Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend names clergy accused of sexual abuse

Fort Wayne, Indiana -- The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend has released the names of clergy who've been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

The list of the names of priests and deacons who have served in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and have been credibly accused of at least one act of sexual abuse of a minor consists of: James Blume, Michael Buescher, Brian Carsten, William Ehrman, William Gieranowski, John Gillig, Gabriel Hernandez, Edward Krason, Paul LeBrun, CSC, Thomas Lombardi, Robert Mahoney, Eldon Miller, Edward O. Paquette, Cornelius Ryan, CSC, James Seculoff, Richard Stieglitz, Richard Thompson and James Trepanier, CSC.

You can find much more information about these priests and deacons below.

Tim O'Malley, director of education at the McGrath Institute for Church Life, says it's a good first step. Hear what else he had to say.

In August, Rhoades said he would name the clergy in response to a Pennsylvania grand jury report that found more than 300 predator priests had abused around 1,000 children.

Before coming to northern Indiana, Rhoades was the bishop of the Harrisburg diocese.

Rhoades had been accused of "odd" behavior while a priest there. The district attorney has since cleared him of misconduct.

From the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend:

The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend published today the names of the priests and deacons who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

During a news conference on August 17, in which he made the announcement to release the names, Bishop Rhoades stated the importance for victims to see the names of their abusers made public “for all to see. For everyone to know the pain caused by these priests.” Bishop Rhoades added, “It is my hope that by releasing these names, the innocent victims of these horrific and heartbreaking crimes can finally begin the process of healing.”

Bishop Rhoades reiterated the diocese’s commitment to protect children and young people saying, “We must be vigilant in our efforts to protect our youth. With the Lord’s guidance and love, we will do so.”

The list of those credibly accused was developed with the assistance of the Diocesan Review Board, which was established to assist the bishop in complying with the requirements of The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and The Essential Norms. The Diocesan Review Board is comprised of mostly lay people and its members assess all allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests and deacons presented in this diocese.

In the determination of credibility for the purpose of the list, Bishop Rhoades followed the recommendations of the Diocesan Review Board. Bishop Rhoades expressed gratitude for their expertise and counsel. A full list of the Diocesan Review Board members and their bios can be found on the diocesan website.

The list of the names of priests and deacons who have served in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and have been credibly accused of at least one act of sexual abuse of a minor consists of: James Blume, Michael Buescher, Brian Carsten, William Ehrman, William Gieranowski, John Gillig, Gabriel Hernandez, Edward Krason, Paul LeBrun, CSC, Thomas Lombardi, Robert Mahoney, Eldon Miller, Edward O. Paquette, Cornelius Ryan, CSC, James Seculoff, Richard Stieglitz, Richard Thompson and James Trepanier, CSC.

For the purposes of this list, a “credible accusation” against a priest or deacon of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is an accusation that, after a thorough investigation and review of available information, appears more likely true than not in the judgement of the Diocesan Review Board, and is accepted as credible by the Bishop.

If the accused is or was a member of a religious congregation, the credibility of an accusation was determined by the accused priest’s religious congregation. The number of credible accusations received against each priest or deacon is noted. The ordination date for each priest and deacon named on the list is noted. Changes in the clerical status of each priest and deacon named, including dates of the changes, are noted. If the accused is deceased, his date of death is noted.

This list will be supplemented as appropriate based upon any future determinations of credible allegations.

The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend stands firm in its commitment to investigate any allegation of sexual abuse by a member of the clergy and to listen to and support anyone who has been abused. Please contact Mary Glowaski, Victim's Assistance Coordinator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 260-399-1458 or Father Mark Gurtner, JCL - Vicar General, 260-399-1422.

