Diocese of Alexandria releases names of clergy with credible allegations of sexual abuse

Alexandria, Louisiana (KALB) --- The Diocese of Alexandria released a list of clergy members, both living and dead, with credible allegations of sexual abuse on Wednesday afternoon.

A team of eight laypersons and seven clergy members reviewed over 500 files of clergy who served the Diocese of Alexandria since 1853 when it was established.

"I believe, together with all the members of the Permanent Review Board, that we have done what we can to present as truthful and as thorough a record of the alleged instances of sexual abuse by clerics against minors during our long history," said Bishop David Talley. "I know that this list may be incomplete, not because we have held anything back, but because this kind of evil is perpetrated in secret and out of fear and shame some may not have been able to come forward."

Talley also encouraged victims to come forward with any information.

"If you are a victim of sexual abuse, please contact your local law enforcement agency," Talley said. "Sexual abuse is a serious crime and must be treated as such. If you would like more information or are in need of assistance, please contact our Victims’ Assistance Coordinator, Dr. Lee Kneipp, at (318) 542-9805."

The full document, along with Bishop Talley's letter, can be found in the Related Documents section of this page.

The following names are those of clergy duly incardinated or at one time serving in the Diocese of Alexandria accused of sexual misconduct and abuse of minors by allegations brought by victims or by written testimony:

A: Diocesan Clergy – Living

Fr. Frederick Lyons

• Multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 1960s were brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2005 and 2006.
• Fr. Lyons was removed from active ministry in 2006.
• The allegations were deemed credible.
• After completion of the investigation, Fr. Lyons’ case was referred to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome and ecclesiastical penalties were imposed in 2013.

Deacon Raymond M. Jones

• Review of Deacon Raymond Jones’ file in 2019 showed evidence of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating from 1982.
• Deacon Jones was suspended from active ministry when the allegation was made known in 1986.
• His scheduled ordination to the priesthood was canceled in light of the evidence and he was encouraged to seek laicization by Bishop Friend.
• He subsequently left the diocese.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegation was deemed credible.

Donald Rogers

• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1962 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2004.
• Fr. Rogers was removed from active ministry in 1967.
• Fr. Rogers was laicized in 1974.
• Review of Fr. Rogers’ file in 2019 showed evidence of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of minors.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.
• Fr. Rogers was born in 1930 and would be 88 at the time of this letter. His whereabouts are unknown.

Fr. Victor Sepsi

• Review of Fr. Sepsi’s file in 2019 showed evidence of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 1960s.
• Fr. Sepsi left the diocese and active ministry in 1967.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.
• Fr. Sepsi was born in 1930 and would be 88 at the time of this letter. His whereabouts are unknown.

B: Diocesan Clergy – Deceased

Fr. Edward Terry Allen

• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1973 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2005.
• The accusation was deemed credible.
• Fr. Allen resigned from active ministry in 2005.
• A settlement was made with the victim in 2012.
• Fr. Allen died in 2018.

John Wesley Andries

• Multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 2000s were brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2003 and Fr. Andries was removed from active ministry.
• The allegations were deemed credible.
• Civil charges were brought and Fr. Andries was convicted and sentenced.
• After completion of the investigation, Fr. Andries’ case was referred to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome and Fr. Andries was laicized in 2007.
• John Andries died in 2013.

Fr. William Allison

• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1961 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2004.
• Fr. Allison died in 1986.
• Review of Fr. Allison’s file in 2019 showed evidence corroborating the allegation.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegation were deemed credible.

Fr. William Cody Bressler

• Multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male and female minors dating back to the 1960s were brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2004 and again in 2005 and were deemed credible.
• Fr. Bressler died in 1990.
• Settlements were made with the victims in 2006 and 2017.
• Review of Fr. Bresslers’ file in 2019 showed evidence corroborating the allegations.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Msgr. Paul Conway

• Allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of female minors dating back to 1956 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2004 and after investigation the allegations were deemed credible.
• Msgr. Conway died 1996.
• Settlements were paid to the victims in 2005 and in 2017.

Fr. Francis O. Couvillion

• Review of Fr. Couvillion’s file in 2019 revealed multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 1950s.
• Fr. Couvillion died in 1978.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Francis Patrick Donohoe

• Former Capuchin friar, incardinated in the Diocese of Alexandria by Bishop Desmond in 1942.
• Review of Fr. Donohoe’s file in 2019 showed evidence of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating from the 1960s.
• Bishop Greco asked for and received Fr. Donohoe’s resignation as pastor and he was removed from active ministry in 1966.
• Fr. Donohoe died in 1983.
• This evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Harvey Fortier

• Review of Fr. Fortier’s file in 2019 revealed an allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1954.
• An allegation was made of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor in 1994.
• The allegation was deemed credible.
• A settlement was made with the victim in 1995.
• Fr. Fortier died in 1999.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. John Franklin

• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1966 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2004 and after investigation, the allegations were deemed credible. A settlement was made with the victim in 2005.
• Fr. Franklin left the diocese in 1973.
• Fr. Franklin died in Alabama in 1986.
• Review of Fr. Franklin’s file in 2019 showed further evidence of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Msgr. Robert Friend

• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1954 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2004.
• Msgr. Friend died 1977.
• The allegation was deemed credible and a settlement was made with the victim in 2005.

