Madison Diocese Announces 2nd Credible Sexual Abuse Allegation against Former Priest Patrick Doherty

By Emily Hamer
Wisconsin State Journal
March 14, 2020

https://madison.com/news/local/madison-diocese-announces-second-credible-sexual-abuse-allegation-against-priest/article_c8c9a424-476d-590b-9b6f-a6201762ac1b.html

The Madison Diocese announced Friday a second credible allegation of sexual abuse against former priest Patrick Doherty.

Doherty, 85, was identified by the diocese in January as a priest who was “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children after an alleged victim came forward with a story of abuse from more than 40 years ago.

The most recent allegation stems from about 45 years ago when Doherty was a pastor in Boscobel, the diocese said. The alleged victim came forward after the January announcement.

The diocese said after conducting an investigation and receiving input from the Diocesan Sexual Abuse Review Board, it determined the Boscobel allegation has the “semblance of truth.”

The case has been forwarded to the Vatican for review and possible further action.

Doherty, who no longer lives in Wisconsin, has been out of the ministry since 1993 because of “publicly known struggles with alcoholism and reported disreputable behaviors with adult men,” the diocese said.

In January, Bishop Donald Hying reinforced restrictions previously placed on Doherty, including that he not present himself as a priest.

The diocese has named eight other clergymen who had accusations of child sexual abuse substantiated by the diocesan Sexual Abuse Review Board: Archie Adams, Curtis Alvarez, J. Gibbs Clauder, Kenneth Klubertanz, Lawrence Trainor, Michael Trainor, Gerald Vosen and John Eberhardy.

All have either died or been removed from the priesthood.

Clauder was acquitted by a jury in 2011 in the alleged 2004 sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. But he remains on the Madison Diocese’s list of credibly accused priests because the church has different standards for investigation than the criminal justice system.