Clerics Accused & Settlements Paid
Disclosure of Settlements Paid
Credibly Accused Clergy with diocesan assignments (unless noted) on whose behalf settlements were paid regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor:
| Kiernan Ahearn | James Gildea |
| Henry Albeke | Joseph Gorecki |
| Jose Daniel Alberran | Richard Grady |
| Alfred Bietighofer | Sherman Gray |
| Stanley Bonaszek (Maryknoll) | Lawrence Jensen (Eparchy of St Maron)* |
| Lawrence Brett | Bartholomew J. Laurello |
| Charles Carr | Albert McGoldrick |
| John Castaldo | Francis McKenna |
| Walter Coleman | Joseph Moore |
| Joseph Deshan | Robert Morrissey |
| William Donovan | Gavin O’Connor |
| Martin Federici | Raymond Pcolka |
| William J. Fletcher | Charles Stubbs |
| James Gay | Vincent Veich |
| William Genuario |
*Not a diocesan priest or a visiting priest in the Diocese; however, the Diocese was named in the lawsuit and cooperated with the Eparchy in a settlement in 2019 due to the location of the Maronite Parish within the Diocese of Bridgeport.
In the cases of the clergy listed below, a settlement was paid without a determination of the credibility of the accusation. The settlement may have been paid as part of a larger global settlement, or for administrative efficiency purposes, without there being a finding of credibility.
| Stanislaus Chmura | Robert Post* |
| Mark Grimes | Martin Ryan |
| Joseph Kettner (LaSalette) | John Sansonetti |
| George Maslar (Franciscan) | Robert Valentine |
| Joseph Malloy | Frank Wissel |
*Settlement amount paid by Christian Brothers as a part of bankruptcy of Christian Brothers.
Credibly Accused
The information below includes the name of accused Diocesan Clerics or accused Religious Order Priests who served in the Diocese of Bridgeport. The list contains Dates of Birth if alive and if deceased, the year the cleric died; their status; the location of their diocesan assignments and ministries; the year of laicization where applicable and date when the accused cleric was convicted where applicable. This list will be updated as new information becomes available.
Credibly Accused Diocesan Clergy, Living
Removed from ministry means unable to function as a priest because he was put on permanent administrative leave. Where applicable, we have included the year when the cleric was laicized (no longer a priest).
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Alligation(s) | Status | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry A. Albeke | 1946 | 1973 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002; Laicized 2007 | St. Charles, Bridgeport (1974-1976); St. Jude, Monroe (1978-1979);St. Joseph, Brookfield (1979-980); St. John, Darien (1980-1987); St. Thomas the Apostle, Norwalk (1988-1992); St. Francis of Assisi, Weston (1993) |
| John Castaldo | 1958 | 1987 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002; Convicted 2001; Laicized 2007 | St. Theresa, Trumbull (1987-1992); St. Mark, Stratford (1992-1994); Our Lady of Grace, Stratford (1994); St. Edward the Confessor, New Fairfield (1994-1998); St. Rose of Lima, Newtown (1998-1999); Trinity Catholic High School, Stamford (1999-2001); St. Maurice, Stamford (1999-2001) |
| Stephen J. DeLuca | 1939 | 1965 | single | Removed from ministry 2014 | St. Augustine, Bridgeport (1965-1967); St. Catherine of Siena, Riverside (1967-1969); Notre Dame High School, Fairfield (1969-1973); St. Mary’s High School, Greenwich, (1973-1977); Stamford Catholic High School, Stamford (1977-1979); St. Ann, Bridgeport (1979-1984); St. Agnes, Greenwich (1984); Hospital and Nathaniel Witterall Nursing Home (2006); Residences: Holy Rosary, Bridgeport; St. Thomas, Fairfield; St. Charles, Bridgeport; St. Bridget, Stamford and Villa Maria Retreat House, Stamford |
