Diocese of Stockton ACCUSED PRIESTS
Child sexual abuse in Roman Catholic Churches has been happening throughout the world for decades. California legislators recently changed the law to reflect this knowledge and allow survivors to initiate civil claims against their abusers, no matter the victim’s current age or how long ago the abuse happened. Additionally, outside this three-year look-back window that helps revive previously time-barred cases, the state extended its statute of limitations to enable victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil claims until their 40th birthday (the prior law set the cut off at 26).
The Diocese of Stockton is no exception to the sex abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church that necessitated new legislative insights. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton includes San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Alpine, and Mono counties. Like other dioceses in California, the Diocese of Stockton has seen many accusations of sexual abuse by clergy and engaged in widespread cover-ups of the abuse.
The Diocese filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization proceedings in 2014 after facing mounting legal expenses following sexual abuse allegations against numerous clergy members. In 2017, as part of the bankruptcy proceedings, the Diocese released a list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse. The list names the following clergy members: Raul Alberto Bosco, Sylvester Brown, James Cairns, David Carrier, Mario Cimmarrusti, Edmond G. Cloutier, Raymond Devlin, Joseph Dondero, Dennis Duffy, Theodore Feely, J. Patrick Foley, Martin Gates, Harold J. Goschke, Gavin Griffith, Edward Henriques, Timothy Keppel, Joseph Lopez, Donald McGuire, Neil McMenamin, Joaquin Moreno, Thomas P. O’Neill, Patrick J. O’Shea, Joseph Prochnow, Thomas Patrick Purcell, Charles Ruetten, Anthony Smith, Louis Telegdy, and Ramon Varela.
In 2020, the Diocese updated the list of credibly accused clergy to add priests and two religious order brothers. The updated list includes the following clergy accused of abuse in other dioceses but ordained in the Diocese of Stockton: Michael Kelly, Titian Miani, Edward Noonan, Oliver O’Grady, Oskar Pelaez, and Luo Suarez.
The updated list also adds the following clergy accused of abuse while serving in the Diocese: Antonio Camacho, Didachus Clavell, Murty Fahy, Louie Ladenberger, Antonio Munoz Rodriguez, Eduardo De Jesus Perez Torrez, and Fernando Villalobos.
In a widely publicized civil lawsuit brought against the Diocese of Stockton, former Priest Michael Kelly faced accusations of sexually abusing a former altar boy in the 1980s while assigned to the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton. The lawsuit also accuses the Diocese of employing sexual predators and intentionally covering up the abuse for years.
Kelly was also charged criminally with four counts of child sexual abuse. However, he fled to Ireland before confronting the charges. Prosecutors attempted to extradite him back to the US but ultimately had to drop the criminal charges when his 26-year-old accuser suddenly died.
The civil lawsuit involving Kelly noted abuse allegations against another priest, Oliver O’Grady, convicted of sexual abuse of minors in 1994. O’Grady held assignments with different ministries in Northern California from 1971 to 1993 when he faced accusations of sexually abusing two brothers.
The Church defrocked O’Grady, and he moved to Ireland, where a court later convicted him on child pornography charges. An award-winning documentary titled Deliver us From Evil subsequently chronicled the Diocese of Stockton’s cover-up of the abuse by O’Grady. The Diocese ultimately paid almost $21 million to compensate victims of O’Grady’s abuse.
In another well-publicized lawsuit filed in 2016, a former pool boy for the Church of the Presentation in Stockton sued the Church, claiming that Monsignor Larry McGovern sent the boy explicit text messages, including photos of his penis. After he complained about the text messages, the Church terminated the pool worker rather than punish the clergy member.
Victims of childhood sexual abuse don’t have to suffer in silence. You have legal rights and can pursue civil action against both the perpetrator and the Diocese of Stockton that allowed the abuse to happen. You deserve closure and justice for the pain and suffering you endured.
If a clergy member at the Diocese of Stockton sexually abused you or someone you love, contact our team of sexual abuse lawyers at Herman Law today for a free consultation. We have years of experience helping victims of child sexual abuse find their voices to fight for the compensation and justice they deserve to aid in their continued healing.
