OHIO
BishopAccountability.org
Summary of Case: Donald Shelander was ordained for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1970. He was a pastoral assistant in Springfield and Urbana parishes, rising to pastor status in Urbana in 1977. He then led parishes in Bellefontaine and Newport, OH before retiring in 2002.
In late 2005 a man reported to the archdiocese that Shelander had sexually abused him during the late 1970s to early 1980s, when the man was 14 to 18 years-old and Shelander was pastor of St. Mary’s in Urbana. Shelander denied the allegations. An internal investigation found “the semblance of truth” and Shelander was placed on leave in March 2006. The Vatican ordered a canonical trial, which determined that the allegations could not be proven. Shelander was allowed to return to active ministry in February 2009.
Ordained: 1970
Retired: 2002
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