Diocese of Savannah GA

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Terry McKiernan February 26, 2021

16 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Wayland Yoder Brown, Jr.

Ordained: 1977
Status: Guilty plea

Died: 06/8/2019
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

First complaint in 1969 when Brown was a lay CCD teacher in Savannah. Ordained by Bishop Lessard despite advice from Vocations Director. Complaints through the late 1980s. Returned to ministry after treatment at St. Luke's 10/1986-6/1987. Permanently removed from ministry in 7/1988. Three men alleged abuse as children by Brown in the 1960s and 1970s. Pled guilty in 9/2002 to abuse of two boys in 1974 while at Catholic University Seminary in DC; sentenced 2/6/2003 to 10 years prison in MD. Laicized in 7/2004. Released from prison in 2008. New suit in 6/2008; settled in 10/2009 for $4.24M. On Sex Offender Registry. Suit filed in 11/2011; settled in 7/2016 for $4.5M. Indicted in 8/2017 in SC for the rape of two boys in the late 1970s and 1980s on trips to SC, while assigned to St. James in Savannah; the boys were students at the parish school. Pled guilty. One victim said the abuse began at age 9, and that Brown put a gun to his head, threatened to kill him, his family and his dog, and that he liked killing small animals. Sentenced in 10/2018 to 20 years in prison. On the diocese's list 11/8/2018. Died in prison 6/8/2019. Suit filed in 9/2020. Included in the 4/5/2023 MD Attorney General's Report. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

Sources:

Fr. John J. Calnan

Ordained: 1964
Status: Guilty plea

Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Priest of the Cork and Ross, Ireland, ordained in 1964. Assigned 1964-1966 to St. Joseph Parish in Augusta, GA. Appears to have left the U.S. in or around 1966. Returned to Ireland, where he spent the remainder of his priesthood. Pleaded guilty in 2012 at the Central Criminal Court to attempted rape and three counts of indecent assault of a girl and one count of indecent assault of a boy; sentenced to 8 years in prison with 3 years suspended. Pleaded guilty in 2/2015 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to one count of indecent assault of a young girl. Pleaded guilty in 4/2015 to sexually assaulting a girl age 7 in West Cork in 1989, digitally penetrating her while he heard her first confession; sentenced to three years in jail, with the final year suspended. Pleaded guilty in 3/2018 to digitally penetrating a little girl in the late 1980s while hearing her first confession; received a suspended sentence because of his age. Received a suspended sentence in 4/2018 of 18 months for digitally penetrating three girls, 6 to 12 years of age, in 1974-1978, two of them during first confession.

Sources:

Fr. Joseph Dean

Order: GHM
Ordained: 1945
Status: Accused

Died: 02/14/2007
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Savannah on its list 11/08/2018. Worked in the diocese before 1962. Pastored missions including VA, KY, NC, MS, GA, TX, OK. Died 2/14/2007 in Mt. Pleasant, TX. The diocese's list updated 11/16/2018 notes that Dean was investigated by an "independent investigator", Praesidian, and "exonerated" in 2004. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.

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Fr. Adolphe J. Gall

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1921
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly as accused on the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. Noted to have worked in the diocese 1932-1960. Deceased. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. In 2004 a woman disclosed that she was sexually abused 1956-1958 at ages 7-9 by Gall and Fr. S. John Murray, at Immaculate Conception in Augusta, GA.

Assignments:

GA PAC Report 03.24.23

Sources:

Fr. Lorenzo Garcia

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1997
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 11/8/2018. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. In 8/2004 a man in his early 20s reported that Garcia made sexual advances toward him. Report to diocesan officials in 9/2004 of 'inappropriate behavior' with a boy. Also, a 16-year-old Mexican boy was living in the rectory with Garcia. May have been sent to St. Luke's Institute for treatment. Suspended in 8/2008 after an allegation in that he sexually abused an altar boy, age 10, 1998-1999. Laicized.

Assignments:

GA PAC Report 03.24.23

Sources:

Fr. Eugene A. Gavigan

Order: OCSO
Ordained: 1954
Status: Accused

Died: 07/25/1959
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named as accused on the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. Joined the Trappists in 7/1947 and took solemn vows 8/15/1951. Ordained at Holy Ghost Abbey in Conyers in the Atlanta archdiocese. Released from cloister reportedly for ill health and to 'pursue his talent as a sculptor at Notre Dame.' After teaching assignments he worked in Savannah 1958-1959 as assistant pastor of St James' parish. Died at age 30 on 7/28/1959 in a fall, during a camping trip to the Grand Canyon with two 16-year old boys, one of whom also died. Included in 11/2020 on the Atlanta diocese's list of credibly accused. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. It shows that in 2002 a woman reported that Gavigan sexually abused her multiple times in 1959, when she was age 6 and a student at St. James Parish School in Savannah. She said Gavigan was babysitting her when he blindfolded her and stuck his penis in her mouth, and that he tried to put it into her vagina. She said the priest told her father she had been bad, so her father spanked her.

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Fr. Henry B. Groover

Order: OP
Ordained: 1992
Status: Sued

Died: 01/17/2017
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Assigned in GA, FL, LA. Arrested in 2003 for exposing himself to a police officer. Accused in a 1/2017 lawsuit of luring a young boy into sex acts 1983-1986, when Groover was a tugboat captain in GA, prior to ordination. The plaintiff's lawyer said Groover raped, molested and drugged his client, destroying his childhood. He also said Groover bought a house near the now-adult victim and his family and that he observes and approaches his client's children. Groover died by suicide 1/17/2017, days after he was served the lawsuit. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.

