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| 11 Clergy Named As "Credibly Accused" Sexual Abusers from Glenmary Home Missioners
By Madeline Mitchell and Cameron Knight
Cincinnati Enquirer
October 11, 2019
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/10/11/glenmary-home-missioners-identifies-11-credibly-accused-sex-abusers/3945762002/
A Fairfield Catholic society identified 11 of its members in a list of credibly accused sexual abusers on Friday, according to a press release from Glenmary Home Missioners.
Seven priests and four brothers from Glenmary Home Missioners, located at 4119 Glenmary Trace in Fairfield, were revealed in the list. According to the release, the list is the result of a year-long forensic review commissioned by Glenmary to promote transparency and healing for victims.
Most members have served in a variety of ministries across several dioceses due to the nature of Glenmary's missionary work, the release states.
Glenmary Home Missioners released a letter from President Father Dan Dorsey with the list of abusers.
The letter opened with: "Glenmary has become painfully aware that in the past we have failed to protect minors and vulnerable adults. In addition, we have realized how often our response to victims has been inadequate. We deeply regret these failures. We continue to seek your forgiveness for our mistakes. We are committed to healing and justice for all those involved."
Five of the priests named by Glenmary Trace had previously been exposed by other dioceses or by court conviction. Only two of the men are still alive.
Al Behm, Brother
Born: 1938
Joined Glenmary: 1960
Status: Left society in 1993.
Dioceses served: Bridgeport, Connecticut; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; Covington, Kentucky; Lexington, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans, Louisiana; San Francisco, California; Savannah, Georgia
Bill Early, Brother
Born: 1936
Joined Glenmary: 1958
Status: Deceased, left society in 1993
Dioceses served: Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; Oakland, California; San Francisco, California; Savannah, Georgia; Washington D.C.
Adelbert (Del) Holmes, Priest
Born: 1925
Joined Glenmary: 1959
Status: Deceased
Dioceses served: Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; Little Rock, Arkansas; Owensboro, Kentucky; Richmond, Virginia; Savannah, Georgia
Previously named: Holmes was included on a list of credibly accused priests published in April by the Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky.
Born: 1915
Joined Glenmary: 1941
Status: Deceased. Left society in 1945
Dioceses served: Columbus, Ohio
Previously named: After accusation of abuse, Masserella was named and permenantly removed from ministry in 2005 at the age of 90.
Robert Poandl, Priest
Born: 1941
Joined Glenmary: 1962
Status: Deceased
Dioceses served: Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; Cincinnati, Ohio; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Newark, New Jersey; New Orleans, Louisiana; Owensboro, Kentucky; Savannah, Georgia; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Tyler, Texas
Previously named: Poandl was first accused of abusing a minor in 2009 in an incident dating back to 1991, but maintained he was innocent and stayed in the ministry until 2012 when he was indicted on federal charges. He was convicted in 2014 and sentenced to seven and half years in prison.
Peter Richardson, Priest
Born: 1958
Joined Glenmary: 1981
Status: Deceased, left society in 2007
Dioceses served: Cincinnati, Ohio; Jackson, Mississippi; Lexington, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee
Previously named: The Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi named Richardson as a credibly accused abuser this March.
Ed Smith, Priest
Born: 1916
Joined Glenmary: 1943
Status: Deceased
Dioceses served: Bogota, Colombia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; Richmond, Virginia; Savannah, Georgia
Gino Vertassich, Brother
Born: 1937
Joined Glenmary: 1960
Status: Deceased, left society in 1975
Dioceses served: Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati, Ohio; Savannah, Georgia
Bill Wright, Brother
Born: 1952
Joined Glenmary: 1978
Status: Deceased, left society in 2006
Dioceses served: Jackson, Mississippi; Little Rock, Arkansas; Nashville, Tennessee; Owensboro, Kentucky
Benedict Wolf, Priest
Born: 1916
Joined Glenmary: 1941
Status: Deceased, left society in 1975
Dioceses served: Altoona-Johnstown, Pennsylvania; Cincinnati, Ohio; Owensboro, Kentucky, Washington D.C.
Tony Jablonowski, Priest
Born: 1937
Status: Laicized in 2006
Dioceses served with Glenmary: Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina
Previously named: Jablonowski, who served as a priest “on loan” with Glenmary from 1976 to 1980, was sent to prison after he abuse a child in 2004 in Wyoming. Since his release, he has been defrocked, but reports from 2017 state he has been allowed to live at the Carmelite Missionaries of Mary Immaculate community in Waterford, Ohio.
According to Friday's release, Glenmary defines a "credible allegation" as a "preponderance of evidence that the allegation is more likely true than not after investigation."
Glenmary is committed to preventing future abuse and will continue to adjust the list as more investigations reach completion.
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