Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity – SOLT

4 Accused in This Religious Order

Fr. Stephen Tarleton Dougherty

Order: SOLT
Ordained: 2003
Status: Convicted

Removed from active ministry in 12/11 after the Corpus Christi diocese received an allegation that Dougherty had engaged in sexual misconduct. His accuser filed a civil lawsuit 7/12/16, claiming Dougherty sexually abused her 2005-2011, beginning when she was age 7. Indicted in 6/16 charges of rape of a 13-year-old girl in 12/11. Pled not guilty. Judge declared a mistrial in 3/17 after jury deadlocked. Convicted at second trial 2/28/18, sentenced to 60 years in prison. Bishop Mulvey testified that a man told him in a letter that Dougherty sexually abused him at age 8. On diocese's list 1/31/19. On Fargo diocese's list 1/2/20, where he worked at some point. No known allegations there.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

Sources:

Fr. John M. Fiala

Order: SOLT
Ordained: 1984
Status: Convicted

Died: 07/20/2017
Diocese: Archdiocese of Omaha NE

Ordained in 1984 for the Archdiocese of Omaha. Joined the SOLT Order 1996. Worked in NE, MO, KS, TX. Fiala's privileges were removed in 10/2008 after allegations that he abused in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. A lawsuit filed in 4/2010 in TX claimed that Fiala raped a 16-year-old boy at least twice, at gunpoint, in 2007-2008. In 4/2010, Omaha said it knew in 2002 of his advances toward a minor in the mid-1980s. Fiala was indicted in 8/2010 in TX. He was arrested 9/3/2010 in KS; returned to TX and was released on bail. Lawsuit with the San Antonio and Omaha archdioceses, the Corpus Christi diocese, and the Order settled in 01/2011. Fiala was arrested in Dallas 11/18/2010 for trying to hire a hit-man to kill his accuser. On 5/17/2012 he was convicted in Dallas on solicitation of murder; sentenced to 60 years in prison. He died in 7/2017. Included on the Omaha archdiocese's list 11/30/2018, which notes two victims. On Kansas City KS list 1/25/2019. On the Corpus Christi and San Antonio lists 1/31/2019. The 11/2021 NE Attorney General's report counts four known victims, one of whom died by suicide.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

Sources:

Fr. Edward J. Horan

Donate Photo

Order: SOLT
Ordained: 1987
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Corpus Christi TX

Named publicly as accused by the Corpus Christi diocese on its list 1/31/9. Retired 1996. Died 1997.

Sources:

Diocese of Corpus Christi List 01.31.19

Fr. Eckley Macklin

Order: SOLT
Ordained: 1995
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Corpus Christi TX

In Summer 2021 the Diocese of Cheyenne informed parishioners that Macklin,age 85, had been credibly accused of abusing a minor in the Diocese of Corpus Christi and was restricted from public ministry. Macklin worked in the Cheyenne diocese 2004-2015. He was ordained late in life, in 1995. The bio for a book of stories and poems he authored describes Eckley as "an African American folk singer....public radio host...park ranger...priest...college missionary to the American Indians in Wyoming." In 8/2024 Macklin's name appears on the Archdiocese of Hartford's list under "...credibly accused...residing in the Archdiocese of Hartford without permission."