Rev. Harry E. Monroe—Assignment Record

Seminary: St. Mary's in Baltimore MD
Ordained: 6/8/74
Incardinated: Indianapolis

   

Start Stop Parish Town / Accusations State Position Notes
6/8/74 1975 St. Monica's

Indianapolis

 

 IN 2/2, associate pastor. The pastor was Rev. Albert Ajamie. Parish school, which was run by 2 Sisters of the III Order Regular of St. Francis, had 226 pupils.
1975 1976 St. Andrew, Apostle

Indianapolis

• On 9/8/05, John Doe RG sued the archdiocese, the parish, and Monroe for abuse allegedly committed at St. Andrew's and Brown County State Park, beginning at age 10. See article.
• John Doe WD sued for abuse allegedly committed here.

 

 IN 2/2, associate pastor. The pastor was Rev. Michael L. Carr. Parish school, which was run by 3 Sisters of Providence, ahd 284 pupils.
1975 1976 Bishop Chatard High School

Indianapolis

 

 IN Instructor. Monroe was the sole priest; there were 42 lay teachers. The principal was Mr. Stephen Noone. There were 426 boys and 409 girls.
1976 1979 St. Catherine's

Indianapolis

• On 9/22/05, John Doe CT sued for abuse allegedly committed here.
• On 10/25/05, John Doe HB sued for abuse allegedly committed here.
• On 10/25/05, John Doe NM sued for abuse allegedly committed here, beginning at age 10 and involving alcohol use and camping trips. Pastor Dooley was allegedly informed, and Monroe was removed after John Doe NM's brother confronted Monroe. See article.

 

 IN 2/2, associate pastor. The pastor was Rev. Francis B. Dooley, S.T.B. South Central Middle School, which was was run by 5 Sisters of Providence, had 205 pupils.
7/79 1981 St. Patrick's

Terre Haute

• Monroe allegedly abused Danny Limcaco on two outings, the first in 3/80 when Danny was 16. Through pastor Wade, Melissa Limcaco reported her son's abuse abuse to the Indianapolis archdiocese in 1981. Danny Limcaco committed suicide 3/10/83. Seealso other article.
• On 6/16/06, John Doe WC sued for abuse allegedly committed here, beginning at age 15. See article.

 

 IN 2/3, associate pastor. The pastor was Rev Joseph P. Wade. In residence was Rev. Joseph B. McCrisaken for one year. The parish school, which was run by 2 Sisters of Providence, had 208 pupils. It was the larger of two schools in Terre Haute, the other being in Sacred Heart parish. There were 6 parishes in town.
1981 1982 Leave of Absence       The 1982 Directory lists Monroe as "on leave."
1982 1984 St. Paul's

Tell City

• On 11/09/05, John Doe DB sued for abuse allegedly committed at the rectory and on camping trips, beginning at age 16 at a motel. See article.
• On 1/30/06, John Doe KW sued for abuse allegedly committed here, beginning at age 13 and including oral sex. See article.
• On 2/07/06, John Doe 141 sued for abuse allegedly committed here.
• On 6/16/06, John Doe HS sued for abuse allegedly committed here.

 

 IN 3/4, co-pastor. The other co-pastors were Revs. Joseph R. Kern and Richard Lawler. In residence for the first year was Rev. Lawrence Richardt. Lawler was the dean of the Tell City Deanery. The priests lived at this rectory. The school, which was run by 4 Sisters of St. Benedict, had 693 pupils.
1982 1984 St. Michael's

Cannelton

• On 6/5/06, John Doe OD sued for abuse allegedly committed here. See also article.

 

 IN 3/3. The co-pastors were Revs. Joseph R. Kern and Richard Lawler. Monroe is not listed in the 1983 Directory as a co-pastor of this parish, but he is so listed in the 1984 Directory.  
1982 1984 St. Pius V

Troy

 

 IN 3/3, co-pastor. The other co-pastors were Revs. Joseph R. Kern and Richard Lawler.  


