Glenmary Home Missioners / Home Missioners of America

10 Accused in This Religious Order

Br. Al Behm

Order: GHM
Status: Accused

Died: 09/23/2024
Diocese: Archdiocese of Cincinnati OH

Named publicly as credibly accused by his order on its list 10/11/2019. Worked in CT, NC, OH, KY, KY, TN, LA, CA and GA. Joined the order in 1960, left in 1993. Included on the Charlotte diocese's list 12/29/2019. It notes that the Glenmarys said the alleged abuse occurred in the 1970s in KY. (KY location not specified; placing him in the Cincinnati archdiocese, where the Glenmary order is based.) In 12/2020 Behm appears to be working as a volunteer at a school in Myanmar. Per the school's website he had been there for about a year, and had worked previously with underserved children in Thailand. Accused in a 7/2021 lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy in North Carolina. Per the lawsuit, Behm met the boy when he was age 9 in 1972, soon began grooming him and, when the boy was a teenager, began to perform sex acts on him. Behm also allegedly introduced the boy to alcohol, marijuana and amyl nitrates. The sexual abuse lasted through most of the boy's college years. The boy was from an unstable home and Behm insinuated himself as a father figure. The suit was denied, then appealed. Behm's name is included on the Diocese of Nashville's 11/2021 list of accused. Reportedly died in Cambodia 9/23/2024.

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Fr. Joseph Dean

Order: GHM
Ordained: 1945
Status: Accused

Died: 02/14/2007
Diocese: Diocese of Savannah GA

Named publicly as accused by the Diocese of Savannah on its list 11/08/2018. Worked in the diocese before 1962. Pastored missions including VA, KY, NC, MS, GA, TX, OK. Died 2/14/2007 in Mt. Pleasant, TX. The diocese's list updated 11/16/2018 notes that Dean was investigated by an "independent investigator", Praesidian, and "exonerated" in 2004. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.

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Br. Bill Early

Donate Photo

Order: GHM
Status: Accused

Diocese: Archdiocese of Cincinnati OH

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Glenmary order on its list 10/11/2019. Joined the order 1958, left in 1993. Worked in GA, IL, OH, KY, TN, CA, DC. No indication where or when alleged abuse occurred. (Placing him in the Cincinnati archdiocese, where the Glenmary order is based.) Included on the Atlanta archdiocese's list in 11/2020, where he was at the Glenmary Research Institute in 1991. Noted to be deceased. On the Nashville diocese's list in 11/2021. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.

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Fr. Adelbert Holmes

Order: GHM
Ordained: 1963
Status: Accused

Died: 09/20/2013
Diocese: Diocese of Charlotte NC

"Del." Named publicly as credibly accused by the Diocese of Owensboro on its list in 4/2019, where he worked 1977-1988. No known abuse in Owensboro. Included on the Glenmary order's list 10/11/2019. Worked in NC, OH, AR, KY, VA, GA. Added to the Richmond diocese's list in 10/25/2019 for allegations of abuse there. Included on the Charlotte diocese's list 12/29/2019. The Glenmarys told the Charlotte diocese in 11/2019 that it received allegations in 1988 that Holmes abused three minors in 1976 in Murphy, NC, and that he was also credibly accused of abuse later in Franklin, KY. He was removed from ministry in 1991 and died in 2013. Included in 1/2020 on the Cincinnati archdiocese's list. Added in 11/2021 to the Nashville diocese's list.

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Diocese of Charlotte Assignment Record 12.29.19

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Fr. Robert Poandl

Order: GHM
Ordained: 1968
Status: Convicted

Died: 01/15/2019
Diocese: Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston WV

Dioceses assigned to included Jackson, MS; New Orleans, LA; Atlanta, GA; Savannah, GA; Owensboro, KY; Tyler, TX; Tulsa, OK; Harrisburg, PA. Allegation to the Order in 6/2009 that Poandl sexually abused a boy, age 10, in 1991 during a trip from OH to WV. Removed in 6/2009 from the Savannah diocese; moved to the Order's Cincinnati house. Indicted 1/26/2010 on 3 counts of abuse of the boy, including rape. Pled not guilty 2/12/2010. Charges dismissed with prejudice 8/27/2010 for discovery violations. Reinstated in 9/2010. Removed in 2/2012 after a new allegation, of sexual misconduct in the 1980s. Third allegation in 8/2012. Indicted on federal charges in 11/2012 for abuse of the boy in 1991. Convicted 9/20/2013. Sentenced 2/12/2014 to 7.5 years prison. Lost appeal 8/31/2017. Included on the Harrisburg, PA diocese's 8/1/2018 list. On the Atlanta archdiocese's list 11/6/2018 and the Savannah diocese's list 11/8/2018. On the Wheeling-Charleston list in late 2018. On the Jackson diocese's list 3/19/2019. Included on the Tyler diocese's list in 4/2019. On New Orleans' list in 6/2019. On Glenmary's list 9/27/2019. Died 1/15/2019. On Tulsa list 10/2/2019. On Cincinnati's list in 1/2020. Added to Owensboro's list in 5/2022. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC report.

