Sulpicians / Society of the Priests of San Sulpice-SS

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Suzy Nauman June 14, 2021

7 Accused in This Religious Order

Fr. William A. Braun

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Order: SS
Ordained: 1942
Status: Accused

Died: 10/8/1964
Diocese: Archdiocese of Baltimore MD

Named publicly as accused by the Baltimore archdiocese on its list 4/24/2019. Ordained for the archdiocese in 1942, joined the Sulpician order in 1949. Allegation in 2002 that Braun sexually abused a boy 1947-1949. The abuse reportedly began the summer after the boy's 7th grade at St. Dominic's School and went on for two years. The alleged victim said Braun was very controlling, gave him special attention and urged him to join the priesthood, which he did. Braun was assigned to St. Dominic's 1942-1949. He died in 1964. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General's Report.

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Bishop Joseph A. Ferrario

Order: SS
Ordained: 1951
Status: Sued

Died: 12/12/2003
Diocese: Diocese of Honolulu HI

Ordained for the Sulpician order in in 1951. Started his career in Mountain View, CA. Moved to Hawaii in 1957 and became bishop in 1982. Accused in 1985 of the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old boy beginning in 1975. A 1991 civil suit was dismissed due to the statute of limitations. The allegations "found to be groundless by an internal church investigation." Retired in 1993; died in 2003. A new civil suit filed in 2012 claimed abuse in 1973. The accuser reported allegations to the Diocese in 1991; no action. Named in three suits filed in 2013. Accused in 2014 suit of abuse of a minor in 1968 or 1969, after the youth told him he had been abused by Fr. William Queenan. Accused in a 4/2020 lawsuit of abuse of a boy, about ages 12-14, in 1975-1978.

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BA.org Assignment Record

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Fr. Leonard R. Foisy

Order: SS
Ordained: 1957
Status: Sued

Died: 04/29/2016
Diocese: Archdiocese of Detroit MI

Foisy's education and career took him from his native New Hampshire to New York, Montreal, Washington DC, Maryland and Michigan. He held leadership positions as a Sulpilcian and in the diocese of Manchester, where he also did parish and hospital work. Accused in a 1994 lawsuit of abusing a boy over four years in the 1960s in Michigan, when he was administrator of St. John's Seminary in Plymouth. Placed on sick leave in 1996. Died 4/29/2016.

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Fr. Paul L. Gregoire

Order: SS
Ordained: 1955
Status: Reinstated

Died: 12/29/2022
Diocese: Archdiocese of Seattle WA

Ordained for the Society of St. Sulpice. At some point became a priest of the Diocese of Manchester, NH. Suspended in 12/2002 after a woman alleged that Gregoire sexually abused her as a minor in Seattle in the 1970s. Allegations deemed credible. After investigating, the Vatican authorized Gregoire's return to active status in 8/2003. Died in 12/2022.

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Fr. Roland Edmund Leveille

Order: SS
Ordained: 1959
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Richmond VA

Named publicly as accused by the Richmond diocese on its list 2/13/2019 (with ordination year erroneously as 1955; he was ordained in 1959). Taught at seminaries in Mountain View CA, Kaneohe HI and Kenmore WA, and placed with the Sulpician Fathers for several years in Baltimore MD. Last brief assignment was at Holy Comforter Parish in Charlottesville VA, apparently no longer with the Sulpicians. Per the Richmond diocese, Leveille was removed from ministry in 1973 and died in 1994.

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Fr. John P. McManus

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Order: SS
Ordained: 1940
Status: Accused

Died: 06/21/1986
Diocese: Archdiocese of Seattle WA

Ordained in 1940 for the Diocese of Cleveland. Joined the Sulpician Order in 1942. Worked many years in the Archdiocese of Seattle, including nearly 20 at St. Edward's minor seminary. Also worked in the Archdioceses of Baltimore, Washington DC, San Francisco CA, and Detroit MI. Died 6/21/1986. Name included on the Seattle archdiocese's list 1/15/2016 of clergy and religious with admitted, established or credible allegations against them of sexual abuse of a minor.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

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Fr. William J. Queenan

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Order: SS
Ordained: 1960
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Honolulu HI

In a civil suit filed 4/4/2014, a man alleged he was abused by Queenan at age 14 in 1968 when he was a student at St. Stephen's Seminary and Queenan was a teacher. He claimed he told then-priest, later-Bishop, Joseph Ferrario, who also abused him. In the same suit, the man said he was abused by Br. Robert Brouillette and Br. Thomas Ford (both known abusers) in 1970 when he transferred to Damien Memorial High School. Damien Memorial was run by the Irish Christian Brothers. Another man received a settlement in 3/2016, claiming abuse by Queenan and Fr. Anthony Pascale at St. Stephen's, and by Fr. Francis Daubert years earlier.

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