Priest accused of sex abuse retires

By Nicki Gorny
Blade
July 1, 2019

https://bit.ly/2xoC40l

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo announced a series of clergy appointments and transfers on Monday, including the retirement of the Rev. Nelson Beaver, who remains on administrative leave as the diocese investigates sexual abuse allegations against him that began to emerge last year.

Authorities in Williams County, where an initial allegation of sexual abuse of a minor arose in October, closed their investigation at the request of the accuser in March. The allegation had dated back more than 25 years. In the course of that months-long investigation, two additional decades-old allegations arose in Lucas County and in Huron County. Father Beaver was pastor of Resurrection Parish in Lexington and St. Mary of the Snows Parish in Mansfield at the time he was placed on leave. Church officials have said he denies any wrongdoing.

Lucas County authorities did not investigate the allegation, which would have fallen beyond the statute of limitations, in line with the wishes of the accuser.

Huron County authorities, who did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Blade in March, have since closed their investigation, Kelly Donaghy, diocesan spokesman said. That leaves the matter to the diocese, which will investigate according to its own policy and ultimately determine whether Father Beaver, who is now retired or of “senior status,” is suitable for ministry.

"We just got word that all of the civil complaints have been dealt with,” Ms. Donaghy said. “Now it's under internal investigation with the diocese."

Retirements, appointments, and transfers are considered routine in the diocese, where pastors are typically assigned to parishes for six-year terms and where parochial vicars, also known as associate pastors, are assigned to parishes for three-year terms.

Three more priests retired this year. They are the Rev. Mark Herzog, most recently of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Bono and St. Ignatius Parish in Oregon; the Rev. Robert Kill, most recently of St. Isidore Parish in Marysdale and St. Michael Parish in St. Michael's Ridge; and the Rev. Gary Walters, most recently of St. Mary Parish in Tiffin and St. Pius X Parish in Sycamore. 

Other personnel shifts announced by the diocese were:

■ The Rev. Ronald Brickner, former pastor of St. Mary Parish in Vermilion, is now pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in New London and presbyteral moderator and chaplain of St. Mary Parish in Wakeman.

■ The Rev. Anthony Coci, former parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish in Tiffin and St. Pius X Parish in Sycamore, is now pastor of St. Jerome Parish in Walbridge and priest leader of Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School and Academy in Oregon.

■ The Rev. Eric Culler is coming from graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, Washington, to be pastor of St. Richard Parish in Swanton and judge in the Diocese of Toledo Tribunal, effective Aug. 19.

■ The Rev. Mark Davis, former pastor of St. Aloysius Parish in Bowling Green, is now pastor of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Parish in Toledo.

■ The Rev. Melwin D'Souza, SAC, is now parochial vicar of Epiphany of the Lord Parish in Toledo.

■ The Rev. Thomas Extejt, is now presbyteral moderator of St. Martin de Porres Parish in Toledo, in addition to his previous responsibilities as pastor of Ss. Adalbert and Hedwig Parish in Toledo, and dean of the St. Teresa of Calcutta Deanery.

■ The Rev. Matthew Frisbee, former parochial vicar of Holy Angels Parish, St. Mary Parish, and Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Sandusky, is now pastor of Resurrection Parish in Lexington and St. Mary of the Snows Parish in Mansfield.

■ The Rev. Jacob Gordon is now parochial administrator of St. Isidore Parish in Marysdale and St. Michael Parish in St. Michael's Ridge.

■ The Rev. John Christopher Jesudhason, SAC, former parochial vicar of St. Joseph Church in Maumee, is now parochial vicar of Holy Angels Parish, St. Mary Parish, and Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Sandusky.

■ The Rev. David Kidd, former parochial vicar of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Perrysburg, is now pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Toledo and priest leader of Central Catholic High School in Toledo.

■ The Rev. Kishore Kottana, former pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in New London and presbyteral moderator and chaplain of St. Mary Parish in Wakeman, is now parochial vicar of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Perrysburg.

■ The Rev. Paul Kuzhimannil, CSSR, is parochial vicar of St. Gerard Parish in Lima, effective Aug. 1.

■ The Rev. Manoj Mammen, former parochial vicar of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Toledo and St. Richard Parish in Swanton, is now parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish in Tiffin and St. Pius X Parish in Sycamore.

■ The Rev. John McLoughlin, CSSR, is pastor St. Mary Parish in Bluffton, effective Aug. 1.

■ The Rev. Thomas McQuillen is coming from the faculty of Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati to be pastor of St. Aloysius Parish in Bowling Green.

■ The Rev. Matthew Rader, former parochial administrator of St. Joseph Parish in Toledo and priest leader of Central Catholic High School, is now pastor of St. Mary Parish in Tiffin and St. Pius X Parish in Sycamore.

■ The Rev. Eric Schild, former pastor of St. Jerome Parish in Walbridge and interim president of Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School and Academy in Oregon, is now pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Maumee.

■ The Rev. Paul Schreiner, former parochial vicar of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Parish in Toledo, is now parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish in Vermilion.

■ The Rev. Michael Sergi, CSSR, former parochial vicar of St. Gerard Parish in Lima, is pastor of St. Gerard Parish in Lima, effective Aug. 1.

■ The Rev. Keith Stripe, former pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Maumee, is now pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Bono and St. Ignatius Parish in Oregon.

■ The Rev. Conrad Sutter, OFM Conv., is now pastor of Transfiguration of the Lord Parish in Upper Sandusky, Holy Angels Parish.

■ The Rev. Douglas Taylor, former parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Delphos, St. John the Baptist Parish in Landeck, and St. Patrick Parish in Spencerville, is named to the Metro-Toledo Hospital Chaplaincy.

■ The Rev. David Tscherne, former parochial administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Bryan and Sacred Heart Parish in Montpelier, is now parochial vicar of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Parish in Toledo.

■ The Rev. Vicente Vera, former parochial vicar of Epiphany of the Lord Parish in Toledo, is now parochial vicar of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Delphos, St. John the Baptist Parish in Landeck, and St. Patrick Parish in Spencerville.

■ Jose Zamora, a deacon in formation, is now the pastoral leader of St. Mary Parish in Clyde, handling day-to-day responsibilities and assisted in sacraments by an ordained chaplain.