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BA.org Assignment Record

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Fr. Peter Raymond Richardson

Order: GHM
Ordained: 1986
Status: Accused

Died: 03/26/2014
Diocese: Diocese of Jackson MS

Named publicly as accused by the Jackson diocese on its list 3/19/2019. Removed from ministry in 2010, died 3/26/2014. Per the list, abuse occurred 1987-1990 in Aberdeen, reported in 2014. Also accused of abuse of a minor in 2005 in West Liberty, KY. On Glenmary's list 10/11/2019. It notes that Richardson left the order in 2007. On the Charlotte diocese's list 12/29/2019. On the Lexington diocese's list in 8/2020. On Cincinnati's list in 1/2020. Included in 11/2021 on the Nashville diocese's list.

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Fr. Edward William Smith

Order: GHM
Ordained: 1943
Status: Accused

Died: 05/31/1975
Diocese: Diocese of Charlotte NC

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Glenmary Home Missioners on its list 10/11/19. Worked in Bogota, Colombia; NC; OH; VA; GA. Died in 1975. On the Charlotte diocese's list 12/29/19. The Charlotte diocese noted that it received a report in 12/14 that Smith abused a boy in the 1960s on Boy Scout camping trips. Also, it said the Glenmarys told them in late 2019 that it had received an allegation in 1993 of abuse in the 1960s at Buck Creek, which had a summer youth camp, and an allegation in 2001 of abuse in 1963 in Boone, NC, when Smith was pastor of St. Elizabeth parish. On the Raleigh diocese's list updated 2/7/20 (erroneously as a CICM priest). Included on the Cincinnati archdiocese's list in 1/20. Also on Richmond diocese's list.

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Diocese of Charlotte Assignment Record 12.29.19

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Br. Gino Vertassich

Order: GHM
Status: Accused

Died: 08/17/2003
Diocese: Archdiocese of Cincinnati OH

Named publicly as credibly accused by the Glenmary order on its list 10/11/2019. Joined Glenmary in 1960, left in 1975. Worked in GA, NC, OH. No indication as to where or when alleged abuse occurred. Died in Cincinnati in 2003. On the Charlotte diocese's list 12/29/2019. It notes an allegation that Vertassich abused a minor in Connecticut in 1969, without further specifics. (Placing him in the Cincinnati archdiocese, where the Glenmary Home Missioners are based.) Included in 11/2020 on the Atlanta archdiocese's list. Included in the 3/24/2023 GA PAC Report.

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Fr. Benedict Wolf

Order: GHM
Ordained: 1941
Status: Accused

Died: 04/20/1997
Diocese: Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown PA

Per the PA Attorney General's 3/1/16 Grand Jury Report (name spelled Wolfe), Wolf molested a 17-year-old girl in McConnellsburg PA in 1979, where he was assigned to St. Stephen's. The girl was visiting the area with her family; Wolf invited the family to stay in the rectory. He gave the girl a private room, then sexually assaulted her there during daily visits. Wolf's victim reported him to the diocese years later. On Glenmary Home Missioners list 10/11/19. Joined the Glenmary order in 1941, left in 1975 after working in PA, OH, KY, DC. Died 4/20/97. Included in 1/20 on the Cincinnati archdiocese's list of those against whom there are substantiated allegations. Added to the Owensboro diocese's list in 5/22.

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PA Office of the Attorney General 03.01.16

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Br. William Wright

Order: GHM
Status: Accused

Diocese: Diocese of Little Rock AR

Joined the Glenmary order 1978, left in 2006. Named publicly as credibly accused by the Little Rock Diocese when added to its list in 2/2019. Assigned to Holy Cross in Crossett AR 1982-1986. Little Rock stated that Wright was 'confirmed by the Glenmary Home Missioners as having a credible allegation during his time in AR.' On the Glenmary's list 10/11/2019. Added to the Jackson diocese list after the Glenmary list appeared. Wright was transferred in 1986 to St. Francis of Assisi church in Aberdeen MS in the Jackson diocese to coordinate religious education in Aberdeen, with missions in Houston and Okolona. He came from Holy Cross church in Crossett AR. Glenmary states that Wright also worked in the Nashville and Owensboro dioceses. He died in 2011. Included on the Nashville diocese's list in 11/2021.

BishopAccountability.org

Glenmary Home Missioners / Home Missioners of America – GHM

10 Accused in This Religious Order

Br. Al Behm

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Fr. Joseph Dean

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Br. Bill Early

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Fr. Adelbert Holmes

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Fr. Robert Poandl

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Fr. Peter Raymond Richardson

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Fr. Edward William Smith

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Br. Gino Vertassich

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Fr. Benedict Wolf

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Br. William Wright

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