11 Accused in This Religious Order
- Petition in John V Doe v Holy See 04.03.02
- Associated Press 04.03.02
- Associated Press (2nd) 04.03.02
- Chicago Sun-Times 04.04.02
- The Oregonian 04.04.02
- Sunday Oregonian 07.07.02
- USA Today 11.11.02
- The Oregonian 12.11.05
- Chicago Sun-Times (AP) 06.07.06
- Catholic Online 06.08.06
- National Catholic Reporter 06.16.06
- Table: The Oregonian 11.12.06
- Final Report of Document Arbitration 11.24.08
- Portland Archdiocese Document Production 01.08.09
- Sacramento Bee 03.04.09
- OPB News 03.05.09
- Tribune 02.07.10
- Washington Post (AP) 06.28.10
- Bellingham Herald 04.22.11
- San Francisco Chronicle 08.17.11
- San Francisco Chronicle (AP) 08.17.11
- Holy See Document Production 08.19.11
- Statement by Counsel for Holy See 08.19.11
- Minnesota Public Radio 08.22.11
- Handout from Counsel for John V Doe 08.22.11
- Republic 12.02.11
- NCR 08.24.12
- NCR 08.07.13
- Archdiocese of Chicago List 11.17.22
Br. Gregory Atherton

Sued in 1993, accused of abuse of three boys. Per LA archdiocese's 2/04 report, there were five accusers alleging abuse 1967-86. Also accused of abusing in the Diocese of Orange where two suits were filed in 1/03. Orange settled in 2005 for $4,169,325 but did not include Atherton on its list of accused priests. Reportedly in 2002, he was still a member of his order, working at the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother in Portland, OR, under close supervision. The L.A. archdiocese's list in 12/21 shows Atherton to be deceased.
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Donald M. Duplessis

Per the L.A. archdiocese's report in 2005, Duplessis (at times spelled Duplessius) was accused by one person of abuse occurring 1968-70, while assigned to Servite High School in Anaheim. Lawsuit filed. Reportedly died in 2018.
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Kevin M. Fitzpatrick

Accused in a 2022 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy, beginning when the boy was age 13 in 1976 and continuing throughout his time as a student at Servite High School in Anaheim. Fitzpatrick was assigned to the high school 1970-1992, where he was a teacher and swim coach. He was transferred in 1993 to a parish in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, then in 1994 to a parish in Portland OR. Also worked in Milwaukee WI. He died in 1997. Four more former Servite students filed claims of abuse against Fitzpatrick in 9/22, and three more were filed several months later.
Fr. Philip M. Scherer
Named publicly as credibly accused by the Chicago archdiocese on its list in 10/22. Died in 2016.
Sources:
Fr. John Huels

Accused in 1994 of abuse in 1970s of a 15-year-old boy in New Jersey. Admitted the abuse. A second victim came forward. Forced to step down as head of the Chicago-based Servites. Went to Africa for a few years. Hired 1997 by St. Paul University in Ottawa, ON, Canada. By 2002 he was still a priest and professor and vice dean of canon law at St. Paul's. St. Paul's said he took "medical leave for the treatment of severe depression" in 8/02 after allegation surfaced. Ottawa archbishop said Huels was leaving Servites and would seek laicization. In 9/18 he was still professor of canon law at Saint Paul's. He was removed from that position after publicity the same month.
Fr. Bruce J. Klikunas
Accused by one person of abuse 1976-77, per archdiocese in its 2004 report. Named in at least one civil suit.
Fr. Raymond M. LaBate

Named publicly as accused by the El Paso diocese on its list 1/31/19.
Fr. Andrew M. Ronan

Accused of abuse of a seminarian in Ireland. Sent to the U.S. Accused of abuse of male high school students in Chicago in 1963-64. Sent to Portland OR; abused in the mid-1960s. Suit filed in 2002 in OR claiming abuse in 1966. Laicized in 1966. Died in 1992. Documents released by Portland AD in 11/08 (see last page). Plaintiff sued Holy See; US Supreme Court said suit could go forward in 6/10. Vatican posted some files on its website in 8/11. Judge ruled in 8/12 that Vatican was not employer. Name included in 10/22 on the Chicago archdiocese's list of credibly accused.
Assignments:
Sources:
Fr. Mark Santo

Worked in a number of dioceses, including Chicago, Winona, Lansing, Miami, Los Angeles. Assignments included parishes, schools, and prison ministry. Named publicly as accused by the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese on its list updated 4/1/19. Alleged abuse in the 1960s reported in 2018. Per news in 1993, a friend of Santo's, who was staying with him at the rectory of a Diocese of Winona MN parish, was arrested for possession of child pornography. The Springfield-Cape Giradeau list notes that Santos died in 2013, but the Catholic Directory shows that he died in 2008.
Br. Joe Sharkey

Accused of abuse of a minor 1967-68, per 2004 archdiocesan report. Named in a civil suit. Included on the Diocese of Orange list of accused clergy.
Fr. Franco Tentori
Named publicly as accused by the El Paso diocese on its list 1/31/19.