Clergy from Stockton Diocese Accused of Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Stockton
Status: Removed from ministry 4/6/2012
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse: 1977-78, 1984, 1988-89, 1988-89, 2000-2002
Date(s) Reported to Diocese: 2007, 2014, 2017
Assignments:Â
Associate Pastor, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Modesto: 9/1/73 – 9/23/79 Associate Pastor, St. Bernard’s Parish Tracy: 9/24/79 – 6/14/84 Associate Pastor, Cathedral of the Annunciation, Stockton: 6/15/84 – 6/30/87 Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish, Sonora: 7/1/87 – 3/4/97 Administrator of Presentation Parish, Stockton; 3/5/97 – 6/12/97 Pastor of Presentation Parish, Stockton: 6/12/97 – 1/30/00 On Leave: 1/30/00 – 9/3/00 Administrator pro-tem of St. Andrew’s Parish, San Andreas: 9/3/00 – 3/30/01 Pastor of St. Andrew’s Parish, San Andreas: 3/30/01 – 8/1/02 Pastor of St. Joachim Parish, Lockeford: 8/1/02 – 10/11/07 On Administrative Leave: 10/11/07 – 3/14/08 Pastor of St. Joachim Parish, Lockeford: 3/22/08 – 4/6/12
Status: Retired 1/1/1993, Removed from ministry 7/20/2002
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse: 1968-70
Date(s) Reported to Diocese: 1993
Additional Info: Allegations of abuse prior to Fr. Miani’s time as a priest of the Diocese of Stockton appear on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles listing.
Assignments:
Administrator of Holy Cross Parish, Linden: 8/15/72 – 1/26/81 Educational Leave – Vatican II Institute, St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park: 1/26/81 – 7/14/81 Associate Pastor, St. Patrick’s Parish, Angels Camp: 7/15/81 – 12/21/82 Administrator of St. Patrick’s Parish, Angels Camp: 12/21/82 – 12/31/82 Pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish, Angels Camp: 1/1/83 – 5/1/85 Leave of Absence: 5/1/85 – 12/31/85 Pastor of Holy Cross Parish, Linden: 1/1/86 – 1/1/93 Retired 1/1/93
Status: Deceased 1970
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse: 1952-55, 1959-62, 1965, 1967
Date(s) Reported to Diocese: 2003, 2014
Assignments:
Pastor of St. Joachim Parish, Newman: 6/23/39 – 1/13/43 Pastor of St. Gertrude Parish, Stockton: 1/13/43 – 10/12/66 Pastor Emeritus in residence at St. Gertrude Church: 1966 – 1969
Status: Convicted 1993, Deported to Ireland 2000, Laicized 2001
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse: First alleged incident 1973. 1980’s, 1990-92
Date(s) Reported to Diocese: 1976, 1993-1995, 2003, 2014, 2019, 2020
Assignments:
Associate Pastor, St. Anne’s Parish, Lodi: 9/1/71 – 5/31/77 Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Turlock: 6/1/77 – 6/20/82 Associate Pastor, Presentation Parish, Stockton: 6/21/82 – 12/16/84 Administrator of St. Andrew’s Parish, San Andreas: 12/17/84 – 4/18/85 Pastor of St. Andrews Parish, San Andreas: 4/18/85 – 1992 Pastor of St. Anthony’s Parish, Hughson: 1992 – 6/23/93
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Status: Convicted 2002, Laicized 2016
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse: 1997
Date(s) Reported to Diocese: 2001
Assignments:
Associate Pastor, St. Anthony’s Parish, Hughson: 4/8/94 – 8/1/95 Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Turlock: 8/1/95 – 9/1/98 Associate Pastor, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Modesto: 9/1/98 – 1/14/00 One-year leave of absence: 1/14/00 – 1/27/01 Associate Pastor, Cathedral of the Annunciation Parish: 1/27/01 – 11/30/01
Clergy from Other Dioceses or Religious Orders Accused of Sexual Abuse in the Diocese of Stockton
