Diocese Of Lafayette Releases Names Of Credibly Accused Priests
The long-awaited list of credibly accused priests has been released by the Diocese of Lafayette. It comes 15 years after the diocese first confirmed a list even existed. Since then, abuse victims and Catholic parishioners have pushed to have it made public. The diocese has been criticized for not allowing an outside independent group of investigators to compile the information. Back in February, Diocese of Lafayette Communication Director Blue Rolfes said it had assembled a group of church lay-people to review all records of accusations.
Today, the diocese released the names of 33 priests and 4 deacons who have had credible accusations levied against them. You can read the full list BELOW. The release is the latest in a string of other publications made by church leaders across the state.
The Diocese of Lake Charles announced their list on Thursday.
The list of priests has been the subject of a multi-year investigation by our news partners at KATC. Anchor Jim Hummel has been the lead investigator for the station's series THE LIST. Jim joined Carol Ross on the Ross Report back in February to detail the latest on the investigation.
Blue Rolfes, the Communications Director for the Diocese and former KLFY TV-10 news anchor, called into the Ross Report that day to respond to some of the things said in the interview with Jim Hummel.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Lafayette Diocese employed the first widely known abuser, Gilbert Gauthe. He pleaded guilty in 1985 to abusing 11 boys and testified that he'd abused dozens while serving at four churches in the diocese.
Other Louisiana dioceses have reported about 150 priests, deacons and other clerics. There may be some overlap, since the Lake Charles diocese was carved out of the Lafayette diocese in 1980.
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