LEXINGTON, Ky. _ The Catholic Diocese of Lexington on Friday released a list of priests who served in Kentucky who have been accused of sexually abusing minors.
The list names 10 priests against whom allegations of abuse were substantiated; four priests who had "credible" allegations against them, indicating that the allegations were more than likely true; six priests who served in the Lexington diocese but were credibly accused of abuse in another diocese; and one priest against whom allegations were found to be unsubstantiated.
"I, along with every priest in the Diocese of Lexington, am very sorry for what this report describes and apologize to every person who has ever been abused or injured in any way by one who was ordained to represent Christ," Lexington Bishop John Stowe wrote in a letter that accompanies the report.
Most of the abuse by clergy outlined in the report happened before 1988, when the area covered by the Lexington diocese was governed by the Diocese of Covington and the Archdiocese of Louisville, the reviewers found. Two cases, however, are more recent.
The list was compiled by two Lexington attorneys, Allison Connelly and Andrew Sparks, who were given "unlimited access to the diocese's priest personnel files and the files of any reports of abuse made to the diocese," according to a news release.
The diocese said the team also "conducted interviews, talked with the diocesan victims' assistance coordinator and met with the Diocesan Review Board."
The diocese said it received the list Thursday. Stowe commissioned the report in December 2018.
A second report to be posted online soon "will include a deeper analysis of the phenomenon of clergy sexual abuse of minors and will provide recommendations for response," the diocese said.
The report said 10 priests had substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. The reviewers wrote that, "based on the facts and circumstances, there is a reasonable certainty that the allegation is true and that the sexual abuse of a minor occurred." Those priests are: Raymond Chappa, William Joseph Fedders, James Edward Fritsch, Stephen Francis Gallenstein, Carroll Howlin, Anthony Thomas Jablonowski, Balthasar John Modica, Joseph Nicholas Muench, Leonard Bernard Francis Nienaber and Joseph J. Pilger.
Four priests were found to have credible allegations against them. "Based on the facts and circumstances, the allegation is capable of being believed; it is more likely true than not," the reviewers wrote. "In general, there is insufficient information to confirm the report although there are factors that make the allegation capable of being believed." Those priests are: Raymond Leo Broering, Robert Paul Klein, Carl Casper Schaffer and Patrick J. Walsh.
Six priests are listed as publicly accused. The report says they are "priests who served in the territory of the Diocese of Lexington and against whom no allegation of child sexual abuse has been made but are listed by other dioceses as having a credible allegation of abuse of a minor." They are: Paul Marion Arbogast, Peter Richardson, David Schilder, William Spine, James Kendrick Williams and Irwin Charles Wolke.
The diocese said it urges anyone who has been abused through the church to report it to authorities and contact the diocese's victims' assistance coordinator, Laura Napora, at (859) 338-5695 or victimsassistance@cdlex.org.