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Diocese of San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico
Status:Removed from ministry in STK diocese and his Bishop notified of reason. 2/15/84
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse:Â 1982-1984Â
Date(s) Reported to Diocese:Â 1984
Assignments:
Associate Pastor, St. Anthony’s Parish, Hughson: 12/1/81 – 1/11/82 Associate Pastor, St. Stanislaus Parish, Modesto: 1/11/82 – 2/17/84
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Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Retired July 2012
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse:Â 1964
Date(s) Reported to Diocese:Â 2003
Assignments:
St. Mary’s High School, approx. 1964
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
Status:Â Deceased 2001
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse:Â 1991-1997
Date(s) Reported to Diocese:Â 2006
Assignments:
Teacher at St. Mary’s High School, Stockton: 1970 – 1985 Associate Pastor, St. Anne’s Church, Lodi: 8/1/85 – 3/2/01
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Dismissed from the Order and Laicized 1996
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse:Â 1974-1975
Date(s) Reported to Diocese: 1974-1975 2018
Assignments:
St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Stockton: 1972-1974
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Diocese of Tijuana, Mexico
Status:Â Removed from ministry in Stockton diocese and his Bishop notified of reason. 9/18/81
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse:Â 1981
Date(s) Reported to Diocese:Â 1981
Assignments:
Associate Pastor, St. George’s Parish, Stockton: 12/12/77 – 5/19/79 Associate Pastor, St. Anthony’s Parish, Hughson: 5/19/ 79 – 9/18/81
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Diocese of Palmira, Colombia
Status:Â Removed from ministry in diocese 6/2014
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse:Â 1999
Date(s) Reported to Diocese:Â 2008/2018
Assignments:
Associate Pastor, St. Jude, Ceres: 4/14/99 – 12/15/99 Associate Pastor, St. Stanislaus, Modesto: 12/15/99 – 4/13/04 Associate Pastor, St. Mary of the Annunciation, Oakdale: 4/13/04 – 12/14/04 Associate Pastor, St. Mary’s, Stockton: 3/7/07 – 8/1/08 Associate Pastor, St. Frances of Rome, Riverbank: 8/1/08 – 1/4/10 Associate Pastor, St. Gertrude’s, Stockton: 1/4/10 – 6/9/14
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Deceased 1985
Date(s) of Alleged Abuse:Â 1978-1983
Date(s) Reported to Diocese:Â 2003, 2019
Assignments:
Administrator of St. Mary’s Church, Stockton: Oct. 1979 – August 31, 1980 Episcopal Vicar for Hispanics in Diocese of Stockton: Sept. 1, 1980 – 1985
Clergy who Served in Diocese of Stockton and Faced Allegations Elsewhere
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Deceased 2003
Faculties in Diocese: 1953 – 1964 California Mission Preacher (Oakland, Stockton, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Francisco)
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province and Diocese of Las Cruces listing.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Ordained in Argentina
Status:Â Deceased 2006
Faculties in Diocese: 1991 – 1992 St. Anthony, Hughson
Additional Information:Â Appears on Diocese of Las Vegas listing.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Diocese of WinonaÂ
Status:Â Deceased 2010
Faculties in Diocese:Â 10/1/08 thru 10/6/08
Additional Information:Â Appears on Diocese of Winona listing.
