Rev. James LaReau, o.f.m.Cap./Rev. Armand LaReau, o.f.m.Cap.

Summary of Case: LaReau was accused in 1992 of having sexually abused a 16-year-old  student in the 1970s at the minor seminary where LaReau was a teacher. LaReau died in 1987.

Ordained
: 1961
Died: July 16, 1987

 

     

Start Stop Parish Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1961

Milwaukee archbishop was William Edward Cousins (1958-1977)

1962 St. Francis of Assisi (German) Milwaukee WI

Parish had a school with 254 students.

LaReau is indexed in the 1962 Directory as at the address for this parish, but is not listed as there in the Milwaukee archdiocesan pages.

1962

Cousins was succeeded by Rembert George Weakland, O.S.B. (1977-2002)

1978 St. Lawrence Seminary

Mt. Calvary

In 1992 a former St. Lawrence Seminary student reported to the news media that LaReau, among other St. Lawrence Seminary faculty, sexually abused him when he was a student there in the 1970s. (Milwaukee Journal
December 20, 1992) The Capuchins gave the accuser $4,000.00 for therapy in exchange for his silence. (Milwaukee Journal
December 20, 1992)

WI Latin teacher

This was a minor seminary high school, with 254-358 students.

LaReau's name changes in the 1968 Directory from "Armand" to "James". He is referred to as James thereafter.

1978 1982         LaReau is not indexed in the 1979-1982 Directories, nor is he listed at his previous or subsequent assignments.

1982

Saginaw bishop was Kenneth Edward Untener (1980-2004)

1984 Queen of Angels Friary and Retreat House Saginaw MI In residence. This was headquarters for the Capuchin Fathers of the Province of St. Joseph (Detroit).
1984 1985         LaReau is not indexed in the 1985 Directory.

1985

Fargo bishop was James Stephen Sullivan (1985-2002)

1986 St. Anthony of Padua's Fargo ND 2/2 Parish had a school with 95 students.

1986

Madison bishop was Cletus Francis O'Donnell (1967-1992)

1987 San Damiano Friary Madison WI  

This was a Capuchin Order-Province of St. Joseph House of Prayer.

LaReau died July 16, 1987.

 

Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1962-1988)

Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates LaReau's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on March 26, 2011.