FORT WAYNE-SOUTH BEND DIOCESE RELEASES NAMES OF 18 PRIESTS OR DEACONS ACCUSED OF SEX ABUSE: At the direction of Bishop Kevin Rhoades, the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend published the following names of 18 priests or deacons who the church said were "credibly" accused of sexual abuse of a minor: 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, James Trepanier, CSC. (Indy Star)
A complete list of names with background are available online at (Today's Catholic)
VINCENNES, Ind.--A Catholic priest who serves as a religion teacher at a Vincennes high school has been suspended by the Diocese of Evansville over a sexual abuse accusation from "decades ago". Father Dave Fleck is suspended from all ministerial duties while he's under investigation. (WBIC)
"Father Fleck has served in the following parishes and schools: Rivet High School, Vincennes; Sacred Heart, Vincennes; Sts. Peter and Paul, Petersburg; St. Peter, Montgomery, with missions at St. Michael the Archangel and St. Patrick; Blessed Sacrament, Oakland City; St. Philip, Posey County; St. John the Baptist, Vincennes; St. Vincent de Paul, Vincennes; St. Thomas, Vincennes; St. Philip Neri, Bicknell; St. Thomas the Apostle, Vincennes; and St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes; St. Thomas the Apostle, Vincennes. He also resided at St. James, Haubstadt," read the statement.
ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS PLANS TO RELEASE NAMES OF ACCUSED PRIESTS: The Indianapolis archbishop says he plans to publicly release the names of all of the priests in his diocese who have faced substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse. (Indy Star)
The move also follows the suspension of a retired priest from all church ministry following an allegation that he abused a child.
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson on Wednesday issued an open letter addressing the sex abuse scandal stemming from the release earlier this month of a sweeping Pennsylvania grand jury report. The report linked thousands of victims to more than 300 priests over 70 years.
"When I was called to be a bishop just more than seven years ago, I wanted to believe that the Church had effectively dealt with the crisis of clergy sexual abuse, especially in terms of accountability and transparency," he said in the letter. "It’s as if a dark, heavy pall has been thrust upon us yet again."
INDY DIOCESE SUSPENDS PRIEST DUE TO CHILD ABUSE ALLEGATION: The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has suspended one of their priests after someone reported that they had been abused by the priest as a child. Father John Maung, 79, has been suspended by the Archdiocese immediately following the report. The Archdiocese released a statement Wednesday: “Fr. John Maung, a priest for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, has been suspended after an individual made a report to the Archdiocese that they were abused as a child several decades ago by Fr. Maung. The Archdiocese immediately made a report to civil authorities and the Archdiocesan Review Board. Fr. Maung has denied the claim. Fr. Maung served in the following parishes: St. Lawrence, Indianapolis; St. Gabriel, Connersville and St. Joseph, Shelbyville. He also resided at Holy Spirit Parish in Indianapolis. Following his retirement in 2009, Fr. Maung continued to help with sacramental needs at parishes in the Archdiocese. Fr. Maung is prohibited from all public ministry while an investigation is pending.”
THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF GARY released a list of former priests who the diocese has deemed guilty of sexually abusing children. Bishop Donald Hying said "The crimes and sins of priest perpetrators and the bishops who covered up their wrongdoing continue to cast horrible shadows of pain, suffering and distrust, both in the lives which have been shattered by the abuse as well as all members in the Church."
INDIANA DIOCESE TO RELEASE NAMES OF ALLEGED ABUSING PRIESTS: The names of those credibly accused of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend will soon be made public. Bishop Kevin Rhoades made the promise during a press conference called in response to the Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing decades of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church there.. “If the Pennsylvania grand jury report taught us anything, it’s that victims deserve to see the names of their abusers made public for all to see, for everyone to know the pain caused by these priests.” Rhoads, a former bishop in the Diocese of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, appeared in the grand jury report in reference to two priests accused of abuse in the decades prior to his installation as bishop there. “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.” (Green, Indiana Public Media)
Since 2004, Eric Koch has represented victims of childhood sexual abuse by clergy, including cases where the acts occurred in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. His cases have included 14 victims of Father Harry Monroe in lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Indianapolis (See: https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2010/05_06/2010_05_13_King_AbuseVictim.htm).
With over 34 years of experience, he is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Ratings by his clients have earned him the Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Award for responsiveness, quality of service, communications ability, and overall value and the Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Gold Award.
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