DETAILED BACKGROUND FOR EACH CREDIBLY ACCUSED PRIEST OR DEACON

James Blume
Date of Ordination: June 14, 1980
Removed from Public Ministry: April 1989
Dismissed from Clerical State: June 23, 2007
Number of Credible Allegations: 5 
Places Served: 
July 7, 1980 – St. Anthony de Padua Parish, South Bend, Indiana
July 7, 1982 – Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Fort Wayne, Indiana
September 8, 1987 – St. Andrew/St. Hyacinth Parishes, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Current Status: Incarcerated

Michael Buescher
Date of Ordination: June 16, 1979
Removed from Parish Ministry: November 1989
Loss of Clerical State: May 14, 1991
Number of Credible Allegations: 6
Places Served: 
July 9, 1979 – St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
August 1, 1983 – Part-time membership on the faculty of Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana; continuing at St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 9, 1984 – Chaplain, Marian High School, Mishawaka, Indiana, with residency in the Marian High School Rectory
August 8, 1985 – Culver Military Academy, Coordinator of priests who offer Mass and provide spiritual guidance
December 20, 1985 – St. Francis Xavier Parish, Pierceton, Indiana
June 24, 1986 – St. Patrick Parish, Ligonier, Indiana; Blessed Sacrament Parish, Albion, Indiana

Brian Carsten
Date of Ordination: May 30, 1970
Terminated as Pastor and Resigned as a Member of the Roman Catholic Church: May 9, 1987
Dismissed from the Clerical State: June 23, 2007
Number of Credible Allegations: 1
Deceased: 3/27/2009
Places Served: 
July 1, 1970 - St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Elkhart, Indiana
July 2, 1973 - St. Henry Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 1, 1974 - St. Patrick Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 1, 1975 - Chaplain, Allen County Police, Fort Wayne, Indiana, with residence at St. Andrew Parish, Fort Wayne, IN
July 5, 1977 - St. Hyacinth Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 9, 1979 – St. Andrew Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana, while continuing as Pastor of St. Hyacinth Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana

William Ehrman
Date of Ordination: June 10, 1922
Retired: July 1, 1970
Number of Credible Allegations: 8 
Allegations received after the death of the priest. 
Deceased: August 7, 1983
Places Served: 
June 1922 – St. Patrick Parish, Kokomo, Indiana
January 1926 – St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Parish, Michigan City, Indiana; Chaplain at St. Anthony Hospital and Indiana State Prison
April 12, 1929 – Immaculate Conception Parish, Kendallville, Indiana; St. Patrick Mission Parish, Ligonier, Indiana
July 8, 1939 – St. John the Baptist Parish, New Haven, Indiana
September 1, 1964 – St. Paul Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana

William Gieranowski
Date of Ordination: June 11, 1949
Retired: July 1, 1981
Number of Credible Allegations: 3
Allegations received after the death of the priest.
Deceased: April 24, 2000
Places Served: 
July 7, 1949 – St. Stanislaus Parish, East Chicago, Indiana
April 20, 1951 – St. Adalbert Parish, South Bend, Indiana
July 3, 1951 – St. Thomas More Parish, Munster, Indiana
May 20, 1955 – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Elkhart, Indiana
January 15, 1960 – St. Henry Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
June 15, 1960 – St. Jude Parish, South Bend, Indiana
September 1, 1964 – St. Hyacinth Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 1, 1970 – St. Monica Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
July 6, 1978 – St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, New Carlisle, Indiana

John Gillig
Date of Ordination: May 25, 1957
Retired: April 26, 1988
Suspended from all Public Ministry: March 25, 2002
Dismissed from Clerical State: February 8, 2008
Number of Credible Allegations: 9
Deceased: July 27, 2011
Places Served: 
June 7, 1957 – Our Lady of Hungary Parish, South Bend, Indiana
February 15, 1958 – St. Monica Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
June 15, 1962 – St. Jude Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
August 30, 1963 – Teacher, Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana
June 13, 1964 – Director of CYO and CYA, Fort Wayne Deanery
June 15, 1972 – Sacred Heart Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
April 18, 1974 – Chaplain, Allen County Jail, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 5, 1977 – St. Mary of the Assumption Parish – Decatur, Indiana
September 17, 1985 – Holy Family Parish, South Bend, Indiana
November 15, 1986 – St. Peter Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Gabriel Hernandez
Date of Diaconate Ordination: April 27, 2008
Dismissed from Seminary: April 22, 2009
Dismissed from the Clerical State: February 25, 2010
Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Edward Krason
Date of Ordination: February 3, 1958
Resigned as Pastor: July 8, 1998
Ordered to Cease All Ministry: April 16, 1999
Retired: May 1, 1999
Removed Faculties to Perform Ministry and to Present Himself as a Priest: March 21, 2003
Ordered to a Life of Prayer and Penance: November 8, 2005
Number of Credible Allegations: 2
Deceased: March 25, 2013
Places Served: 
February 15, 1958 – St. Jude Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
September 2, 1960 – Teacher, Central Catholic High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana
August 14, 1961 – SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Huntington, Indiana; Director of Guidance, Huntington Catholic High School, Huntington, Indiana
June 1, 1963 – Principal, Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 9, 1979 – Continuing Education, University of Notre Dame
July 7, 1980 – Continuing Education of the Clergy with residence at Queen of Angels Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 11, 1983 – St. Joseph Parish, Garrett, Indiana
July 22, 1986 – St. John the Baptist Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
August 1990 – St. John the Evangelist Parish, Goshen, Indiana

