Diocese Releases More Names Of Priests Accused Of Sexual Abuse

By Linda Kor
AZ Journal
January 21, 2015

http://www.azjournal.com/2015/01/21/diocese-releases-more-names-of-priests-accused-of-sexual-abuse/

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup has released the names of 31 priests church officials say have sexually abused their parishioners. The diocese, which serves 55,000 square miles in Arizona and New Mexico, including tribal lands, posted the names on its website last month.

A story published in The Tribune-News in 2011 reported on the admission by the diocese that a now deceased priest who had served in both Winslow and Holbrook had been a known pedophile within the church. Clement Hageman served as a priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Holbrook from 1942 until 1953 and at the Madre de Dios Parish in Winslow from 1965 until 1975. That admission by the diocese allowed individuals who suffered abuse by Hageman to come forward to begin healing and to pursue legal options.

Last month the diocese released the names of 30 more priests who served in the diocese who have been identified as having credible allegations of sexual misconduct made against them. Although many of those priests are now deceased, the diocese has not indicated the status of those who are still living. Of the clergy included on that list, nine served in Holbrook, 14 in Winslow and one in Snowflake.

Those priests who were assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Holbrook include Clement Hageman, who was assigned from 1942-1952, and is now deceased; William Allison, assigned in 1958, now deceased; David Enrique Viramontes, assigned from 1960 to 1961, now deceased; Samuel Wilson, assigned in 1961, now deceased; James Burns, assigned in 1964, now deceased; Douglas McNeil, assigned from 1969-1971 and again from 1973-1974; John Boland, assigned in 1975; Joseph Coutu, assigned from 1981-1983; and Jose Rodriquez, assigned from 1990-1992.

Those priests assigned to the St. Joseph Parish in Winslow include John Newton, who was assigned in 1955; David Enrique Viramontes, assigned from 1959 to 1960 and is now deceased; George Baz, assigned in 1968; Douglas McNeil, assigned from 1969 to 1970; Lucien Meurneir, assigned from 1972 to 1973, now deceased; Jose Rodriguez, assigned from 1975 to 1976; and Michael Aten, assigned in 1978, now deceased.

Those priests assigned to the Madre de Dios Parish in Winslow included John Degnan, who was assigned in 1961 and is now deceased; John Sullivan, assigned from 1961 to 1962, now deceased; Samuel Wilson, assigned from 1964 to 1965, now deceased; Douglas McNeill, 1969 to 1970; Raul Sanchez, assigned from 1975 to 1976; Robert J. Kirsch, assigned from 1963 to 1964, now deceased; Clement Hageman, assigned from 1965-75, now deceased; and John Boland, assigned from 1980-1983.

Jose Rodriguez was a priest assigned to Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Snowflake from 1994 to 2000.

David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), knows the struggle that victims go through as old memories surface and emphasized the importance of reaching out to others. “I am begging every single person who suspects they observed or experienced abuse to come forward. Contact the police and help protect others who may become victims,” said Clohessy.

He explained the importance of reporting the crime, not only to law enforcement first, but also to an independent source. “These crimes were committed and concealed because it was not in the best interest of the church to expose them until now. You cannot tell me that over the past years in Arizona that with hundreds and hundreds of church employees no one, not a priest to a janitor, saw that abuse was taking place. It is counterintuitive to go to the diocese first,” stated Clohessy.

He explained that prosecutors and law enforcement officials have become more assertive, creative and successful in getting convictions related to older sex crimes. “These people use liquor, pornography, and will obstruct justice and destroy evidence to protect themselves, so even if the statute of limitations for one crime has expired, that doesn’t mean that another crime could not prosecute an offender. I don’t mean to sound trite, but if there’s a will, there’s a way,” said Clohessy.

In The Tribune-News story four years ago, Joseph Baca spoke of becoming one of those innocent victims at the age of 10 when he was an altar boy in the Madre de Dios Parish in Winslow. He suffered for years under the abuse of Hageman, but through his own healing, chose to reach out to others through SNAP.

“This has ruined so many lives. Several victims have ended up in prison, committed suicide or lead destructive lives. My hope is that they will come forward and begin the journey of healing,” he stated at the time.

Clohessy shared that sentiment, stating that parents need to be aware of self-destructive signs that may indicate abuse, even if those behaviors began years ago and those children are now adults. “They need to contact their children and talk to them about this. They may not have been able to help them then, but they can now,” he stressed.

For the complete listing of priests provided by the diocese, go online to www.dioceseofgallup.org.

For more information and assistance for individuals who are victims, contact SNAP at www.snapnetwork.org.

To contact the Diocese of Gallup victim assistance coordinator, call (505) 906-7357.