| Joseph Michael DeShan | 1959 | 1987 | single | Removed from ministry 1989; Laicized 1999 | St. Augustine Cathedral, Bridgeport (1988-1989) |
| James Gay | 1931 | 1959 | single | Left diocesan service in 1984, Faculties removed 2006; Administrative leave reaffirmed 2019 | St. Peter, Bridgeport (1959-1964); Immaculate High School, Danbury (1964-1969); St. Mary, Bethel (1964-1969); St. Mary Boys High School (1969-1984); United States Navy (1984-2004) |
| Sherman Gray | 1943 | 1970 | single | Removed from ministry 2004 | St. Mary, Greenwich (1971-1973); Rome, Italy (1974-1975); St. Maurice, Stamford (1976-1981); Outside of Diocese (1982-1986); Holy Name of Jesus, Stamford (1987-2002) |
| Jaime Marin-Cardona | 1968 | 2010 | DCF finding of substantiated allegations of abuse | Removed from ministry 2019 | St. Joseph Norwalk (2010-2014); Our Lady of Guadalupe (2014-2017); St. Charles Borromeo and St. Mary Bridgeport (June-September 2017); St. Mary Bridgeport (September 2017-2019) |
| Gavin O’Connor | 1936 | 1977 | multiple | Removed from ministry 1989; Laicized 1989 | St. Joseph, Shelton (1978-1979); St. Edward the Confessor, New Fairfield (1980-1981); St. Peter, Danbury (1982-1984) |
| Gregory Smith | 1941 | 1967 | single | Removed from ministry 2002 | St. Theresa, Trumbull (1968-1969); St. Joseph, Danbury (1970-1973); Our Lady of Good Counsel, Bridgeport (1975-1996); Chancellor (1989-1992); Sacred Heart University (1992-2002) |
| John Stronkowski | 1959 | 1985 | single | Removed from ministry 2016 (initially removed from ministry in May 2014 for reasons unrelated to sexual abuse of minors) | St. Patrick, Bridgeport (1986-1990); Our Lady of the Assumption, Fairfield (1990-1994); St. Gregory the Great, Danbury (1994-2003); St. Ambrose, Bridgeport (2003-2012); St. Margaret-Mary, Shelton (2012-2014) |
| Charlie Stubbs | 1937 | 1963 | multiple | Removed from ministry 1997; Laicized 2004 | St. Edward the Confessor, New Fairfield (1963); St. Mary, Stamford (1963-1964); Assumption, Westport (1964-1967); St. Ann, Bridgeport (1967-1969); St. Catherine, Riverside (1969-1976); St. Mary, Ridgefield (1976-1991); St. Mary, Greenwich (1991-1996) |
| Vincent Veich | 1945 | 1971 | single | Removed from ministry 2002 | Assumption, Fairfield (1972); St. Catherine, Riverside (1973-1977); Assumption, Westport (1978-1984); St. Cecilia, Stamford (1985-1987); St. John, Darien (1988-1990); St. Benedict, Stamford (1991-1996) |
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Alligation(s) | Status | Assignments |
Credibly Accused Diocesan Clergy, Deceased
Removed from ministry means unable to function as a priest because he was put on permanent administrative leave. Where applicable, we have included the year when the cleric was laicized (no longer a priest).
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Deceased | Alligation(s) | Status | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Bietighofer | 1938 | 1965 | 2002 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002 | St. George, Bridgeport (1966-1968); St. Anthony, Bridgeport (1968-1974); St. John Vianney, Peru (1974-1975); St. Patrick, Bridgeport (1975-1976); Blessed Sacrament, Bridgeport (1976-1982); St. Joseph Medical Center, Stamford (1982-1984); St. Joseph, Norwalk (1984-1986); St. John Vianney, Peru (1986-1987); Sacred Heart, Stamford (1987-1988); St. Mary, Norwalk (1988-1998); St. Charles Borromeo, Bridgeport (1998-1999); St. Francis of Assisi, Weston (1999-2001); St. Andrew, Bridgeport (2001-2002) |
| Lawrence Brett | 1937 | 1962 | 2014 | multiple | Removed from ministry 1994; Laicized 2006 | St. Cecilia, Stamford (1963-1964); Leave of Absence (1965-1972); Outside of Diocese (1973-1995) |
