ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, has published a list of 34 priests and 17 lay people who have faced credible accusations of sexual abuse or inappropriate behavior.
It's the first time the diocese has revealed the names of those accused of abuse.
The individuals on this list are believed to be alive and living in the locations noted:
Former Fr. Michael J. Amy — Niceville, Florida
Laicized (removed from ministry and later voluntarily resigned from the clergy)
Fr. Michael G. Barletta — Erie, Pennsylvania
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Robert F. Bower — Edinboro, Pennsylvania
Forbidden to function as a priest
Andre C. Butler — Rosedale, New York
Former lay agency employee
Former Fr. Dennis C. Chludzinski — Erie, Pennsylvania
Laicized
Megan E. Fecko — Cleveland, Ohio
Former lay teacher
Kevin J. Feyas — Erie, Pennsylvania
Former lay teacher and parish musician
Former Fr. Chester J. Gawronski — Sahuarita, Arizona
Dismissed from the clergy
Timothy G. Hanson, Sr. — North East, Pennsylvania
Layman prohibited from volunteer work or entering school property
Fr. Stephen E. Jeselnick — Colorado Springs, Colorado
Forbidden to function as a priest
Former Fr. Gary L. Ketcham — Erie, Pennsylvania
Laicized
Fr. Thaddeus T. Kondzielski — Waterford, Pennsylvania
Forbidden to function as a priest
Kevin S. Kulhanek — Erie, Pennsylvania
Former lay school volunteer
Fr. Salvatore P. Luzzi — Bradford, Pennsylvania
Forbidden to function as a priest
Eve Minter (née Spangler) — Henrico, Virginia
Former lay teacher
David Montgomery — Otisville, New York (in federal prison until 2041)
Former lay teacher
Fr. Leon T. Muroski — Erie, Pennsylvania
Forbidden to function as a priest
Denise J. (née Geitner) Myers (Meyer) — Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Former lay teacher
Hattie B. Nichols — Erie, Pennsylvania
Former lay agency employee
Philip J. Pochatko — Subiaco, Arkansas
Former lay school teacher
Brian J. Radachy — Elkton, Ohio (in federal prison until 2024)
Former lay school teacher
Former Fr. Samuel B. Slocum — Bradford, Pennsylvania
Dismissed from the clergy
Former Fr. Thomas E. Smith — Erie, Pennsylvania
Dismissed from the clergy
Fr. Daniel J. Taylor — Tucson, Arizona
Forbidden to function as a priest
Ron Thomsen — Erie, Pennsylvania
Former lay volunteer
Dennis E. Vickery — Erie, Pennsylvania
Former lay teacher
Joseph M. Votino — Masury, Ohio
Former lay teacher/coach
Craig T. Ward — Erie, Pennsylvania
Former lay agency employee
Additionally, we recognize that some of the individuals who failed our children and other vulnerable populations are now deceased.
Fr. Donald C. Bolton, CSsR
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Edmund S. Borycz, OFM
Forbidden to function as a priest
Msgr. Bonaventure M. Ciufoli
Returned to Italy
Fr. Donald J. Cooper
Forbidden to function as a priest
William (Bill) Couse
Former lay school employee
Fr. David V. Dobrowolski
Was able to function (abuse reported after his death)
William P. Garvey
Former lay teacher/coach (later served as college president)
Fr. Herbert G. Gloekler
Was able to function (abuse reported after his death)
Fr. Robert E. Hannon
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Joseph W. Jerge
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Edward W. Jungquist
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Thomas C. Kelley
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Gerard (Gerald, Gerry) H. Krebs
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Jerry Kucan, OFM
Forbidden to function as a priest
Msgr. Daniel Martin
Restricted from ministry (abuse reported during retirement/physical-health-leave and later, after death)
Msgr. Joseph F. Meisinger
Was able to function (abuse reported after his death)
Fr. John L. Murray
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Giles L. Nealen, OSB
Was unable to function (was already confined to infirmary when abuse was reported)
Fr. John A. Piatkowski
Believed to have died in 1970 with ability to function (records incomplete from relevant time periods)
Former Fr. William F. Presley
Dismissed from the clergy
Fr. John P. Schanz
Forbidden to function as a priest
Fr. Charles A. Sheets, Jr.
Forbidden to function as a priest
Bishop Alfred M. Watson
Bishop of Erie (failed to act to stop abuse which was credibly reported to him)
Three individuals are currently under investigation by law enforcement (and each is presumed innocent unless proved otherwise):
Fr. Sean P. Kerins — Naples, Florida
Fr. David L. Poulson – Oil City, Pennsylvania
John (Jack) E. Tome — location unknown (last known to be in Columbia, Maryland)
The move comes as a grand jury run by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office investigates how that diocese and five others in Pennsylvania have handled misconduct allegations against priests.
Bishop Lawrence Persico said Friday that the list is different from the ones released at other dioceses because it includes lay people who are also credibly accused of inappropriate behavior or abuse.
Twenty of the priests and two of the lay people on the Erie list are deceased.
Below is the full statement from Rev. Persico:
The Diocese of Erie represents 13 counties, including Elk, Clearfield, Cameron and Jefferson counties.
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