Archdiocese of Indianapolis releases list of clergy sexual abuse

Indianapolis — In an effort to help survivors of sexual abuse to come forward, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis on Thursday release a list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors or young people. 

The accusations date back to the 1940s.

"The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is committed to protecting children and ensuring that the tragedy of sexual abuse never happens again in the Archdiocese," said in a statement on its website.

The list was released just days after the announcement that a longtime local priest accused of sexual misconduct resigned. The Rev. Patrick Doyle, 68, had worked in Indianapolis since 1979. 

The Most Reverend Charles C. Thompson, archbishop of Indianapolis, said in the statement: 

“I pray the release of this list of credibly accused clergy will help all survivors of sexual abuse find the strength to come forward and will set them on the path to healing. I apologize to all victims for the abuse that was done to them and for the failure of the Church to keep them from harm. I pledge to do everything within my power to protect our youth.”

The archdiocese said it reports all abuse allegations it receives to Indiana’s Child Protective Services and criminal investigators, as required by law, and encourages all victims to contact civil authorities.

"The list of clergy deemed to have at least one credible claim of abuse involving a child or adolescent includes 19 priests for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and 4 priests who were members of religious orders who served in the Archdiocese dating back to the 1940s. Since 1940, at least 940 priests and 68 deacons have served in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis," the statement said.

Allegation of sex abuse of a child or young person was deemed credible if, after a thorough investigation and review of available information, the accusation was determined to be more likely to be true than not in the judgment of the Archdiocesan Review Board.

Here is the list:

Archdiocesan priests

William Leroy Blackwell: eight victims in 1958 and from 1964-1968. He died before the abuse cases were reported.

Edward Theodore Bockhold: two victims in 1949 and 1961. He died before the abuse cases were reported.

Conrad Louis Cambron: two victims in 1978 and 1980. He resigned from the priesthood in 1985.

Jeffrey James Charlton: three victims in 1982, 1984 and from 1986-1987. He resigned from the priesthood in 1995 and was dispensed from the clerical state in November 2014.

Samuel Thomas Curry: seven victims in the 1970s. The priest died in 1991 before the abuse cases were reported.

Albert Vincent Deery: 23 victims from the late 1950s through the early 1970s. The priest died in 1972 before the abuse cases were reported.

Jack F. Emrich: one victim in the mid-1970s. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2003.

Donald J. Evrard: five victims in 1977 and 1985. He was removed from from priestly ministry in 1998 and died in 2008.

Micheal Howard Kelley: two victims in 1990 and 1992. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2003.

Joseph Stanley Kos: three victims in the mid-1980s. He died in 2000. 

Laurence Michael Lynch: one victim from 1972-1973. He resigned from priestly ministry in 1979 and died in 2009.

John S. Maung: one victim from 1993-1997. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2018.

Harold E. Monroe: 16 victims from 1976-1982. He was removed from the priesthood in 1984 and dispensed from the clerical state in 2011.

Eugene Jack Okon: four victims in 1974. He resigned from priestly ministry in 2003 and died in 2012.

Roger Gerard Rudolf: one victim in 1987 and 1988. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2002 and dispensed from the clerical state in 2015.

Frederick Adam Schmitt: three victims in 1973 and 1974. The priest died in 1988 before the abuse cases were reported.

John Bernard Schoettelkotte: five victims from 1964-1967. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2003.

Myles Hale Patrick Smith: three victims from 1976-1988. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2003 and died in 2012.

Jonathan Lovill Stewart: one victim in 1993. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2003.

Religious order priests

Brennan Harris, Order of Friars Minor Conventual: one victim in 1971. He was removed from priestly ministry by the Franciscan Province of Our Lady of Consolation in Mount St. Francis, Indiana. He died in 1985.

Bernard Knoth, Society of Jesus: one victim in 1978. The incident was reported to USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus in Chicago. He was dispensed from the clerical state.

Donald O’Shaughnessy, Society of Jesus: two victims in 1965. He was removed from priestly ministry by the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus. He died in 2013.

Roman Pfalzer, Order of Friars Minor Conventual: two victims in 1953 and 1954. He was removed from priestly ministry by the Franciscan Province of St. John the Baptist in Cincinnati. He died in 2011.

Others
These priests of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis have a single claim deemed credible. The claims involved a vulnerable adult, age 18 or older, who was an adolescent when at least the emotional aspects of the relationship began.

Patrick Andrew Doyle: one victim in 1987. He was removed from priestly ministry in 2018.

Karl Joseph Miltz: one victim in 1974. He resigned from priestly ministry in 1998. He was dispensed from the clerical state in 2005.

Clergy members John Stanley Kramer, William Kreis, James Joseph Shanahan and George Peter Ziemer each have a single claim of abuse made against them reported to have occurred in the 1940s and 1950s. The claims were received by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis after the priests had died and could not offer a defense of the accusation. No claims were made while they were alive. Although there was no way to substantiate the claims being made against the deceased clergy, the Archdiocesan Review Board recommended, out of an abundance of caution and transparency, to include their names on its list.