Congregation of the Holy Cross releases list of credibly accused priests

The Congregation of the Holy Cross that founded the University of Notre Dame and Holy Cross College released its list of priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors on Wednesday.

Of the 15 priests named, 10 of them worked here in Michiana.

Rev. Lawrence Dark, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1952

Action Taken: Allegations received in 1994 and 2008 following his death in 1984.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Reynold’s Institute – Louisiana

Sacred Heart Parish – New Orleans, LA

St.George’s College – Santiago, Chile





Rev.John Fitzgerald, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1969

Action Taken: Allegation received in 1992, removed from ministry in 1992 and left Holy Cross in 1997.

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

Andre House – Oakland, CA

Andre House – Phoenix, AZ

Notre Dame High School – Niles, IL

University of Notre Dame –Notre Dame, IN





Rev. James Gildea, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1957

Action Taken: Allegations received 2002-2012 after his death in 1986.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Notre Dame High School – Bridgeport, CT





Rev. Paul Lebrun, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1983

Action Taken: Allegations received in 2000 and removed from ministry in 2000. Dismissed from Holy Cross in 2007 and incarcerated in Arizona.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Blessed Sacrament Parish - Tolleson, AZ

Little Flower Catholic Church – South Bend, IN

St.John Vianney Catholic Church – Goodyear, AZ





Rev.Ralph Luczak, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1958

Action Taken: Allegation received in 1969 and removed in 1969.

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

Christ the King Parish – South Bend, IN

Notre Dame High School – Niles, IL





Rev. Archibald McDowell, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1933

Action Taken: Allegations received 1949-1950s and permanently removed from mininstry in 1962.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Sacred Heart Parish – New Orleans, LA

St.Edward’s University – Austin, TX

University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN

University of Portland – Portland, OR





Rev. Louis L. Meyer, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1945

Action Taken: Allegation received in 2007 which was handled by Archdiocese of Los Angeles and withdrew from Holy Cross in 1974.

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

Holy Cross Parish – South Bend, IN

St.Francis Xavier Parish – Burbank, CA





Br.Lewis Morrow, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1963

Action Taken: Allegation received in 1977 and permanently removed from ministry in 2003 after review of files.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Lutheran Medical – Brooklyn, NY

Milton Hospital – Milton, MA

Sacred Heart Parish – Burlington, NH

St.Anne’s Church –Raritan, NJ

St.Elizabeth’s Hospital – Brighton, MA

Victory Memorial Hospital – Brooklyn, NY

Rev. Richard Nowery, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1968

Action Taken: Allegations received in 1986 and ministry restricted from 1986-1994. Permanently removed from ministry in 2002 after review of files and withdrew from Holy Cross.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Sacred Heart Parish – New Orleans, LA

St.Ignatius Martyr – Austin, TX





Rev. Cornelius Ryan, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1966

Action Taken: Allegations received in 2013, removed from ministry in 2013 and in long-term treatment facility with no access to minors.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

East Africa

Little Flower Parish – South Bend, IN

St. Joseph, Hessen Cassel – Fort Wayne, IN





Rev. Edgar Szymanski, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1943

Action Taken: Allegations received in 1999 and 2018 after his death in 1998.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Boysville – Clinton, MI

Gilmour Academy – Gates Mills, OH

Holy Trinity Parish – Chicago, IL

Sacred Heart Military Academy – Watertown, WI

St. Casimir Parish – South Bend, IN

St. Edward’s University – Austin, TX

St. Hedwig Parish – South Bend, IN

St. Stanislaus Parish – South Bend, IN





Rev. James Trepanier, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1955

Action Taken: Allegation received in 1991 and ministry restricted in 1991. He was permanently removed from ministry in 2002 and in nursing facility with no access to minors.

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

Holy Cross Parish – South Bend, IN

St.Pius X Parish – Granger, IN

University of Portland – Portland, OR





Rev. David Verhalen, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1954

Action Taken: Allegation received in 2007 and permanently removed from ministry in 2001.

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

LeMans Academy – Rolling Prairie, IN

Notre Dame High School – Niles, IL

University of Notre Dame – Notre Dame, IN

Rev. Gordon Wilcox, CSC

Date of Ordination: 1955

Action Taken: Allegations received in 2003 and 2012 after his death in 1984.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Moreau High School – Hayward, CA

Notre Dame High School – Niles, IL

St.George’s College – Santiago, Chile

University of Portland – Portland, OR





Seminarian Randall Blum, CSC

First Vows: 1983

Action Taken: Allegations received in 1986 after dismissal from Seminary and convicted in court of law in 1987.

Number of Credible Allegations: Multiple

Places Served:

Christ the King Parish – South Bend, IN

Provincial Superior Fr.William Lies of the U.S. Province of the Priests and Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross released a letter on Wednesday. Read the full letter here.

Paul J. Browne, vice president for public affairs and communications at the University of Notre Dame, sent ABC 57 News the following statement:

"One of three individuals, who had been at some point in their careers assigned to Notre Dame, was credibly accused 70 years ago of child sexual abuse while employed by the University. Archibald McDowell, who taught religion, was accused in 1949 of unwanted touching by a teenage male, and was separated from the University soon thereafter."

Contributions to this story also made by: Brian Conybeare