Diocese of Nashville TN - BishopAccountability.org

11 Accused in This Diocese

Fr. Edward James Cleary

Ordained: 1940
Status: Accused

Died: 11/10/1997
Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

First named publicly as accused on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. Incardinated into the Memphis diocese in 1971. Cleary died 11/10/1997. Included on the Knoxville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020; the diocese was established in 1988 from the Diocese of Nashville.

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Fr. William Floyd Davis

Ordained: 1956
Status: Accused

Died: 10/26/2011
Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

First named publicly as accused on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. Noted to have been incardinated into the Memphis diocese in 1972. Davis died 10/26/2011. On the Knoxville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020; the diocese was established in 1988 from the Diocese of Nashville.

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Fr. Ronald W. Dickman

Ordained: 1971
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

Per news in 2002, Dickman was accused of abusing at least two students at Father Ryan High School, where he was principal. One man complained in 1991 about his brother's abuse and was told that Dickman had been removed from a prior school in 1987 after an earlier allegation. Dickman left the priesthood in 1991 and moved to FL. He denied all allegations. On diocese's list 11/2/2018.

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Fr. Juan Carlos Garcia Mendoza

Ordained: 2020
Status: Indicted

Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

Assigned to St. Philip's in Franklin in 11/2023 when placed on leave pending the investigation of a report that he had improperly touched a teenage boy. Indicted in 2/2024. Indicted on two new charges of sexual battery on 6/5/2024.

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Fr. Paul Frederick Haas

Ordained: 1959
Status: Settled

Died: 06/7/1979
Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

Accused by at least 100 people of abuse while assigned to Fr. Ryan High School in TN. Assigned 1964-1965 to Catholic High School in Little Rock, AR. Transferred to KY around 1967 "for treatment." Died 6/7/1979. One man told the diocese in 1996 that he was abused at age 15 in 1961 by Haas. Diocese gave him $5,700 in exchange for a release and a confidentiality agreement. Another came forward in 1999 alleging abuse in 1963. On the Diocese of Little Rock AR list 9/10/2018. On Nashville's list 11/2/2018. In the Memphis diocese's report 2/28/2020, which notes that Haas was dismissed from the priesthood 5/24/1977. Included on the Owensboro diocese's list 4/12/2019. On the Knoxville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020; the diocese was established in 1988 from the Diocese of Nashville.

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Diocese of Owensboro List 04.12.19

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Fr. Roger R. Lott

Order: OSB
Ordained: 1954
Status: Accused

Died: 05/22/2011
Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

Accused in 1996 of the sexual molestation of an altar boy in Nashville in late the 1950s. Removed by his Order in 1997 and placed in a restricted setting. The Order also facilitated a meeting between the accuser and Lott, who said he was an alcoholic and could not remember any abuse. Died 5/22/2011. Name included on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. On the Birmingham diocese's list 12/14/2018.

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Fr. Edward Joseph McKeown

Ordained: 1970
Status: Convicted

Died: 12/30/2018
Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

Admitted to raping three boys in the early 1980s. Settlement in 1985. Forced out of priesthood in 1989. Went on to work at the Davidson County Juvenile Court. May have abused 20-30 youths. Began to abuse again in the early 1990s. Convicted in 1999 of abuse of a boy, age 12, in 1995. Sentenced to 25 years in prison. Two civil suits were filed claiming abuse in 1995. More suits were filed in 9/2006 and 3/2007. Settlement of $1.1M related to abuse of two. Included on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. Died in prison 12/30/2018, age 74. On the Knoxville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020.

Fr. Joseph L. Reilly

Ordained: 1956
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

First named publicly as accused on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. Dismissed from the diocese in 1965. The list mistakenly stated that Reilly had died. It list was corrected and re-released 11/8/2018. Name included on the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. Noted to have worked there 1964-1965 and to have been laicized in 1965. On the Diocese of Knoxville's list as of 3/6/2020. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report (with a wrong ordination year). Allegation from a man in 2002 to the Savannah diocese that Reilly sexually abused him and two other altar boys while assigned to Sacred Heart in Warner Robins, GA in the early 1960s. Reilly allegedly would take the boys out on a lake in a boat, and would give them wine at the church and molest them.

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GA PAC Report 03.24.23

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Fr. Franklin T. Richards

Ordained: 1973
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

Principal of Knoxville Catholic High School. Confronted by parents of three children in 1984. Per the Diocese and Richards, they paid the parents a settlement. Sent for treatment. Left the priesthood in 1989. Richards and Edward McKeown abused many of the same boys. Richards confessed to molesting 25 boys. No legal action due to the statute of limitations. Living in FL at last report. In a deposition, he admitted to sexual relationships with two priests. Included on the Nashville diocese's list 11/21/2018, which notes he was "dismissed from the priesthood of the diocese" 3/1/1989. On Knoxville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020.

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Fr. James Arthur Rudisill

Ordained: 1951
Status: Accused

Died: 02/8/2008
Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

First named publicly as accused on the diocese's list 11/2/2018. Retired 2/10/1995. Died 2/8/2008. At a meeting in 1994 with his accuser, Bishop Kmiec and the diocesan chancellor, Rudisill admitted that he had molested his accuser when she was 12 years old in the 1950s. The abuse occurred in a closet at a Catholic school gymnasium. Rudisill's name was included in 11/2018 on the Nashville diocese's list, and on the Knoxville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020.

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Fr. Edward Albert Walenga

Ordained: 1953
Status: Accused

Died: 11/27/1983
Diocese: Diocese of Nashville TN

First named publicly as accused on the Nashville diocese's list 11/2/2018. Walenga died 11/27/1983. Included on the Nashville diocese's list as of 3/6/2020. (Knoxville was created from Nashville in 1988.)

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Our Database of Publicly Accused does not state or imply that individuals facing allegations are guilty of a crime or liable for civil claims. The reports contained in the database are merely allegations. 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.