Diocese releases names of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor

By: Melissa Hudson
Posted: Sep 18, 2018 12:07 PM EDT | Updated: Sep 18, 2018 6:40 PM EDT
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The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend released the names of priests and deacons within its jurisdiction who were credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

In August, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades announced the names would be released in response to the Pennsylvania grand jury investigation into sexual misconduct by priests in that state.

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.

A credible accusation is one that is thoroughly investigated and the Diocesan Review Board finds the accusations are more likely true than not.

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 (deceased)
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 (deceased)
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 (deceased)
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 (deceased)
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 (deceased)
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 (deceased)
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


Elden Miller (deceased)
Date of Ordination: May 8, 1954
Retired: 7/15/2003
Removed from Public Ministry: December 18, 2006
Number of Credible Allegations: 4
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


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