| Charlie Carr | 1948 | 1980 | 2024 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002; Laicized 2005 | Our Lady of Fatima, Wilton (1981-1984); St. Thomas the Apostle, Norwalk (1985-1986); St. Catherine of Siena Trumbull (1987-1988); Central Catholic High School, Norwalk (1990) St. Philip, Norwalk (1990-1991); St. Andrew, Bridgeport (1992-1995); Leave of Absence (1996) |
| Vincent Paul Cleary | 1918 | 1944 | 1989 | multiple | Deceased in 1989 before any allegation was known or investigated | St Augustine 1944-1959; St. John Stamford 1959-1962; St Joseph South Norwalk 1962-1963; Our Lady of Peace Stratford 1963-1989 |
| Walter Coleman | 1932 | 1959 | 2016 | multiple | Retired 1996; Removed from ministry 2002 | St. Theresa, Trumbull (1960-1966); St. Maurice, Stamford (1967-1968); St. Joseph, Danbury (1969); St. Aloysius, New Canaan (1970-1972); St. Thomas, Fairfield (1973-1975); St. Patrick, Bridgeport (1976-1982); St. Joseph, Brookfield (1983-1987); Immaculate High School, Danbury (1988); Central Catholic High School, Norwalk (1990); Sacred Heart, Georgetown (1988-1990); St. Joseph Manor, Trumbull (1991-1993); St. Margaret-Mary, Shelton (1993-1995) |
| William Donovan | 1935 | 1961 | 2018 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002 | St. John, Darien (1961-1966); Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich (1966-1973); St. Thomas, Darien (1973-1982); St. Rose of Lima, Newtown (1982-1983); St. Leo, Stamford (1983-1989); Holy Family, Fairfield (1989-2002) |
| John Draper | 1927 | 1953 | 1966 | single | Deceased before allegation was investigated | St. Theresa, Trumbull (1953-1959); St. Mary, Greenwich (1959-1960); St. Joseph Hospital, Stamford (1960-1962); St. Thomas, Fairfield (1962); St. Mary, Ridgefield (1962-1964); St. Joseph, Shelton(1964-1966) |
| Martin Federici | 1940 | 1966 | 2013 | multiple | Removed from ministry 1996; Laicized 2003 | St. Theresa, Trumbull (1967); Assumption, Westport (1968-1970); St. Ambrose, Bridgeport (1971); Assumption, Fairfield (1972-1977); St. Thomas the Apostle, Norwalk (1978-1981); St. Joseph, Shelton (1982-1983); St. Edward the Confessor, New Fairfield (1984); St. Matthew, Norwalk (1985-1995); St. Augustine Cathedral, Bridgeport (1996) |
| William Fletcher | 1918 | 1944 | 1988 | single | Allegation came forward after deceased | Sacred Heart, Bridgeport (1953-1955); St. Joseph, Danbury (1955-1958); St. Thomas, Fairfield (1958-1963); St. Margaret Mary (1963-1968), Shelton; Sacred Heart University, Fairfield (1964-1988) |
| William A. Genuario | 1931 | 1956 | 2015 | multiple | Retired in 2004; Deceased in 2015 | Sacred Heart 1956-1958; St Peters Bridgeport (in residence- 1958-1962; Gregorian University Rome 1962-1963; St Theresa Trumbull – in residence 19631968; Blessed Sacrament Bridgeport 1968-1972; St Anthony Bridgeport 1974-78; Diocesan Assignments 1974-1987; St Catherine of Siena Riverside 1987-2004 |
| Stephen Gleeson | 1937 | 1963 | 2021 | single | Placed on administrative leave February 19,2019 – permanently removed from ministry August 22, 2019 | St John the Evangelist (June 1963 - August 1963 Temporary Assignment); St. Ann, Bridgeport (1963-1968); St Mary Stamford (1968-1973); St Theresa Trumbull (1973-1977); St Stephen (1977-2013) |
| Joseph Gorecki | 1927 | 1959 | 1988 | multiple | Leave of Absence from Diocese from 1978 until death | SS. Cyril & Methodius, Bridgeport (1960-1964); Outside of Diocese (1965-1966); St. Joseph, Shelton (1967-1970); St. Theresa, Trumbull (1971); Holy Name, Stamford (1972-1973); Assumption, Westport (1974); St. Vincent’s Hospital, Bridgeport (1975); St. Mary, Norwalk (1976-1978) |
| Richard Grady | 1920 | 1947 | 1993 | single | Retired 1989 | St. Leo, Stamford (1973-1979); Our Lady of Good Counsel, Bridgeport (1980-1988) |
