Salina Catholic Diocese Releases Report on Clergy Abuse

By David Elliott
KRSL
April 1, 2019

http://www.krsl.com/local-news/10644-salina-catholic-diocese-releases-report-on-clergy-abuse

The Salina Catholic Diocese on Friday released a list of substantiated allegations of clergy sexual abuse of a minor.

According to a statement from Bishop Gerald Vincke, there are 14 diocesan priests who have substantiated allegations of abuse of a minor. Additionally, the results of the independent investigation conducted by the Order of Franciscan Minors Capuchin Province of St. Conrad, headquartered in Denver, listed 13 capuchins who have served in the Salina diocese at some point within their ministry and who have credible allegations of abuse of a minor.

The Diocese of Concordia was founded in 1887. The Diocese of Concordia then became the Diocese of Salina in 1944. During a span of 132 years, with approximately 300 diocesan priests having served in the Diocese of Salina, 14 diocesan priests were identified to have substantiated allegations of abuse of a minor. A substantiated allegation is one that has been corroborated with witness statements, documents, emails, photos, texts or by another source, such as law enforcement.

None of the 14 priests are in active ministry today. Of the 14 priests, 12 are deceased and the remaining two are laicized. At this time, the Diocese of Salina is only releasing the names of clerics with substantiated allegations of abuse of a minor. Any cleric with an allegation of abuse of a minor that is unsubstantiated has been excluded from the list. If new information is provided that leads to the substantiation of a case, the Diocese of Salina will update the list of clergy abuse of minors accordingly.

The Capuchins are a religious order who have had a strong presence within the Salina Diocese, particularly in the Hays and Victoria area. Father Christopher Popravak, Provincial of the Denver Province of Capuchins, shared the results of the Capuchin internal audit with the Salina Diocese. Of the approximate 300 Capuchins who have served in the Salina Diocese, 13 priests/brothers were found to have credible allegations of abuse of a minor.

Diocesan Clergy Implicated:

Bachand, Louis

Dion, Maurice

Dreiling, Christian

Hough, Roger

Mattas, Louis

Merchant, William

Moeder, John

O'Donohoe, Thomas

Reif, Robert

Scheer, Allen

Schleiter, Robert

Senecal, Eugene

Van Speybroeck, Arthur

Walsh, John

Capuchin Friars Implicated:

Beyer, Gregory

Colucci, Bennett

Gilardi, Ron

Gottschalk, David

Gross, Matthew

Haas, Julian

Jones, David

Meis, Finian

Posey, Thaddeus

Schartz, Daniel

Scarry, Benignus

Shinsky, Felix

Wolfe, Charles