Priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross – CSC

18 Accused in This Religious Order

Seminarian Randall Blum

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Order: CSC
Status: Guilty plea

Diocese: Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend IN

Seminarian. Named publicly as accused by the Congregation of Holy Cross on its list 6/12/2019. First vows in 1983. The list notes that Blum was dismissed from seminary. Multiple allegations in 1986, after his dismissal, of abuse in IN in the 1980s. Blum reportedly was charged in 1986 after accusation he molested two boys, ages 13 and 16, at Christ the King School. Pleaded guilty to one of the charges; he had admitted to police to touching "several" teenage boys.

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Fr. James T. Burtchaell

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1960
Status: Accused

Died: 04/10/2015
Diocese: Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend IN

Notre Dame professor, former head of the Theology Department. Resigned his tenured position and position as Provost in 1991 after allegations by male students that he subjected them to sexual advances while counseling them. At least one allegation was received in 1991 and another was received "considerably before 1991." Living as of 2003 in a Holy Cross priests' residence in Phoenix, without privileges. Died 4/10/2015.

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Fr. Lawrence T. Dark

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1952
Status: Accused

Died: 03/17/1984
Diocese: Archdiocese of New Orleans LA

Named publicly as accused by his order on its list 6/12/2019. Multiple allegations of abuse, occurring in the 1960s-1970s in Louisiana. Dark died in 1984. Allegations received after his death, in 1994 and 2008. Added to the New Orleans archdiocese's list in 6/2019. Added to the Baton Rouge diocese's list 1/29/2020. Added to the New Orleans archdiocese's list in 2020.

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Fr. Donald W. Eagleson

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1985
Status: Settled

Died: 10/22/2004
Diocese: Diocese of Oakland CA

Accused in 4/2002 of the sexual abuse of a boy in 1971; Eagleson was a Holy Cross brother teaching at Moreau High School in Hayward at the time in question. He was ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa in 1985. The allegations were not revealed to parishioners or the public until 2006. A 2004 civil suit was partially settled in 2005. Died 10/22/2004. Name included on the Santa Rosa Diocese's list 1/12/2019. On the Oakland Diocese's list of crediby accused in 2019. Accused in a lawsuit[s] filed sometime between 2019-2022.

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Fr. John J. Fitzgerald

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1969
Status: Accused

Diocese: Archdiocese of Chicago IL

Named publicly as accused by the Congregation of the Holy Cross on its list 6/12/2019. It notes an allegation in 1992 of abuse in the 1970s in IL. Removed from ministry in 1992, left the order in 1997. On the Phoenix diocese's list. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report.

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Fr. James J. Gildea

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1957
Status: Settled

Died: 07/5/1986
Diocese: Diocese of Bridgeport CT

In 1991, a man reported to the Diocese abuse by Gildea 1976-1979, beginning when the man was age 13 and a student at Notre Dame High School. The abuse occurred during trips Gildea took to Wilkes-Barre PA to visit his sick mother. The Diocese settled 7/31/2006. Gildea allegedly used his power as guidance counselor to threaten the boy. Another man went public 8/4/2006 about a $60K settlement the Diocese offered him in 8/2002; he had reported abuse by Gildea 1958-1966, starting when he was age 7 or 8 and continuing into his first two years at Notre Dame High School. The victim's attorney in the 7/31/2006 settlement stated she knew of a third victim. Gildea died 7/5/1986. Five cases involving four priests of diocese, including Gildea, settled in 5/2017. Included on his Order's list 6/12/2019. A 2019 report commissioned by the Diocese states there were 9 victims, all boys ages 14-15, abused 1965-1982. (The report mistakenly says Gildea was removed in 2002.)

