Diocese of Monterey ACCUSED PRIESTS
In recent years, many victims have come forward regarding the abuse they endured while members of the Roman Catholic Church. Unfortunately, many churches throughout the world covered up the abuse for decades, making it difficult for childhood sexual abuse survivors to get the help and justice they deserve. However, recent legislative changes now provide survivors in California a second chance to file civil claims for compensation, even if the abuse happened decades ago.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey includes Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz counties. In January 2019, the Diocese released the names of 30 clergy members credibly accused of sexually abusing minors dating back to the 1950s, with most occurring in the 1970s.
The Diocese hired a law firm to investigate the clergy personnel files to compile  , including the following clergy: Phillip Abinate, Raul Carvajal, Juan Carlos Esquivel, Carl Faria, Luis Garcia, Manuel Jimenez, Scott McCarthy, Gilbert Meyer, Charles Moore, Colman O’Connor, Joseph Sheehan, James Wisecaver, William Allison, Alberto Battagliola, Antonio Cortes, Edward Fitz Henry, Juan Guillen, Gregory Kareta, Michael McDonald, Patrick McHugh, Paul Valdez, John Velez, Thomas Condon, Edward Crews, Patrick Daly, Edward Haskins, Felix Migliazzo, Thomas Neary, John Pierson, and Rino Spada.
One of the priests, Alberto Battagliola, assigned to Mission San Luis Obispo between 1972 to 1974, faced accusations in a civil lawsuit filed in 2003 that stated he sexually abused a former altar boy. The lawsuit claims that in October of 1974, Battagliola got the victim drunk during a ride in the priest’s car and raped him near Cuesta Park, giving the boy gonorrhea. In 1977, an unknown person brutally murdered Battagliola in a hotel room in San Francisco. Although police know that he checked into the room with a man in his 20s, the case remains unsolved.
After the Diocese released the list, a watchdog organization called Bishop Accountability named four additional priests who were not included on the report and had accusations of sexual abuse lodged against them. The additional priests named included Stuart B. Campbell, Vincent Dwyer, Alberto Mengon, and Joseph Pachecho.
After releasing the list, the nonprofit group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) criticized the diocese for omitting various priests. For instance, SNAP noted that Don D. Flickinger, who was not on the list, had been accused of sexual abuse and settled civil lawsuits in at least two California dioceses. Flickinger worked out of the Diocese of Monterey at the Star of the Sea Church in Santa Cruz in the 1980s and St. Clare’s Retreat in Soquel from 2007 to 2009.
Priest Titian “Jim” Miani, who also worked in the Diocese of Monterey, faced abuse charges as well, leading to his arrest and a lawsuit. Finally, Stephen Whelan faced accusations via a civil lawsuit filed in 2003 of sexually abusing a child from 1970 to 1971 while he held an assignment at St. John Bosco High School in Richmond, California. A jury found in favor of the sexual abuse victim.
In 2018, a former parishioner filed a civil lawsuit against several bishops in the Diocese, accusing them of participating in a cover-up to protect predator priests. The plaintiff Thomas Emens alleges that a priest abused him in the 1970s when he was 10 and 11 years old. The lawsuit names every bishop in California and claims that they allowed predator priests to flee the dioceses after parishioners reported abuse. The lawsuit, which names the Diocese of Monterey as a defendant, demanded all California bishops release all files and information kept on sexual offender priests.
California passed Assembly Bill 218, extending the state’s statute of limitations concerning child sexual abuse cases, allowing childhood survivors to file civil claims until they turn 40 or within five years of discovering injuries stemming from the abuse. Additionally, the new legislation provides child victims with a look-back window, enabling survivors to revive cases previously barred due to the outdated statute of limitations. From the bill’s commencement date of January 1, 2020, all survivors of child sexual abuse have three years to file a civil claim, regardless of their current age or how long ago the abuse occurred.
If someone sexually abused you or your loved one as a child at the Diocese of Monterey, you may be able to file a civil claim against your abuser and the Diocese that allowed the abuse to happen. Our team of sexual abuse lawyers at Herman Law will help you determine your legal rights to get the closure and justice you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Category 1: Credibly accused Clergy not previously released or in the public domain:
Date of Incident(s):Â 1970, 1971, 1975
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2003
Status:Â Deceased (6/27/2008)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1984-1985
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2005
Status:Â Faculties removed
Date of Incident(s):Â 2007
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2007
Status:Â Former Seminarian
Date of Incident(s):Â 1968-1971; 1973-1976
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2002
Status:Â Retired, faculties removed 2002
Date of Incident(s):Â 1982
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2009
Status:Â Former Seminarian
Date of Incident(s): 1994
Date Reported to the Diocese: 1999
Status: Former Seminarian
Date of Incident(s):Â 1976
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2002
Status:Â Retired, allegation reclassified in 2019 from non-credible to credible and faculties removed in 2019.
Date of Incident(s):Â 1961-1964
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2010
Status:Â Retired, not in ministry
Date of Incident(s):Â 1974
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2003
Status:Â Deceased (12/9/2007)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1979-1980
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1993
Status:Â Deceased (3/3/1996)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1971-1975
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1992
Status:Â Deceased
Date of Incident(s):Â 1997
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1997
Status:Â Deceased (10/23/2015)
Category 2: Credibly accused Clergy previously released or in the public domain who were working in the name of the Diocese of Monterey when the alleged abuse occurred:
Date of Incident(s):Â 1964, 1966, 1969
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2003
Status:Â Deceased (12/16/1987)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1970s
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2003
Status:Â Deceased (2/17/1977)
Date of Incident(s):Â 2009
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2009
Status:Â Laicized (no longer a priest)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1990
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1991
Status:Â Laicized (no longer a priest)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1992
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2003
Status: Unknown
Date of Incident(s):Â 1970s
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2002
Status:Â Deceased (10/4/2006)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1965-1966
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2003
Status:Â Deceased (11/3/1971)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1960s
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2002
Status:Â Deceased (3/24/1979)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1997
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1999
Status:Â Retired, allegation reclassified in 2019 from non-credible to credible and faculties removed in 2019.
Date of Incident(s):Â 1991
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1991
Status:Â Deceased
Category 3: Accusations received by the Diocese of Monterey after the Clergyman was dead but appear plausible (as defined above).
Date of Incident(s):Â 1959
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2003
Status:Â Deceased (7/29/1983)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1954
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2002
Status:Â Deceased
Date of Incident(s):Â 1958
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2002
Status:Â Deceased (11/14/1966)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1950s 1960s
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1996
Status:Â Deceased (2/22/1981)
Date of Incident(s):Â Mid 1970s
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2007
Status:Â Deceased (5/21/2005)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1958
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2013
Status:Â Deceased (5/5/1983)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1973-1979
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 1995
Status:Â Deceased (12/14/1992)
Date of Incident(s):Â 1967-1969
Date Reported to the Diocese:Â 2011
Status:Â Deceased (8/20/2002)
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