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Fr. James A. Harrold

Order: SMA
Ordained: 1942
Status: Accused

Died: 08/30/2009
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

From Ireland, where he was ordained. Assigned in GA in 1947. Named publicly as accused on the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018, his surname misspelled 'Harold.' Middle initial A is given in the Official Catholic Directory. Noted on the list to have worked in the Savannah diocese 1948-1956. Assigned in Atlanta and then to an African-American parish and high school in Savannah. Subsequently he was a fundraiser based in Tenafly NJ, Doylestown PA, and Dedham MA, with two stints as a West African missionary in Liberia. He was also treasurer of the American province 1958-1962 and superior in Dedham 1974-1976. In 1982 he returned to Ireland, where he died 8/30/2009. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. Allegedly raped a minor in 1957, resulting in the birth of a boy.

Assignments:

Sources:

Fr. Bartholomew Keohane

Donate Photo

Order: SMA
Ordained: 1929
Status: Accused

Died: 12/5/1989
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Assigned in West Africa, GA and CA. Named publicly as accused on the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. Noted to have worked in the diocese 1947-1961. Died December 5, 1989, age 85. Had been living in Tenafly, NJ. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. Report to the Savannah diocese in 2002 that Keohane sexually abused two girls in the 1950s.

Assignments:

GA PAC Report 03.24.23

Sources:

Fr. Austin Martin

Donate Photo

Order: SDS
Ordained: 1958
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly by the Savannah diocese on its list 11/8/2018. Noted to have worked in the diocese 1964-1969, and to have been laicized. Deceased. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report, which shows that Martin was assigned in the diocese 1963-1968. Allegation to the diocese in 2005 of abuse of a girl in the 1960s at St. Benedict's in Columbus, GA. Martin allegedly first raped the girl when she was 15, and their 'relationship' continued for "quite some time." She had gone to Martin at age 14 in 1963 for help with a family issue. His alleged victim said he may have also been involved with two other girls.

Assignments:

GA PAC Report 03.24.23

Sources:

Br. Robert (Hugh) Murphy

Order: OCarm
Status: Settled

Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Assigned in WI, GA, Ontario Canada, IL, NJ. In 2002 Murphy admitted that he had received treatment for sexual misconduct with children in Georgia in 1973 and for inappropriate behavior with boys in Chicago in the 1980s. He was removed from his assignment in 1985 and reportedly sent for treatment 1985-1999. Resigned from the Board of Members at Joliet Catholic Academy after his admission. Included on Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. Noted to have worked in the diocese 1969-1971. On the Carmelites' list 11/22/2020. Included in the 5/23/2023 IL Attorney General's Report, which notes that he was removed in 2005 from public ministry and placed on a safety plan. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. The Carmelites settled for $2.9M in 9/2023 with a former Mount Carmel High School student in Chicago, for claims that Murphy abused him 1982-1986. The plaintiff said he told a school official of the abuse at the time, but no action.

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Fr. S. John Murray

Order: SMA
Ordained: 1956
Status: Accused

Died: 05/17/1996
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly on the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. Noted to have worked in the diocese 1959-1960. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report, which notes that he was assigned in the diocese 1957-1960. Murray died in 1996. In 2004 a woman disclosed that she was sexually abused 1956-1958 at ages 7-9 by Murray and Fr. Adophe Gall, at Immaculate Conception in Augusta, GA.

Assignments:

GA PAC Report 03.24.23

Sources:

Fr. Nicholas Quinlan

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1932
Status: Accused

Died: 05/8/1981
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 11/8/2018. Leave of absence 1946-1953. Retired in 1972. Died in 1981. In 2005 a woman told the Diocese that when she was a resident in the 1940s at St. Mary's Catholic Home for girls, three nuns physically abused her and she was sexually abused by Quinlan. The woman said she was placed at the Home at age 5 and that the abuse went on for four years. In 2018 a man reported that Quinlan sexually abused him as a 12-year-old altar boy in 1962-1963.

Assignments:

GA PAC Report 03.24.23

Sources:

Fr. Joseph R. Smith

Order: SDS
Ordained: 1923
Status: Accused

Died: 07/8/1952
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly as accused on the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. Noted to have worked in the diocese 1924-1952. Died in 1952. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. Allegation received in 2005 that Smith sexually abused a fourth-grade girl in 1952 at St. Anthony's in Atlanta.

Sources:

Fr. Robert J. Teoli

Ordained: 1955
Status: Settled

Died: 12/12/1980
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its list 11/8/2018. Died in 12/1980. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report. In 8/2004 a woman reported that Teoli sexually abused her 30 years prior, when she was in grades 7 and 8 and he was pastor of St. Michael's in Tybee. She said the abuse continued after his transfer to Nativity in Thunderbolt, GA. She was offered but declined a $40,000. settlement. Accused in 1/2007 of sexually abusing a boy 1963-1967. The Diocese deemed the allegations unsubstantiated and gave the man $5000. In 4/2008 a woman alleged abuse by Teoli around 1956-1963, beginning when she was age 8. She received a settlement of $50,000. Another woman alleging abuse as a child by Teoli also received a $50,000. settlement in 2008.

Assignments:

GA PAC Report 03.24.23

Sources:

Fr. Patrick Tuttle

Order: OFM
Ordained: 1994
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

On 4/4/2024 the Our Lady of Guadalupe Province Franciscans announced that Tuttle had been removed from public ministry, due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Four months prior he was removed from active ministry and as pastor of Holy Spirit in Macon, GA. The order stated that Tuttle was "under the strict supervision of an independent monitor."

Assignments:

BishopAccountability.org Assignment Record

Sources:

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