NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Diocese of Santa Rosa has produced a list of its priests and deacons who have been accused of sexual abuse, with the allegations spanning more than six decades.
Bishop Robert F. Vasa released the list of 39 men on Saturday on the diocese’s Web site and in its newspaper, North Coast Catholic.
The diocese will hold a press conference about the list at 10 a.m. Monday. The event will be livestreamed on the diocese Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dioceseofsantarosa.
The list includes the late Father Ted Oswald, who served in Lake County and was the focus of two lawsuits alleging abuse.
The first suit, filed in 2008, alleged Oswald had sexually abused a young man between 1988 and 1995.
Oswald, who served as priest at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Lakeport for 20 years, took a leave of absence in June 2008 and didn’t return to ministry.
That suit was settled in March 2009 and Oswald died the following year.
Another suit alleging Oswald abused a teenager was filed in 2013.
It’s unclear, based on the information provided by the diocese, if any of the other priests served at any time in Lake County.
Vasa prefaced the list with a statement in which he expressed “sincere sorrow that so many have been subjected to the evil actions of priests and bishops,” and he apologized for anyone who has been injured by the clergy on the list.
“While the Church has taken some very significant actions over the past 20 years, those actions are significant in terms of the present and future protection of children. However, they do not touch the very real trauma which the evil actions of deacons, priests and bishops have caused in the lives of thousands of young people in our nation,” Bishop Vasa said.
“My primary goal in releasing the names of accused priests and deacons who served in Santa Rosa in this public fashion is to give to all the victims of clerical sexual abuse the assurance that they have been heard and that the Church is very much concerned for their well-being and healing,” Vasa said.
He added, “It is my deepest prayer and hope that this release of names in a consolidated fashion says to any of you who are victims, we have heard you, we believe you, we affirm you in your trauma and we want to help with a healing process. Bringing difficult things to light is painful. It is painful for victims of childhood sexual abuse, for the People of God, for our priests, and for me. I know of no other way to bring light to this distressing moment in the Church.”
Based on the list, abuses were committed from 1957 to 2006.
The list includes 17 who have no known allegations against them during the time of their service or presence in the Diocese of Santa Rosa.
Also listed are seven whose names were released officially by the diocese in January 2004; 14 who “whose names have become a part of a public record, mostly by way of public expressions in the media or on the internet,” in which Oswald was included; four who were prosecuted and convicted; and 22 who are deceased.
The diocese reported in its newspaper, “No priest with a credible accusation of sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult is currently serving in public ministry in the Diocese of Santa Rosa. In keeping with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, when a member of the clergy is found to be guilty of a crime against children or young people, he is permanently removed from ministry.”
Vasa said that, despite the fact that he wants to be entirely open about accusations against diocesan clergy, the names of six additional individuals against whom allegations have been made are not being released.
He said those accusations lack sufficient substantiation to justify a release or the Diocesan Review Board believes they may not be released without a court order authorizing the diocese to do so.
In three cases the proper authorities investigated and found the allegations not substantiated, Vasa said. One of these individuals remains in ministry.
Vasa said that, in two cases, the allegations came to the diocese or religious community to which the accused belonged, and those entities have not yet determined the suitability of releasing the names. In one case the nature of the event described does not indicate that abuse occurred.
The Diocesan Review Board has openly discussed all six, and all but two of the names have been revealed to the Sonoma County district attorney. The two remaining have been reported to police in a timely fashion and investigated, and so Vasa said the presumption of innocence and the right to a presumption of innocence must be fully respected.
“The Diocese does not desire to hide or cover-up anything,” he wrote.
Vasa said the list doesn’t include two other names of individuals who have been the subject of news stories: Bishop G. Patrick Ziemann and Archbishop John Nienstedt.
Ziemann formerly headed the Santa Rosa Diocese until he was sued in 1999 by a young priest who said Ziemann forced him to have sex. Ziemann died in 2009.
Niensted, who came to California in 2015 after serving as archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, has worked at the Napa Institute in Napa County and presided over Mass at the Meritage chapel.
In a statement, Niensted said that in December he became aware that an allegation had been brought to the Ramsey County, Minnesota prosecutor in 2016 by a man in the Diocese of New Ulm. That man said that when he was a minor in 2005 he met Niensted during the 2005 World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany.
The man said he and a friend and Niensted got caught in a rainstorm, and that Niensted invited the two of them to his hotel room, where he changed his clothes in front of them and invited them to remove their clothes so that those articles of clothing could be dry cleaned.
“It’s my understanding the man does not claim any physical touching, hence an allegation of misconduct as opposed to abuse,” Niensted said in his response.
