Diocese of Saginaw MI

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Terry McKiernan February 26, 2021

16 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Robert DeLand, Jr.

Ordained: 1973
Status: Convicted

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Pastor of St. Agnes in Tittabawassee Township when arrested 2/25/2018 on charges of the sexual assault of a 21-year-old man and 17-year-old boy. Parents of the boy told police concerns regarding DeLand and their son. Arrested after the boy went undercover. Suspended. DeLand gave the boy alcohol and ecstasy. "Nearly half a dozen" more people reported to police attempted and actual sex abuse, some three decades prior; some minors, at least one girl. Diocese knew of "rumors" in 1992. Investigated by the Diocese in 2005 after a woman reported that her brother, who died by suicide in 1993, may have been abused in the 1970s. Deemed "unfounded." Suit filed in 3/2018 by 17-year-old boy. Arrested again in 4/2018; some charges related to the alleged sex assault of a 17- or 18-year-old male in 5/17. His father said he reported the incident to the Diocese, but no response. Pleaded no contest in 9/2018 in a plea deal. Withdrew plea weeks later. Acquitted in 3/2019 of assault of two teens. Pleaded no contest to earlier withdrawn plea, avoiding trial. Sentenced in 4/2019 to 2 to 15 years in prison. Case sent to the Vatican. Released on parole in 4/2021; parole to end in 4/22. Required to register as a sex offender. Laicized announced in 11/2022.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

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Fr. Ronald J. Dombrowski

Ordained: 1972
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Suspended 3/15/2018 after diocese was contacted by someone claiming sexual abuse as a minor by Dombrowski. In 7/2021 the diocese announced Dombrowski's permanent removal from ministry, and that two additional alleged victims had come forward after the initial allegation, dating to early in his priesthood. Dombrowski was to live a life of prayer and penance. He was added to the diocese's list of credibly accused.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

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Deacon Richard L. Howard

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1977
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Ordained for the permanent diaconate 9/10/1977. Taught at All Saints High School in Bay City, assigned to St. Stanislaus parish. Faculties suspended 4/18/1988, laicized 2/17/2006. Name released by the Diocese in 4/2018 as a cleric permanently removed due to credible allegations of the sexual abuse of minors.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw

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Fr. Martin Ignatius Kalahar

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1916
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Named publicly as accused by the Saginaw diocese on its list 4/10/2019. Ordained for the Grand Rapids diocese. Died 4/13/1966. Noted to have been accused after his death.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw

Sources:

Diocese of Saginaw List 04.10.19

Fr. Dennis Kucharczyk

Ordained: 1985
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Suspended in 5/2019 for "misconduct" with a minor "years ago." Police had informed the diocese in 3/2018 of allegations against Kucharczyk. His accuser said she had contacted a nun with the Office of Child and Youth Protection around 2010, but no response. The woman alleged that, beginning when she was a first or second grader at a Midland parish in the 1980s, Kucharczyk would hug and kiss her on the cheek, hold her hand, give her small gifts, and once had her sit on his lap in a darkened classroom then put his arms around her waist and hands on her inner thighs. She said his behavior continued for years, including sending her "gushy and lovey" letters, emails and texts. He also officiated at her wedding where she said he kissed her on the lips. Kucharczyk denied the allegations. The diocese determined there were boundary violations but, after a canonical process, not enough evidence to proceed further. Name was added in 2019 to the diocesan list of accused, then removed in 3/2021.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

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Fr. Jack J. Leipert

Ordained: 1975
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Named publicly by Saginaw bishop Cistone in 4/2018 as a former priest having been permanently removed from ministry due to credible allegations of the sexual abuse of minors. Faculties withdrawn in 6/2001. Laicized in 2006. Reportedly 5/2/2018, Leipert was investigated after being accused in 11/2000 of the sex abuse of 21-year-old male. Included in 11/2022 on the Diocese of Superior's list of credibly accused, where he was a transitional deacon in 1972.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw

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Fr. James Andrew Marron

Donate Photo

Order: CSSp
Ordained: 1927
Status: Accused

Died: 11/17/1987
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Named publicly as accused by the Saginaw diocese on its list 4/10/2019. Missionary in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania for forty years, beginning in 1928. Per his obituary, was working at age 65 as a hospital chaplain in Bay City, MI, was in Ferndale after two years, then returned to Bay City. Retired in 1986 to Bethel Park, PA. Died 11/17/1987. Noted to have been accused after his death.

