Diocese Of Gary Releases Names Of Ten Pedophile Priests
GARY — The Diocese of Gary has released a list of 10 former priests within the institution who have been found “guilty of credible actions of sexual molestation of minors.”
The document included the names of the priests, the number of allegations made against them and the actions taken by the church. Many of the priests were laicized, which means the church removed their clerical status. The information of the 10 priests is based on a review of diocesan records, the list indicates, and will be supplemented if necessary. The list can be accessed on the diocese’s website,www.dcgary.org.
Richard Emerson had four allegations, resulting in being laicized on July 30, 2006. Don Grass had one allegation, was removed from the public ministry in 2004 and was no longer allowed to present himself as a priest. Grass died in July 2, 2010. Terrence Chase had one allegation and was removed from public ministry and laicized on Jan. 4, 2016.
George Kavungal, CMI, had six allegations of sexual abuse and he was last known to be in India. The church also removed him from the public ministry. Ambrose McGinnity also had six allegations, and he was removed from the public ministry in 1993 as a result, and died Feb. 2, 2000.
Stephen Varga had one allegation, and was laicized in 1970 and later died on July 12, 2006. Stanley Staniszewski had two allegations and left the Diocese of Gary on Oct. 20, 1983 and was removed from the public ministry. Staniszewski died April 2, 2016.
The following priests had no punitive measurements listed in the document, however their dates of death were recorded. Louis Jeziorski had three allegations and died April 6, 1973; Joseph Buczyna had one allegation and died Jan. 12, 1976; and Julian Jercha had three allegations and died in June 27, 1987.
The Most Reverend Donald Hying, bishop of Gary, released a statement on Aug. 15 about recent reports of sexual abuse in the church.
Hying referred to the case of Raymond Lukac, who served at Bishop Noll Institute in the Diocese of Gary. A grand jury report of clerical abuse cases in Pennsylvania detailed sexual abuse allegations against Lucak, which Hying said in the statement was reviewed by Kelly Venegas, the diocesan delegate for sexual misconduct, and the Diocesan Review Board. Hying wrote that as a result of the investigation, the board concluded there was insufficient evidence to affirm credibility.
“Our local Church shares in the universal sadness and anger regarding recent reports of sexual abuse by clergy,” Hying wrote. “While we continue to pray for all abuse victims, we also resolutely commit ourselves to zealous vigilance to ensure the protection of all of our children, youth and vunerable adults.”
Hying stated that the diocesan website has information about reporting allegations and ways to get in touch with the victim assistance coordinator of the diocese.
“The crimes and sins of priest perpetrators and the bishops who covered up their wrongdoing continue to cast horrible shadows of pain, suffering, distrust, both in the lives which have been shattered by the abuse as well as all members in the Church,” Hying wrote. “We pray that this painful process of shedding light on these horrible crimes will produce greater accountability, transparency and vigilance in all levels of the Church.”
Source: Northwest Indiana Times