| Martin Hitchcock | 1926 | 1951 | 2014 | multiple | Retired 1991; Second allegation came forward after deceased | St. James, Stratford (1951-1953); St. Peter, Danbury (1953-1959); St. Mary, Bethel (1959-1962); St. Joseph, Danbury (1962-1964); St. Lawrence, Huntington (1964-1967); Superintendent (1967-1971) St. Mary, Greenwich (1971-1991) |
| Stanley Koziol | 1933 | 1958 | 2013 | single | Removed from ministry 2002 | St. Edward the Confessor, New Fairfield (1958); Holy Family, Fairfield (1958-1962), St. Rose, Newtown (1962-1965); St. Clement, Stamford (1965-1966); St. Joseph, South Norwalk (1966-1974); St. Leo, Stamford (1974-1976); Our Lady of Grace, Stratford (1976-1979); Holy Name of Jesus, Stamford (1979-1987); St. Aloysius, New Canaan (1987-1992); St. Philip, Norwalk (1992-1994); St. Mark, Stratford (1994-1996) |
| Bartholomew Laurello | 1920 | 1946 | 2004 | single | Retired 1995; Allegation came forward after deceased | Holy Rosary, Bridgeport (1946-1948); St. Anthony, Hartford (1948-1951); Holy Rosary, Bridgeport (1951-1954); St. Catherine, Riverside (1954); St. Raphael’s, Bridgeport (1954-1958); Notre Dame Catholic High School for Boys (1958-1962); St. Joseph High School, Trumbull (1962-1963); St. Joseph Manor, Trumbull (1963-1964); St. Roch, Greenwich (1964-1969); St. Mary, Stamford (1969-1970); Christ the King, Trumbull (1970-1976); Graduate Studies (1976-1980); Our Lady of Grace, Stratford (1980-1995) |
| James McCormick | 1890 | 1916 | 1965 | multiple | Ministry Restricted1954; Allegations reviewed after deceased | St. Michael’s, Hartford (1916-1926); Sick leave (1926); St. Agnes Home, Hartford (1927); St. Mary’s, Norwalk (1927-1928); Sacred Heart, New Haven (1928-1932); St. Bernard’s, Tariffville (1932-1935); St. Augustine’s, Seymour (1935-1936); LOA (7/1936-10/1936); St. Vincent’s, East Haven and Camp Palmer, Oxford (Summer 1937 & 1938); Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Mt. Carmel (1938-1944); St. Michael’s, Waterville (1944-1949); Sacred Heart, Waterbury (1949-1951); St. Joseph’s, South Norwalk (1951-1954); Notre Dame Convalescent Home (1954) |
| Albert McGoldrick | 1949 | 1978 | 2023 | single | Removed from ministry 2002; Laicized 2005 | St. Mary Church, Stamford | Diocesan Tribunal, Instructor | Diocesan Tribunal, Auditor | Our Lady St. Mary, Stamford (1979-1980); Diocesan Tribunal, Instructor (1980); Diocesan Tribunal, Auditor (1981-1984); Outside of Diocese (1985-1986); Our Lady of Peace, Stratford (1987); Assumption, Westport (1988); Diocesan Tribunal, Judge (1995-2002) Notre Dame of Easton (1988); St. James, Stratford (1999); St. Paul, Greenwich (2000-2002) |
| Francis D. McKenna | 1920 | 1945 | 1989 | multiple | Allegation came forward after deceased | St. Ann, Bridgeport (1946-1955); St. Mary, Norwalk (1955-1958); St. Catherine, Riverside (1958-1959); St. Patrick, Bridgeport (1959-1962); St. Joseph High School, Trumbull (1962-1963); St. Joseph Manor, Trumbull (1962-1963); St. Gabriel, Stamford (1963-1968); St. Jerome, Norwalk (1968-1970); St. Charles, Bridgeport (1970-1972); St. Joseph, Shelton (1972-1989) |
| Joseph Moore | 1944 | 1971 | 2021 | multiple | Removed from ministry 1997; Laicized 2004 | St. Theresa, Trumbull (1972-1973); Assumption, Westport (1974-1975); St. Joseph, Danbury (1976-1981); St. Mary, Bethel (1982-1983) |
| Robert Morrissey | 1945 | 1976 | 2014 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002 | St. Lawrence, Huntington (1976-1977); St. Mary, Greenwich (1977-1982); St. Mary High School (1982); St. Clement, Stamford (1982-1984); St. Joseph, Danbury (1985-1986); Outside of Diocese – US Navy (1986-1989); St. Joseph, Danbury (1984-1986; 1989-1992) St. Mary, Ridgefield (1992-2002) |