Paul LeBrun, CSC
Date of Ordination: April 9, 1983
Faculties for Ministry Removed from Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend: April 2000
Dismissed from Clerical State: August 26, 2008
Number of Credible Allegations: 1 (from Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend)
Places Served: 
St. Therese, Little Flower Parish, South Bend, Indiana
Blessed Sacrament Parish, Tolleson, Arizona 
St. John Vianney Parish, Goodyear, Arizona
Current Status: Incarcerated

Thomas Lombardi
Date of Ordination: May 31, 1975
Removed from Public Ministry During Investigation of Allegation: December 2, 2011
Removed from Public Ministry: August 9, 2015
Number of Credible Allegations: 1 
Deceased: December 28, 2017
Places Served: 
July 1, 1975 - St. Mary Parish, Huntington, Indiana
September 1, 1977 – Faculty, Huntington Catholic High School, Huntington, Indiana; residency at St. Mary Parish, Huntington, Indiana, available for weekend duties.
September 12, 1977 – Chaplain, Huntington Catholic High School, Huntington, Indiana
August 1, 1983 – St. Mary Parish, Huntington, Indiana; Principal, Huntington Catholic High School
July 9, 1984 – St. Joseph Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
June 1985 – American College Louvain, Belgium
July 1, 1986 – St. Louis, Besancon Parish, New Haven, Indiana
July 28, 1997 – St. Joseph Parish, Garrett, Indiana
July 6, 2006 – St. Joseph - Hessen Cassel Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
November 11, 2009 – Chaplain, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Robert Mahoney
Date of Ordination: May 27, 1967
Resigned from Ministry as a Priest: June 15, 1993
Dismissed from Clerical State: July 25, 2006
Number of Credible Allegations: 4
Places Served: 
July 1, 1967 – St. John the Baptist Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
August 31, 1968 – St. Bavo Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
July 7, 1980 – Our Lady of Hungary Parish, South Bend, Indiana
February 28, 1984 – St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, North Manchester, Indiana
August 1988 – Chaplain, Ancilla Domini Convent, Donaldson, Indiana

Eldon Miller
Date of Ordination: May 8, 1954
Retired: 7/15/2003
Removed from Public Ministry: December 18, 2006
Number of Credible Allegations: 2
Deceased: 7/26/2008
Places Served: 
June 11, 1954 - St. Joseph Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
July 1, 1971 – St. Joseph Parish, Roanoke, Indiana; St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, Nix Settlement, Columbia City, Indiana
July 1, 1974 – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 9, 1984 – Immaculate Conception Parish, Kendallville, Indiana
February 10, 1988 – Queen of Peace Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana

Edward O. Paquette
Date of Ordination: February 2, 1957
Faculties for Ministry Removed from Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend: July 14, 1978
Dismissed from Clerical State: January 31, 2009
Number of Credible Allegations: 7
Places Served: 
April 15, 1964 – St. Anthony de Padua Parish, South Bend, Indiana
September 1, 1964 – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Elkhart, Indiana
September 1, 1965 – St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Decatur, Indiana
August 13, 1969 – Our Lady of Hungary Parish, South Bend, Indiana
June 5, 1971 – St. Anthony Hospital, Michigan City, Indiana
June 19, 1972 – Christ the King Parish, Rutland, Vermont