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Fr. Thomas G. Lapine

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Order: CSC
Ordained: 1949
Status: Accused

Died: 06/17/1994
Diocese: Diocese of Kalamazoo MI

Worked 1944-1964 in OR at Columbia Preparatory School and the University of Portland. Hospital chaplain in various places 1964-1984, including St. Joseph's in Mishawaka, IN. Chaplain at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo MI 1969-1981. Retired in 1992. Died in 1994 at Moreau Seminary in Notre Dame, IN. Included in the MI Attorney General's 5/22/2024 report on the Diocese of Kalamazoo. In 2016 a man reported to the Diocese that Lapine sexually abused him as a 5th-grader in 1973 at St. Mary School.

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Fr. Paul Francis LeBrun

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1983
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend IN

Arrested in 2002. Accused of sexually abusing boys in the Ft. Wayne-South Bend IN diocese and the Phoenix AZ diocese. Denied the allegations. Documents show that LeBrun's order knew of his abuse of children as early as 1987, the year he was transferred to AZ. Returned to IN in 1993. Resigned from his parish in 1999, sent to Southdown in Toronto for treatment. Convicted in 2005 in AZ; sentenced in 2006 to 111 years in prison. Laicized in 2008. Five lawsuits which name LeBrun as an abuser were settled by the Phoenix Diocese for a total of $75K. Conviction upheld by AZ Court of Appeals in 7/2009. Included on Ft. Wayne-South Bend diocese's 9/18/2018 list. One known allegation there. On order's list 6/12/2019.

Fr. Ralph G. Luczak

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1958
Status: Accused

Died: 02/22/1970
Diocese: Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend IN

A woman said in 2003 that Luczak molested her at age 10 on several occasions in the summer of 1969, at her grandmother's lake house near a Holy Cross retreat house. She told her mom, who told a doctor and the police. Nothing was done. The mom then told a priest; Luczak was sent to CA. The alleged victim thought Luczak was going to a monastery, but he was placed at a high school. Luczak died at age 38 in 1970 in San Francisco, CA. The Order said there was nothing in his personnel file regarding abuse. Included on the Order's list 6/12/2019. Added to the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese's list 1/18/2020. Included in the IL Attorney General's 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report (with an incorrect death year).

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Diocese of Fort Wayne List updated 01.18.20

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Fr. Archibald M. McDowell

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1933
Status: Settled

Died: 07/16/1994
Diocese: Archdiocese of Portland OR

Taught at University of Portland 1949-1959. Accused of molesting an 11-year-old boy in 1956. In 1958 the Provincial of the order wrote to McDowell noting two canonical warnings already on his record, one of which was for fondling two high school boys. Sued prior to 7/2002 by a boy he allegedly molested in 1956. Archdiocese paid $10K in 2003 to settle one claim. Also taught in Austin, TX. On the order's list 6/12/2019. It notes multiple allegations received in 1949-1950s of abuse occurring in OR, IN, and LA. Permanently removed from ministry in 1962. Died in 1994. On New Orleans' list in 6/2019.

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Archdiocese of New Orleans Revised List 12.08.20

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Fr. Louis L. Meyer

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Order: CSC
Ordained: 1945
Status: Sued

Diocese: Archdiocese of Los Angeles CA

Accused in a 2003 civil suit of sexually abusing a girl in 1968. Named in the Los Angeles Archdiocesan Report addendum. Included on his order's list 6/12/2019, which notes an allegation in 2007 of abuse in the 1960s in CA, handled by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Withdrew from the order in 1974. Deceased.

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L.A. Times Database 04.20.06

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Fr. C. Richard Nowery

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1968
Status: Accused

Died: 04/22/2018
Diocese: Diocese of Austin TX

Accused in 1986 of sexually abusing two boys in Austin, TX. Sent for treatment then approved for return to ministry. Worked for the order for eight years recruiting and guiding new members, with no unsupervised access to children. Assigned in 1994 to a New Orleans parish where he was made pastor in 1995. Placed on leave in 2002 after review of personnel file. Officials there said they had no knowledge of his past. On New Orleans archdiocese's list 11/2/18. Died in 2018. On Baton Rouge diocese's list in early 2019. On Austin diocese's list 1/31/19. On order's list 6/12/19.