| William R. Nagle | 1926 | 1955 | 1979 | single | Allegation came forward after deceased | St. Clement, Stamford (1955-1962); St. Vincent’s Hospital (1962-1965); LOA for Clinical Pastoral Training Program (1965-1966); St. Vincent Hospital (1966-1969); Fairfield Hills Hospital (1969-1971); Residence St. Clement, Stamford; Tribunal, Judge (1971-1979) |
| Raymond Pcolka | 1939 | 1965 | 2009 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002; Laicized 2004 | St. Benedict, Stamford (1996-1997), St. John Nepomucene, Bridgeport (1968-1973); St. Mary, Greenwich (1974); St. James, Stratford (1975); Holy Name of Jesus, Stratford (1976-1986); St. Mary, Bethel (1987-1988); Sacred Heart, Greenwich (1990-1993); Leave of Absence (1994-1995) |
| Boleslaus ("Bill") Rarus | 1914 | 1940 | 2005 | multiple | Retired 1987; Deceased before allegations investigated | St. Bernard’s, Sharon (1940); St. Patrick’s, Waterbury (1940); Sacred Heart, New Britain (1940-1942); Holy Name, Stamford (1942-1945); St. Mary’s, Jewett City (1945-1947); Holy Name, Stamford (1947-1959); St. Joseph’s, Brookfield (1959-1967); St. Paul’s, Greenwich (1967-1987) |
| Paul Spodnick | 1902 | 1927 | 1976 | multiple | Retired 1968; Deceased before allegations investigated | Assumption Church, Ansonia (1928-1929); St. John Nepomucene Church, Bridgeport (1929-1933); All Saint’s Church, New Britain (1933-1937); LOA (1937-1938); Immaculate Conception, Waterbury (1938-1944); Sacred Heart Church, Southbury (1944-1950); St. Mary’s Church, Bethel (1950-1955); Blessed Sacrament Church, Bridgeport (1955-1961); St. Benedict’s, Stamford (1961-1965); St. Joseph Manor, Trumbull (1965-1968) |
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Deceased | Alligation(s) | Status | Assignments |
Credibly Accused Religious Order Clergy
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Deceased | Alligation(s) | Status | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kieran T. Ahearn (Franciscan) | 1938 | 1997 | single | Removed from Ministry and Convicted 1993 | St. Luke, Westport (1986-1990); St. Mary, Bethel (1991-1993) | |
| Stanley Bonzszek (Maryknoll) | 2007 | single | St. Anthony of Padua, Bridgeport (1985) | |||
| Jean Marie DeGraff (Society of St. Jacques) | 1962 | 1999 | single | The allegation occurred outside of the country. Allegation in CT was not found to be credible, but Fr. DeGraff was later arrested for abuse of a minor family member out of the country. Fr. DeGraff is not permitted to exercise ministry in the Diocese of Bridgeport. | In residence St. Mary, Greenwich | |
| James Gildea (Fathers of the Holy Cross) | 1930 | 1957 | 1986 | multiple | Removed from ministry 2002 | Notre Dame Catholic High School, Fairfield (1965-1986) |
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Deceased | Alligation(s) | Status | Assignments |
Credibly Accused visiting Clergy
| Name | Diocese(s) Visitng From | Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| Jose Daniel Alberran | Diocese of Barcelona, Venezuela | St. Peter, Bridgeport, (Summer 1991) |
| Name | Diocese(s) Visitng From | Assignments |
List of Accused and Settlements Paid
The Diocese maintains a public record that lists the names of diocesan priests and deacons who have been removed from ministry. We issue an annual update to the settlements paid as a result of allegations of sexual abuse of minors as a part of our Financial Report.
Additional Resources
Contact Information
Erin Neil, L.C.S.W., Director of Safe Environment & Victim Assistance Coordinator
(203) 416-1406 (Office) |
Tel: (203) 650-3265 (Mobile) | ENeil@diobpt.org
Valeria Jarrin, Safe Environment Program Associate
(203) 416-1407 (Office) |
(203) 209-7347 (Mobile) |
Valeria.Jarrin@diobpt.org