Diocese of Monterey names 30 clergymen 'credibly accused' of sexual misconduct

KSBW TV
January 2, 2019

https://bit.ly/2CM67m0

Rev. Edward Fitz-Henry, seen on the left, was accused in 1991 of molesting a Salinas boy

The Catholic Diocese of Monterey has released a list of 30 clergymen who have been "credibly accused" of abusing children going back to the 1950s.

The list documents cases dating back as far 1954 and as recently as 2009. Eighteen priests were arrested and 19 of them are now dead. None of those still living are currently active clergymen except maybe for 1 whose status was listed as “unknown”.

Most of the allegations occurred in the 1970s. The fewest in the 2000s.

In a written introduction to the report, the Diocese states that it “engaged in a review of the files of all Clergy with known allegations of sexual misconduct as well as reviewed the files of all currently active Clergy in the Diocese of Monterey to determine if there are any allegations of sexual misconduct with a child against any Clergyman currently in ministry."

The Diocese also states that it is making the report public to promote transparency and trust.

In addition, an outside law firm was hired to review the files and to make an independent decision as to whether a clergyman’s name should be included on the list of those credibly accused.

"Clergyman" includes priests, deacons, religion men and candidates for ordination.

In order to be identified on the list as “credibly accused” of child sexual abuse, the clergymen had to meet four criteria:

1. The allegation involves clergy and

2. Involves sexual misconduct with a minor (i.e. under 18) and

3. The accusation appears credible (i.e. believable) or

4. The clergyman was dead at the time the allegation was received by the Diocese, which prevented a complete investigation, but the allegation appears plausible (i.e. alleged to have occurred at a time and in a place where the clergyman was assigned).

The Diocese divided the list of the “credibly accused” into three categories.

Category 1: Credibly accused Clergy not previously released or in the public domain:

1. Rev. Phillip Abinate Date of Incident(s) 1970, 1971, 1975 Date reported to Diocese 2003 Deceased (6/27/2008)
2. Rev. Raul Carvajal Date of Incident(s) 1984-1985 Date reported to Diocese 2005 Faculties removed
3. Juan Carlos Esquivel Date of Incident(s) 2007 Date reported to Diocese 2007 Former Seminarian
4. Rev. Carl Faria Date of Incident(s) 1968-1971; 1973-1976 Date reported to Diocese 2002 Retired, faculties removed 2002
5. Luis Garcia Date of Incident(s) 1982 Date reported to Diocese 2009 Former Seminarian
6. Manuel Jimenez Date of Incident(s) 1994 Date reported to Diocese 1999 Former Seminarian
7. Rev. Scott McCarthy Date of Incident(s) 1976 Date reported to Diocese 2002 Retired, allegation reclassified in 2019 from non-credible to credible and faculties removed in 2019
8. Rev. Gilbert Meyer Date of Incident(s) 1961-1964 Date reported to Diocese 2010 Retired, not in ministry
9. Rev. Charles Moore Date of Incident(s) 1974 Date reported to Diocese 2003 Deceased (12/9/2007)
10. Rev. Colman O'Connor Date of Incident(s) 1979-1980 Date reported to Diocese 1993 Deceased (3/3/1996)
11. Rev. Joseph Sheehan, C.S.S.Sp. Date of Incident(s) 1971-1975 Date reported to Diocese 1992 Deceased
12. Br. James Wisecaver, SM Date of Incident(s) 1997 Date reported to Diocese 1997 Deceased (10/23/2015)

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Category 2: Credibly accused Clergy previously released or in the public domain who were working in the name of the Diocese of Monterey when the alleged abuse occurred:

1. Rev. William Allison Date of Incident(s) 1964, 1966, 1969 Date reported to Diocese 2003 Deceased (12/16/1987)
2. Rev. Alberto Battagliola Date of Incident(s) 1970s Date reported to Diocese 2003 Deceased (2/17/1977)
3. Rev. Antonio Cortes Date of Incident(s) 2009 Date reported to Diocese 2009, Laicized (no longer a priest)
4. Rev. Edward Fitz-Henry Date of Incident(s) 1990 Date reported to Diocese 1991, Laicized (no longer a priest)
5. Rev. Juan Guillen Date of Incident(s) 1992 Date reported to Diocese 2003, Status Unknown
6. Rev. Gregory Kareta, OFM Conv. Date of Incident(s) 1970s Date reported to Diocese 2002, Deceased (10/4/2006)
7. Rev. Michael McDonald Date of Incident(s) 1965-1966 Date reported to Diocese 2003 Deceased (11/3/1971)
8. Rev. Patrick McHugh Date of Incident(s) 1960s Date reported to Diocese 2002 Deceased (3/24/1979
9. Rev. Paul Valdez Date of Incident(s) 1997 Date reported to Diocese 1999 Retired, allegation reclassified in 2019 from non-credible to credible and faculties removed in 2019
10. Rev. John Velez, SM Rev. John Velez, SM Date of Incident(s) 1991 Date reported to Diocese 1991 Deceased

Category 3: Accusations received by the Diocese of Monterey after the Clergyman was dead but appear plausible (as defined above):

1. Rev. Thomas Condon Date of Incident(s) 1959 Date reported to Diocese 2003 Deceased (7/29/1983) 2. Rev. Edward Crews Date of Incident(s) 1954 Date reported to Diocese 2002 Deceased
2. Rev. Edward Crews Date of Incident(s) 1954 Date reported to Diocese 2002 Deceased
3. Rev. Patrick Daly Date of Incident(s) 1958 Date reported to Diocese 2002 Deceased (11/14/1966)
4. Rev. Edward Haskins Date of Incident(s) 1950s 1960s Date reported to Diocese 1996 Deceased (2/22/1981)
5. Rev. Felix Migliazzo Date of Incident(s) 1970s Date reported to Diocese 2007 Deceased (5/21/2005)
6. Rev. Thomas Neary Date of Incident(s) 1958 Date reported to Diocese 2013 Deceased (5/5/1983)
7. Rev. John Pierson Date of Incident(s) 1973-1979 Date reported to Diocese 1995 Deceased (12/14/1992)
8. Rev. Rino Spada, C.S Date of Incident(s) 1967-1969 Date reported to Diocese 2011 Deceased (8/20/2002)

The Diocese of Monterey comprises Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Cruz counties.

More on this developing story tonight on KSBW Action News 8.