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Diocese of Austin Assignments

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Fr. Cornelius J. Ryan

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1966
Status: Accused

Died: 12/29/2021
Diocese: Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend IN

Worked in Uganda and Kenya 1967-2002, where he was a well-known soccer coach. Returned to Provincial House in South Bend in 2001. Removed without privileges 6/10/2013 from Saint Joseph's in Hessen Cassel after recent credible allegation that he had sexually abused a boy in Africa about 20 years previously. When confronted by the Diocese, Ryan admitted the allegations were true. Included on the Order's list 6/12/2019, which notes multiple allegations received in 2013 of sex abuse occurring in the 1980s in Africa. It also said that Ryan was in a long-term treatment facility without access to minors. He died 12/29/2021 at Holy Cross House in Notre Dame, IN.

Fr. Edgar Szymanski

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1943
Status: Accused

Died: 12/8/1998
Diocese: Diocese of Lansing MI

Named publicly as accused by his order on its list 6/12/2019. It notes multiple allegations received in 1999 and 2018 of abuse in the 1940s and 1950s in MI. Died 12/8/1998. Per his obituary, Szymanksi was chaplain at Boysville in Clinton, MI 1951-1959.

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Fr. James R. Trepanier

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1955
Status: Accused

Died: 11/3/2021
Diocese: Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend IN

First named publicly as accused on Ft. Wayne-South Bend's 9/18/2018 list. One known credible allegation. Faculties in the diocese removed 10/18/2002. Assignments included University of Portland OR, Holy Cross Mission House (Fatima), South Bend and Granger parishes, St. Mary's Convent in Notre Dame. On Order's list 6/12/2019. It notes an allegation received in 1991 of abuse in the 1980s in IL. Ministry restricted in 1991. Permanently removed from ministry in 2002. Living in a nursing facility without access to minors. Died 11/3/2021 at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, IN. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report.

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Diocese of Ft Wayne-South Bend list 09.18.18

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Fr. David Tushar

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1976
Status: Accused

Died: 12/23/2021
Diocese: Archdiocese of Chicago IL

Tushar was placed on leave from ministry in the Diocese of Duluth in 7/2019 after allegations of abuse dating to 1978-1979, when he was a Holy Cross Father and school teacher in Niles IL. He was in the Duluth area from 1985 and incardinated there in 1988. The allegations were deemed credible. Permanently removed by the Diocese in 2020. Name included on the Holy Cross Fathers list of accused in 10/2020. Added to the Duluth diocese's list in 1/2021. Tushar died 12/23/2021 in Las Vegas NV, where he had been living. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report, which notes two "reported survivors."

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Diocese of Duluth Assignment Record

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Fr. David H. Verhalen

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1954
Status: Accused

Died: 09/11/2012
Diocese: Archdiocese of Chicago IL

Named publicly as accused by the Congregation of Holy Cross on its list 6/12/2019, which notes an allegation in 2007 of abuse in IL in the 1970s. Permanently removed from ministry in 2001. Died 9/11/2012. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report.

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Congregation of Holy Cross Obituary 09.12.12

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Fr. Gordon Wilcox

Order: CSC
Ordained: 1955
Status: Settled

Died: 10/4/1984
Diocese: Diocese of Oakland CA

Named in a 2004 suit against Rev. Donald Eagleson, which was partially settled in 2005. Wilcox was named as an abuser of a male student in 1971 at Moreau High School in Hayward. Died 10/4/1984. On the Oakland Diocese's list in 2019. On the Congregation of Holy Cross list 6/12/2019, which notes multiple allegations in 2003 and 2012 of abuse in CA in the 1970s. In 11/2019 a man filed suit claiming abuse in the 1970s as a Moreau Catholic High student, by both Wilcox and Br. John Moriarty. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report.

Priests of the Congregation of Holy Cross – CSC

18 Accused in This Religious Order

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