Cornelius Ryan, CSC
Date of Ordination: June 9, 1966
Faculties for Ministry Removed from Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend: June 10, 2013
Number of Credible Allegations: 1
Allegation made outside the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Places Served: 
Uganda & Kenya until 2002
September 19, 2002 to July 1, 2007 - Associate Pastor at St. Therese, Little Flower Parish, South Bend 
July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2011 - Pastor at St. Therese, Little Flower Parish, South Bend 
December 13, 2011 – June 10, 2013 - St. Joseph - Hessen Cassel Parish, Fort Wayne

James Seculoff
Date of Ordination: May 26, 1962 
Removed from Public Ministry During Investigation of Allegation: January 8, 2014
Removal from Public Ministry: October 13, 2015
Number of Credible Allegations: 5
Places Served: 
June 15, 1962 – St. Monica Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
August 16, 1963 – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana; Teacher, Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana
September 1, 1964 – Teacher, Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana
June 15, 1965 – SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Huntington, Indiana; Principal, Huntington Catholic High School, Huntington, Indiana
July 1, 1970 – Superintendent of Catholic Schools; Principal of Huntington Catholic School, Huntington Indiana; Chaplain for St. Vincent Villa, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 1, 1974 – Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
February 14, 1978 – St. John Bosco Parish, Churubusco, Indiana; Immaculate Conception Parish, Ege, Indiana; continuing as Superintendent of Catholic Schools
July 6, 1978 – St. Mary Parish, Huntington, Indiana
June 18, 1979 – SS. Peter & Paul Parish, Huntington, Indiana; continuing at St. Mary Parish, Huntington, Indiana
August 1, 1983 – St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, North Manchester, Indiana; Director of Campus Ministry, Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana
February 28, 1984 – Our Lady of Hungary Parish, South Bend, Indiana
May 21, 1987 – Sacred Heart Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 8, 1992 – St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Avilla, Indiana
June 21, 1994 – St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish, Bristol, Indiana
August 3, 2004 – St. John the Baptist Parish, South Bend, Indiana
July 17, 2007 – St. John the Baptist Parish, New Haven, Indiana
June 5, 2013 – St. Patrick, Walkerton, Indiana

Richard Stieglitz
Date of Ordination: May 26, 1973
Decree of Suspension from all Acts of Ministry: December 7, 1993
Dismissal from the Clerical State: July 7, 2007
Number of Credible Allegations: 5
Places Served: 
July 2, 1973 – Our Lady of Good Hope Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 11, 1973 – Chaplain, Anthony Wayne Council of Catholic Boy Scouts
February 4, 1974 – Chaplain, Fort Wayne Serra Club
July 1, 1976 – Holy Family Parish, South Bend, Indiana
February 19, 1977 – Holy Family Parish, South Bend, Indiana (weekends); Sacred Heart Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana (weekdays) 
September 1, 1977 – St. Jude Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 6, 1978 – Chaplain, Catholic Committee on Scouting, Fort Wayne area; continuing at St. Jude Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 9, 1979 – Faculty, Bishop Dwenger High School, Fort Wayne, Indiana
August 1, 1983 – Sacred Heart Parish, Warsaw, Indiana 
August 1, 1988 – Queen of Angels, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Richard Thompson
Date of Ordination: June 17, 1978
Resigned from Active Ministry as a Priest: October 24, 1989
Loss of Clerical State: July 25, 2006
Deceased: 2015 
Number of Credible Allegations: 1
Places Served:
July 6, 1978 – St. John the Baptist Parish, New Haven, Indiana
February 15, 1982 – Covenant House, New York (Home for Runaway Children)
April 14, 1983 – St. Monica Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
July 11, 1983 – St. Mary of the Presentation Parish, Geneva, Indiana

James Trepanier, CSC
Date of Ordination: June 8, 1955
Faculties for Ministry Removed from Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend: October 18, 2002 
Number of Credible Allegations: 1 in Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Places Served: 
University of Portland, Portland, Oregon
Holy Cross Mission House (Fatima) 
July 1, 1981 – June 30, 1987 - Holy Cross Parish, South Bend, Indiana
July 1, 1987 – June 4, 1991 - St. Pius X Parish, Granger, Indiana
1994 - St. Mary’s Convent, Notre Dame, Indiana