“Having lived through the Dallas charter meeting of the USCCB in 2002 which dealt with the crisis in Boston over the sexual abuse of minors by clergy, I would have known enough never to be alone with minors in a hotel room precisely so that such allegations could not be made. Moreover, my own sense of personal modesty would not permit me to undress in front of others. This allegation was not known to me when I petitioned to minister in the Diocese of Santa Rosa in 2016. I only learned of it on December 13, 2018,” Niensted said.
He said the allegation is false and that he welcomes an impartial look at the facts and the opportunity to defend himself “at the earliest opportunity.”
Vasa said Niensted’s case remains under review by the Holy See.
“The naming of Bishops accused is exclusively under the authority of the Holy See and I am not authorized to make any revelations regarding them,” Vasa said.
Vasa also recognized the Diocesan Review Board, the involvement of which “is one of the strongest measures taken by the Diocese to help assure the fullest degree of transparency permitted by law.”
He said the board has access to everything that he has seen and heard regarding child sexual abuse in the Diocese of Santa Rosa.
“This is not a body of men and women who simply rubber stamp whatever the Bishop wants. They are conscientious, dedicated men and women with areas of expertise which uniquely qualify them as advisors to the Bishop on these most significant matters. I am most grateful to them for their dedicated service and rely greatly upon their expert advice,” Vasa said.
The Diocesan Review Board includes Richard Ortiz, a retired probation officer; George Berg, a police officer; John Storm, a permanent deacon, Catholic Restorative Justice Ministry; psychologist Dr. Alisa Liguori Stratton; psychotherapist Dr. Mary Killeen Lyons, Ph. D.; retired Superior Court Judge Charlotte Walter Woolard; and retired California Court of Appeal Justice Daniel (Mike) Hanlon.
The board’s advisors include Dan Galvin, the diocesan attorney; Monsignor Daniel Whelton, vicar for clergy; and Julie Sparacio, diocesan director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection.
The full list of accused deacons and priests follows.
Joseph Alzugaray
Ordained for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles April 29, 1967
Incardinated in the Diocese of Santa Rosa June 17, 1996
Accused in 1993 for 1967-1972 abuse in Los Angeles
Cleared by LA / Retired 10-31-11
Deceased 1-31-14
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Carmelo Baltazar
Ordained for the Diocese of Malolos, Philippines June 6, 1960
Chaplain Queen of the Valley Hospital 1981-82
Left the Diocese of Santa Rosa 11-24-82
Arrested and sentenced 1985
Deceased (San Diego Diocese Web site)
Edward F. Beutner
Ordained for the Diocese of Superior 1965
Assigned to Mont LaSalle in Napa in 1987
There are no specific details about allegations against him
Deceased 2008
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Anthony Bolger
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa December 19, 1969
Excardinated to Honolulu 6-18-84
Accused in 1994 for abuse of a minor in 1972-1973
In 1994 notified Honolulu of accusation
Deceased 1-7-2015
David Brusky
Religious Priest Ordained June 9, 1952
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1981-1985
Allegation made in 2002 for abuse in 1980s
Reported to DA in 2002
Deceased 2-1-2014
John Crews
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa Feb. 14, 1971
Accusation raised by man’s widow 2-1-2013 for 1971-75 actions
Reported to Police February 2013
No assignment / Retired 2013
Kevin Dunne
Religious brother
Accused in 2002 for 1993 abuse elsewhere
Lived at Franciscan Hermitage, Sebastopol 11-19-04 to 7-31-05
Current status unknown
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Don Eagleson
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa April 13, 1985
Accused in 2002 of abuse in 1971 prior to ordination
Out of ministry 4-30-02
Deceased 10-22-2004
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Don D. Flickinger
Ordained for the Diocese of Fresno 1964
Civil suit filed 8-9-11
Chaplain to Christian Brothers Novitiate 1981 to 1983
Retired / No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
J. Patrick Foley
Ordained for the Diocese of San Diego 1973
Listed by the San Diego Diocese in 2018
Provided many missions and parish retreats 1998-2006
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Francis (John) Ford
Incardinated in the Diocese of Santa Rosa January 21, 1971
Belated claim of abuse as a Franciscan prior to 1971
Abuse occurrence in Diocese of Santa Rosa 1974
On leave Jan. 1, 1979
Deceased 10-21-84
Ruben Garcia
Ordained for the Diocese of Boise 1972
Named in a civil suit 2-21-94
Served in Diocese of Santa Rosa beginning 11-1973
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Deceased
Patrick Gleeson
Ordained for the Diocese of Sacramento June 10, 1947
Incardinated with the Diocese of Santa Rosa when established on 2-21-62
Accused in 2004 of abuse 1968-72
Retired 8-21-89
Deceased 4-15-91
Patrick A. Hannon
Religious priest ordained July 10, 1949
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1980 to 1981
Accused in 2000 of abuse 1981
Deceased 1993
