10 priests accused of child sex abuse served in Franklin County

By Jim Hook
Chambersburg Public Opinion
August 07, 2018

https://www.publicopiniononline.com/story/news/2018/08/07/harrisburg-diocese-abuse-10-accused-priests-have-franklin-county-ties/922477002/

Rev. Raymond E. Dougherty served locally at parishes in Buchanan Valley and Chambersburg.

Child sexual abuse allegations against the Catholic church leadership in Pennsylvania include priests who served in parishes in Franklin County.

The Diocese of Harrisburg recently published a list of present and past clergy with allegations of sexual abuse against them. While the claims were substantiated, according to the diocese, the list does not assess credibility or guilt.

Ten priests were assigned to churches in and near Franklin County during their careers. All are deceased. One’s service dates to 1934.

“The leadership of the Church did not in every case take adequate measures when handling matters related to offending clerics,” said the Most Rev. Ronald W. Gainer, Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg. “While we seek forgiveness in the name of our Church, we encourage survivors to come forward so that their healing may begin.”

A grand jury report, ordered by the state Supreme Court, is to be published within two weeks. The redacted report is to list accusations against priests across Pennsylvania. The grand jury has identified more than 300 “predator priests” in the six dioceses, including Harrisburg.

The Diocese of Harrisburg’s list includes clergy and seminarians who served in the diocese and who were accused of sexual abuse of a child since the 1940s. The list does not indicate where the claimed abuse too place; accusations of abuse against a priest are listed separately from the priest’s assignments.

Priests accused of child sexual abuse or other inappropriate behavior served in the following parishes during the following times:

Saint Ignatius

• Father  Raymond Doughertry, 1953. See Chambersburg, below.
• Father Carl Steffen, 1978-2005. Steffen was accused of sexual abuse of a child by the survivor. He was accused of inappropriate questioning of more than one child on sexual subject matter.

Corpus Christi and Our Lady of Refuge Mission, Doylesburg

• Father Raymond Dougherty, 1947-1948. Dougherty was accused of sexual abuse of a child by two survivors after his death.
• Monsignor Joseph Hager, 1934 and 1938-1939. After his death, Hager was accused of sexual abuse of a child by the survivor.
• Monsignor Thomas Kujovsky, 1986-1989.  The diocese received an allegation that pornography was found in his room. It contained an image of a nude altar boy. A book of animated pornography, also found in his room, appeared to depict child sex abuse. The book was turned over to a district attorney who concluded it was not criminal.

Saint Mark the Evangelist and Saint Luke the Evangelist Mission, Mercersburg

• Father Frederick Vaughn, 1971-1986. After his death, Vaughn was the subject of multiple allegations of sexual abuse of children.

Our Lady of the Visitation

• Father James Beeman, 1964-1968. Beeman was accused of multiple allegations of sexual abuse of children.
• Father Frederick Bradel, 1951-1954. After his death, Bradel was accused of several years of inappropriate behavior by the survivor.
• Father Salvatore Zangari, 1959-1964. Zangari was accused of multiple allegations of sexual abuse of children.

Holy Rosary and the South Mountain Restoration Center

• Father William Haviland, 1976-1978. When Haviland was alive, he was accused of sexual abuse of a child. After his dead, he was accused of sexual abuse of a child by the survivor.

Saint Andrew

• Father Charles Procopio, 1961-1962. Diocese received an allegation that he was inappropriately touching and kissing minors.