Source: Official Catholic Directory (New York: Kennedy & Sons, 1975-84).

Complaints
  1) John Doe RG vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Andrew Catholic Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 9/8/05.
  2) John Doe CT vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Catherine Parish n/k/a Good Shepherd Parish, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 9/22/05.
  3) John Doe HB vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Catherine Parish n/k/a Good Shepherd Parish, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 10/25/05.
  4) John Doe NM vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Catherine Parish n/k/a Good Shepherd Parish, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 10/25/05.
  5) John Doe DB vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Paul Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 11/9/05.
  6) John Doe KW vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Paul Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 1/30/06.
  7) John Doe 141 vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Paul Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 2/7/06.
  8) John Doe WD vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Andrew Catholic Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 2/14/06.
  9) John Doe OD vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Michael Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 6/5/06.
10 ) John Doe WC vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Patrick Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 6/13/06.
11) John Doe HS vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Paul Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 6/15/06.
12) John Doe DD vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Monica Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 7/31/06.
13) John Doe CD, vs. Archdiocese of Indianapolis, St. Patrick Church, Fr. Harry Monroe, and Does 1-100 Inclusive, filed 8/17/06.

Letters from the Indianapolis Archdiocese

• Letter from Suzanne L. Magnant, Chancellor, to Melissa E. Limcaco (3/26/02)
• Letter from Archbishop Daniel M. Beuchlein OSB, to Melissa E. Limcaco (1/29/04)
• Letter from Suzanne L. Yakimchick, Chancellor, to Melissa E. Limcaco (1/30/04)
• Letter from Msgr. Joseph Schaedel, Vicar General, to Rev. Richard Ginther and Parishioners of St. Patrick Parish (9/8/05)

Articles

• Group Collects Info on Former Vigo Priest: Previous St. Patrick's Pastor Focus of Several Child Molestation Lawsuits, by Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star (9/26/05)
• Indiana Lawsuits Latest in Nationwide Movement, by Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star (11/7/05)
• "I'm Tired of Secrets": Family Speaks Out on Alleged Abuse of Son, by Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star (11/13/05)
• Lawyer Says Archdiocese Committed Fraud by Moving Priest, by Ken Kusmer, Associated Press (6/5/06)
• Man Sues Ex-Priest and Archdiocese over Alleged Abuse, by Robert King, Indianapolis Star (6/6/06)
• TH Man Becomes Latest Plaintiff in Suits against the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Former Reverend, by Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star (6/13/06)
• 10 Years As a Cleric, 11 Claims of Abuse: 11 Men Say in Lawsuits That Harry Monroe Molested Them As Boys While Indianapolis' Archdiocese Moved Him around the State. Not So, Says the Church, by Robert King, Indianapolis Star (7/30/06)
• 12th Lawsuit Alleges Priest Abused Boy 50-Plus Times, by Ken Kusmer, Associated Press (7/31/06)
• Church's Defense Called 'Immoral': Archdiocese Fights Dirty in Abuse Cases, Critic Says, by Robert King, Indianapolis Star (8/15/06)
• Breaking the Silence: Second Terre Haute Man to Join Abuse Lawsuit Recounts Time with Priest: Terre Haute Man Becomes 13th to File in Suit against Harry Monroe, by Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star (8/19/06)
• Lawyers on Both Sides of Abuse Case Fight 'Zealously' for Their Clients, by Stephanie Salter, Tribune-Star (8/19/06)



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 Monroe's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with ... as it is reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report. We remind our readers that in the U.S. judicial system, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty.

A Note on Nomenclature: We use the term "assignment record," instead of the more common "service record," because "service" is not an appropriate word for the activities of an abusive priest. Dioceses are often less than forthcoming about the activities of retired priests, but when we can determine those activities, we list them in these assignment records, particularly if they involve ministry. Retired priests remain under obedience to their bishop, and even the activities of laicized priests should be a concern to the diocese.

This assignment record was last updated on 9/19/06.