Diocese or Religious Order: Vincentian – Congregation of the Mission (CM)
Status:Â Separated from CM in 2001
Faculties in Diocese: 1980 – 1982 Sacred Heart, Patterson 1982 – 1986 Catholic Charities 1981 – 1986 Central Catholic High School
Additional Information:Â Appears on the Vincentian-Congregation of the Mission Western Province and Archdiocese of Los Angeles list.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Deceased 2000
Faculties in Diocese: 1982 – 1985 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information: Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province listing.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Deceased 2013
Faculties in Diocese: 1982 – 1985 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information: Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province listing.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Diocese of Oakland
Status:Â Removed from Ministry: Retired 12/ 31/80 STK Faculties revoked 12/20/90 Deceased 2003
Faculties in Diocese: Supply Priest Approx. mid 1980’s
Additional Information:Â Appears on Diocese of Oakland listing.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Society of Jesus (Jesuit)
Status:Â Deceased 2011
Faculties in Diocese: 12/20/94 – 1/97 Cathedral of the Annunciation, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Dioceses of San Jose, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, and Jesuit West listings.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Society of Jesus (Jesuit)
Status:Â Deceased 1997
Faculties in Diocese:Â 8/30/86 thru 9/14/86 St. Frances of Rome, Riverbank
Additional Information:Â Appears on Diocese of San Jose and Jesuit West listings.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Removed from Ministry / Safety Plan 1990
Faculties in Diocese: 1968 – 71 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province and the Dioceses of Gallup and Oakland lists.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â OFM Conventual (Franciscan)
Status:Â Deceased 1991
Faculties in Diocese: 1981 – 1982 St. George Church, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Dioceses of Rockford and Las Vegas lists.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Diocese of San Diego
Status:Â Faculties Removed 2015
Faculties in Diocese:Â 10/25-30/14 Preached Parish Mission at St. Patrick, Sonora
Additional Information:Â Appears on Dioceses of Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, and Santa Rosa lists.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Deceased 2000
Faculties in Diocese: 1964 – 1965 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Diocese of Steubenville
Status:Â Deceased 1992
Faculties in Diocese: 1962 – 1983 Chaplain, Deuel Vocational Institution
Additional Information:Â Appears on Diocese of Steubenville.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Deceased 2017
Faculties in Diocese: 1965 – 1966 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Left the Order 1965
Faculties in Diocese: 1958 – 1960 Mission Band from Stockton & San Francisco
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Congregation of the Resurrection
Status:Â 2012: CDF a life of prayer and penance; no public ministry
Faculties in Diocese:Â 2012 Lenten Mission / Visiting Priest to St. Joseph Mammoth Lakes, CA
Additional Information:Â Appears on the Resurrectionist USA Province and Dioceses of San Bernardino and Mobile lists.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Claretian Missionaries
Status:Â Laicized 1970
Faculties in Diocese: 1961 – 1963 St. George Church, Stockton
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Additional Information:Â Appears on Archdiocese of Los Angeles list.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Society of Jesus (Jesuit)
Status:Â Laicized 2008 Deceased 2017
Faculties in Diocese: 8/3/87 – 9/4/1987 All Saints, Twain Harte
Additional Information:Â Appears on Jesuit West and Jesuit Midwest lists.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
Status:Â Deceased 2015
Faculties in Diocese: Approx. 1971 – 2010 St. Mary High School, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Diocese of Salt Lake City list.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Left the Order and Laicized 2010
Faculties in Diocese: 1991 – 1992 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province list.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Archdiocese of San Francisco
Status:Â Laicized 2005
Faculties in Diocese: 1/31/70 – 10/18/70 Cathedral of the Annunciation 10/19/70 – 9/17/71 St. Luke, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Not currently listed by other diocese or religious order but listed in multiple open sources including news media accounts.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Removed from Ministry / Safety Plan 1993
Faculties in Diocese: 1964 – 1965 St. Mary of the Assumption Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province and Diocese of Oakland listings.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Marianist (withdrew order in 1990) Diocese of Fresno (incardinated 10/24/90)
Status:Â Diocese of Fresno Faculties suspended/ revoked 3/15/96
Faculties in Diocese: Summer 1981 St. Linus, Stockton 1/1 – 3/1982 St. Patrick, Sonora
Additional Information:Â Appears on Marianists US Province and Diocese of Tucson lists.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Left the Order 1967
Faculties in Diocese: 1956 – 1959 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province list.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Redemptorist
Status:Â Laicized 2007, Deceased 2010
Faculties in Diocese: 2001 – 2003 Newman House Ministry Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Archdiocese of Portland list.
Diocese or Religious Order:Â Missionaries of the Precious Blood (C.PP.S.)
Status:Â Deceased 1995
Faculties in Diocese: 1978 – 1979 St. Anthony, Manteca 1978 – 1984 DeWitt Nelson Training Center
Additional Information:Â Appears on Dioceses of Davenport and Owensboro listings.
Diocese or Religious Order: Franciscan – Santa Barbara Province
Status:Â Deceased 2002
Faculties in Diocese: 1955 – 1960 St. Mary of the Assumption, Stockton
Additional Information:Â Appears on Order of Friars Minor, Santa Barbara Province and the Dioceses of Oakland and Phoenix lists.
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