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Diocese of Covington releases data on allegations of sexual abuse, based on records back to 1950


The Diocese of Covington is releasing today the names of priests, religious, deacons and lay employees who have served in the Diocese against whom one or more allegations of sexual abuse of a minor have been substantiated.
 
The list is the product of a comprehensive and independent review of thousands of diocesan records dating back to 1950.

After over a year of deliberations and planning, the Diocesan Review Board presented a process of review to Bishop Roger Foys for implementation. These deliberations were prompted in November 2018 by the recommendation of the National Review Board for all dioceses to conduct an independent review of all files — going back to 1950, if possible — and making these results public, including publishing the list of names of all clergy offenders.
 
Two former FBI agents, with a combined 50 years of investigative experience, began the Diocese of Covington file review in October 2019. They were given complete access to all diocesan records — including Chancery files, archival files, priest personnel files, and Safe Environment files — for full review.
 
The review and resulting report is a continuation of the commitment by Bishop Foys and the Diocesan Review Board to all people of the Diocese, as well as its priests and diocesan personnel, that the Diocese has, as far as is humanly possible, addressed the scourge of sexual abuse of minors by its priests, religious, and lay employees.
 
A message from Bishop Foys, detailed information related to the File Review and the list of names are available on the Safe Environment page of the diocesan website. The direct link is here.

Bishop Foys’ letter from the website:

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

There are no words to adequately express the sorrow and shame I feel in presenting to you the report of those priests, deacons, consecrated religious and laity who have had substantiated accusations against them of the sexual abuse of minors in the Diocese of Covington. I sincerely hope that this report will bring at least some sense of closure to those whose lives have been forever changed by the egregious behavior of those who were pledged to care for God’s little ones.

At the same time I understand that releasing a report of this kind may cause additional pain and anger in those who have personally experienced sexual abuse as a child. For that, I am deeply sorry.

I can never apologize enough to those who have been harmed by any representative of the Church. I beg your forgiveness in the name of the Church. I give you my assurance that, to the best of my knowledge, there is no priest in public ministry in the Diocese of Covington who has abused a minor.

I ask you to join me in praying for all those who were sexually abused as minors. I ask you also to pray for healing and reconciliation.

Be assured of my prayers. Please, pray for me.

Yours devotedly in the Lord,
Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, D.D.
Bishop of Covington
 

 


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3 Comments

  1. Steven Frank says:

    That the list starts with an egregious error naming Paul Arbogast as a child predator throws the list into question. There are undoubtedly monsters on this list; but we had lists of doctors, lawyers and business leaders who were at the event in question and were willing to testify in court to the fact that nothing occurred or could have occurred as was alleged; but the diocese was only too willing to throw Paul under a bus after suffering for their actual sins of covering up for the real monsters. They did this when Paul came back to teach Latin and his daughter a freshman at Covington Latin. How she made it through 4 years under that cloud and graduated near the if not at the top of her class is a testament to that family’s strength and the cowardice of the Diocese. And then to see that scab ripped off again in public. My disgust with the Diocese only amplifies after this distortion and blatant cruelty.

    • Arbogast victim says:

      Steven Frank,
      With all due respect you are very seriously misinformed. Paul Arbogast was a monster. I have firsthand experience and can offer hard proof. He should have died in prison, after being raped and beaten every day he was there. I am glad that he is dead and I hope he suffered before going to hell.

  2. Donna Rieselman says:

    I agree that the list did rip scabs never quite healed, but I don’t think any of the names were listed in error. They had to know that they would be sued if it was in error. Just because you don’t believe it does not mean it is not true.

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