Austin Peter Keegan
Ordained for the Archdiocese of San Francisco June 9, 1962
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1976-81
Accused in 2000 of abuse 1976-81
Removed / Moved to Mexico 1981
Stripped of duties by San Francisco 1982
Michael Emmet Kelly
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa May 15, 1971
Accused in 1999 of abuse 1971-99
Suspended 10-24-99 / Laicized 10-15-04
Don Kimball
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa May 24, 1969
Accused in 1990 of abuse in the 1980s
On Leave / Removed 1990
Convicted in 2002
Deceased 9-15-2006
Bruce Maxwell
Religious priest ordained 1975
Accused in 2002 and removed from all ministry 2002
Chaplain at USCG Training Center Petaluma 1989 to 1992
In residence at Saint James, Petaluma at that same time
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Patrick McCabe
Ordained for the Archdiocese of Dublin May 21, 1961
Served in Diocese of Santa Rosa 1983-86
Abuse occurrence in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1980s
Removed 2-27-1986 / Laicized 3-11-1988
John A. Meenan
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa June 5, 1965
Accusation 1960s
On Leave 1971 / Laicized 5-23-1975
Deceased 4-21-2009
John Moriarty
Religious brother
Christian Brothers’ Retreat House in St. Helena from 1974-78
The Diocese of Santa Rosa has no record of his presence
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Francis E. Neville
Ordained for the Diocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka about 1973
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1983-84
Accused in 1993 of abuse in 1983
Deceased 10-2002
Mark O'Leary
Religious priest ordained May 19, 1985
Accused in 2002 of acts in Southern California from 1974-1977
Chaplain at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital 1993-2002
Permanently removed from ministry 4-30-2002
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Vincent O’Neill
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa May 21, 1971
Accused of abuse in the late 1970s
Dismissed / Retired 1996
Deceased 11-12-1998
Francisco Javier Ochoa
Ordained for the Jesuits July 4, 1969
Incardinated with the Diocese of Santa Rosa 7-11-1991
Abuse occurrence 2006
Laicized 6-29-2009
Deceased 11-30-2009
Ted Oswald
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa June 6, 1984
Accused in 2008
Permanently removed from ministry 2008
Deceased 7-4-2013
Xavier Pallathuparambil
Ordained for the Diocese of Vijayapuram, India Dec. 22, 1952
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 2-2-84 to 4-13-84
Dismissed from the Diocese of Santa Rosa 4-13-84
Deceased (India) 5-29-2004
Thomas Parker
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa April 13, 1985
Accused in 2007 of abuse in 1988-89
Police Report 7-10-2007 / Laicized May 2008
Daniel Polizzi
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa June 7, 1969
Transferred to the Diocese of San Diego 5-30-70
Accused in 1996 / Removed from ministry 1997
Deceased 2003
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Celestine Quinlan
Religious priest ordained 1957
Named in 2003 civil suit for abuse between 1957-1962
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1962 to 1968
Deceased 1970
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
John Rogers
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa May 23, 1976
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa to 9-95 / Accused in 1995
Deceased 11-8-1995
Anthony J. Ross
Ordained for the Diocese of Joliet November 11, 1972
Incardinated with the Diocese of Santa Rosa 8-1-97
Accused in 2002 for abuse in Joliet in 1981
Permanently removed April 2002
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Alfredo Sobalvarro
Ordained for Archdiocese of Washington, DC May 8, 1971
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1972 to 1976
Out of ministry since 2003
Gary Timmons
Ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa May 6, 1967
Served 6-67 to 3-94
Arrested and imprisoned 10-1995 / Laicized 5-15-2001
Francis Verngren
Religious brother
Mont LaSalle 1969-84 and at Justin Siena 1984
Retired 2002
Tutored in math at Saint Apollinaris 1990 - 2002
Deceased 12-2-2003
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
James Walsh
Ordained for Archdiocese of San Francisco March 20, 1943
Incardinated with the Diocese of Santa Rosa when established on 2-21-62
Deceased 12-3-93
Accusation made in 2005 of abuse in 1965
Bernie Ward
Religious priest ordained 1977
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1978-1979
Accusation made in 2008
Convicted of child pornography related crime 8-2008
Left priesthood 1979 or 80 / Present ecclesial status unknown
Ron Wiecek
Religious priest ordained 1971
Served in the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1970s
Accusation made to his religious community in 2010
Present status unknown
Vincent A. Yzermans
Ordained for the Diocese of St Cloud June 2, 1951
Listed as: On duty at the Diocese of Santa Rosa 1975-1976
File shows correspondence with Bishop Hurley in 1975
No record of any assignment in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Deceased 5-4-95
No known accusations in the Diocese of Santa Rosa
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