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Sources:

Diocese of Saginaw List 04.10.19

Fr. Francis McHugh

Order: OPraem
Ordained: 1940
Status: Accused

Died: 09/5/1998
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Named publicly as accused by the Saginaw diocese on its list 4/10/2019; assigned to an Essexville parish 1954-1962. Included on the St. Norbert's Abbey Norbertines in WI list 7/19/2019. One allegation noted. Died 9/5/1998. Name included in 10/2022 on the Chicago archdiocese's list. Included in the IL Attorney General's Report 5/23/2023.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

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Fr. James Aloysius Mulvey

Ordained: 1905
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Ordained for the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Died 11/7/1959. Named publicly as accused by the Saginaw diocese on its list 4/10/2019. Allegation made after Mulvey's death.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

Sources:

Diocese of Saginaw List 04.10.19

Fr. Neil Francis O’Connor

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1936
Status: Accused

Died: 03/8/1989
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Ordained for the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Died 3/8/1989. Named publicly as accused by the Saginaw diocese on its list 8/12/2019. Allegation noted to have been received after O'Connor's death.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

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Diocese of Saginaw List 04.10.19

Fr. John Steven Rabideau

Order: OMV
Ordained: 1990
Status: Convicted

Died: 05/30/2014
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Accused in 1998 of abuse 1985-1987 of three boys, between ages 6-14, when a seminarian. Rabideau was studying in Boston and Rome; the abuse occurred during visits home to the Saginaw area. A warrant for his arrest was issued in 1998. He fled the country. Per his order, it suspended him in 1992 and dismissed him in 1997. Rabideau was an active priest in the Philippines in 2004. He was arrested in Colombia in 2006 and extradited to Michigan. He pleaded no contest to three charges; other charges were dropped. Sentenced to 5-10 years in prison on child sex abuse charges in 10/2006. Included on the Saginaw diocese's list 8/9/2019; Rabideau was prosecuted in the diocese, although he had not served there. He died 5/30/2014 at age 52 in a bicycling accident.

Assignments:

BA.org Assignment Record

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Fr. Thomas William Ryan

Ordained: 1935
Status: Accused

Died: 01/25/1975
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Ordained for the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Died 1/25/1975. Named publicly as accused by the Saginaw diocese on its list 4/10/2019. Allegation noted to have been received after Ryan's death.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

Sources:

Diocese of Saginaw List 04.10.19

Fr. Elmer Stoffel

Order: OFM Cap
Ordained: 1938
Status: Accused

Died: 12/2/1992
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Saginaw on its list in 2019. Assigned to the diocese 1958-1970. Died 12/2/1992. Included on the Capuchins St. Joseph Province list of those with substantiated allegations against them.

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Fr. Richard T. Szafranski

Ordained: 1975
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Accused in 4/2006 of sexual misconduct with a minor female in the mid-1970s. Placed on leave. He admitted to "a relationship" with the girl. He was 27 and she was 16-17 (or 13 per one article). No criminal charges to be pursued as of 7/2006; Diocese had not yet completed investigation. Added to the Diocese's list 4/10/2019. Noted by 8/9/2019 to have been permanently removed from ministry.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw

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Fr. Joseph Szarek

Donate Photo

Ordained: 1939
Status: Accused

Died: 05/15/1999
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

From Poland. Began priesthood as a St. Vincent DePaul Missionary. Arrived in the U.S. in 1941. Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Saginaw on its list in 2019. Noted to have worked briefly in the diocese. Removed from ministry in the Saginaw diocese in 1958, later worked in the Diocese of Albany, where he was incardinated in 1976. Died 5/15/1999. Added to Albany diocese's list 12/4/2019.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw Assignment Record

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Fr. Leonard F. Wilkuski

Ordained: 1963
Status: Accused

Died: 01/25/2022
Diocese: Diocese of Saginaw MI

Wilkuski resigned from his parish and was placed on leave 5/2002 after acknowledging an allegation of sexual misconduct which occurred "much earlier" in his ministry. Laicized 2/17/2006, per the Diocese. Died 1/25/2022.

Assignments:

Diocese of Saginaw

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