sentence as of 1/2007. Nickerson was arrested in 6/2008 in MO and was being returned to WI. In treatment at RECON in MO as of 7/2008. Sentenced to 5 years in prison. In 5/2025 the WI Sex Offender Registry shows Nickerson as living at his order's residence in Robertville MO.
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Br. Fintan Shaffer
Brother Fintan. Given name was Guy Dale Shaffer. Administrator of home for mentally handicapped in Columbus OH, run by his Order. In 1985 there were allegations that Shaffer and other religious had abused residents of the home. One resident died of AIDS. No criminal charges. Civil suit filed in 1993, settled in 1997. Left the order in the mid-1980s and died in NM in 1989. Per his obituary, Shaffer was married and had a son (with a different last name). Included on Santa Fe archdiocese's list of credibly accused 9/12/2017.