Fr. Edmund Gagné

• Review of Fr. Gagné’s file in 2019 showed evidence of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 1980s.
• Fr. Gagné was removed from public ministry in 1986.
• Fr. Gagné died in 1990.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Moise Richard Gremillion

• Review of Fr. Gremillion’s file in 2019 revealed multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating from the 1960s.
• Fr. Gremillion retired from active ministry in 1969.
• Fr. Gremillion died in 1973.
• This evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Michael G. Hannon

• Review of Fr. Hannon’s file in 2019 showed evidence of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating from the 1960s.
• Fr. Hannon left the diocese in 1963.
• Fr. Hannon was incardinated in the Diocese of Brooklyn in New York in 1982.
• Fr. Hannon died in 2000.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Kenneth Mathews

• Review of Fr. Mathews’ file in 2019 showed evidence of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 1980s.
• Fr. Mathews left active ministry on a leave of absence in 1998.
• Fr. Mathews died in 2008.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Msgr. H. Clinton Teacle

• Allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 1960s were brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2009.
• Msgr. Teacle died in 1969.
• Review of Msgr. Teacle’s file in 2019 showed further evidence of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Joseph Tisch

• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1967 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2014.
• Fr. Tisch left the diocese and active ministry in 1968.
• Joseph Tisch died in 2007 publically separated from the Church.
• Review of Fr. Tisch’s file in 2019 showed further evidence of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Léger Tremblay

• Allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating back to the 1950s and 1960s were brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2003 and again in 2005.
• Fr. Tremblay died in 2002.
• Settlements were made in 2004 and in 2005.
• Review of Fr. Tremblay’s file in 2019 showed further evidence of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Leo Van Hoorn

• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1967 was brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2006.
• Fr. Van Hoorn was suspended from active ministry by Bishop Graves in 1979.
• Fr. Van Hoorn died in 2006.
• Review of Fr. Van Hoorn’s file in 2019 showed further evidence of another allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

C: The following name is that of a Diocesan priest, now deceased, incardinated in another diocese accused of sexual misconduct while serving in the Diocese of Alexandria:

Fr. Gilbert Gauthe

• Priest of the Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
• Allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of male minors dating from the 1970s were brought before the Permanent Review Board in 2004.
• Fr. Gauthe was tried and convicted for similar offenses in Lafayette.
• The allegations were presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

The following names are those of religious priests, living and deceased, accused of sexual misconduct with minors while serving in the Diocese of Alexandria:

Fr. Charles Dekeukelare, CICM

• A priest of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• Review of Fr. Dekeukelare’s file in 2019 showed evidence of an allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1982.
• Fr. Dekeukelare was removed from public ministry. He pled guilty to and was prosecuted for Indecent Behavior with a Juvenile in Avoyelles Parish in 1982.
• The evidence was present to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Norman Rogge, SJ

• A priest of the Society of Jesus.
• Review of Fr. Rogge’s file in 2019 showed evidence of an allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1985.
• Fr. Rogge was arrested on a charge of Sexual Battery of a male minor in Florida.
• He was sentenced in Florida on a charge of Lewd Conduct in the Presence of a Minor in 1985.
• Fr. Rogge died in 2009.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegations were deemed credible.

Fr. Louis Senesac, CSV

• A priest of the Clerics of Saint Viator.
• Review of Fr. Senesac’s file in 2019 showed evidence of an allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a male minor dating back to 1945.
• Fr. Senesac was removed from active ministry in the diocese.
• Fr. Senesac died in 1966.
• The evidence was presented to the Permanent Review Board in 2019 and the allegation was deemed credible.

Fr. Antonio Valez- Lopez

• A priest of the Congregation of Capuchin Religious Tertiaries of Our Lady of Sorrows.
• An allegation of sexual misconduct and abuse of a female minor dating back to 2006 was brought to the attention of the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2009 where the abuse took place.
• The Diocese of Alexandria was informed of the investigation by the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2016 and Fr. Valez-Lopez was removed from public ministry in the Diocese of Alexandria.
• The Archdiocese of Baltimore initiated proceedings and Fr. Valez-Lopez’s case was sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome.