List Of Credibly Accused Diocesan Priests &
Accused Religious Order Priests Who Served In The Diocese Of Bridgeport
The Diocese of Bridgeport Policies and Procedures Relating to Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors, Section 11.2, states that the Diocese will maintain a public record, including a website, that lists the names of diocesan priests and deacons who have been removed from ministry under this Policy. This policy is in accord with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the Essential Norms for Diocesan/Eparchial Policies dealing with the Allegations of Sexual Abuse of Minors.
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.
This list has been recently updated and reorganized into five (5) distinct categories as follows: (1) Credibly Accused Diocesan Clergy, Living; (2) Credibly Accused Diocesan Clergy, Deceased; (3) Credibly Accused Clergy, Religious Order and (4) Credibly Accused Clergy, Visiting from Other Dioceses.
> Read more about this list from Bishop Caggiano
> Statement on additions to list of Credibly Accused
Printable Version
First Posted: October 2015
Last Updated: 1/22/2020 (additions to list)
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 | Allegation | Status* | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry A. Albeke | 1946 | 1973 | Multiple allegations | 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) |
| Charlie Carr | 1948 | 1980 | Multiple allegations | 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) |
| John Castaldo | 1958 | 1987 | Multiple allegations | 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 allegation | 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 allegation | Removed from ministry 1989; Laicized 1999 | St. Augustine Cathedral, Bridgeport (1988-1989) |
| James Gay | 1931 | 1959 | Single allegation | 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 allegation | 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) |
| Albert McGoldrick | 1949 | 1978 | Single allegation | 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) |
| Joseph Moore | 1944 | 1971 | Multiple allegations | 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) |
| Gavin O’Connor | 1936 | 1977 | Multiple allegations | 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 allegation | 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 allegation | 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 allegations | 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 allegation | 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); |
Credibly Accused Diocesan Clergy, Deceased
Note: in some cases, these allegations were brought forward after the accused was deceased and the death of the accused cleric prevented further investigation. Others were deemed credible when accused was living and accused has since died.
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Deceased | Allegation | Status | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred Bietighofer | 1938 | 1965 | 2002 | Multiple allegations | 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 allegations | Removed from ministry 1994; Laicized 2006 | St. Cecilia, Stamford (1963-1964); Leave of Absence (1965-1972); Outside of Diocese (1973-1995) |
| Vincent Paul Cleary | 1918 | 1944 | 1989 | Multiple allegations | 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 allegations | 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 allegations | 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 allegation | 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 allegations | 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 | 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 allegations | 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 allegation | 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 allegations | 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 allegation | Retired 1989 | St. Leo, Stamford (1973-1979); Our Lady of Good Counsel, Bridgeport (1980-1988) |
| Martin Hitchcock | 1926 | 1951 | 2014 | Multiple allegations | 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 allegation | 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); |
| James McCormick | 1890 | 1916 | 1965 | Multiple allegations | 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) |
| Francis D. McKenna | 1920 | 1945 | 1989 | Multiple allegations | 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) |
| Bartholomew Laurello | 1920 | 1946 | 2004 | Single allegation | 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); |
| Robert Morrissey | 1945 | 1976 | 2014 | Multiple allegations | 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 | 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 allegations | 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 allegations | 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 allegations | 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) |
Credibly Accused Clergy, Religious Order
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Deceased | Allegation | Status | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kieran T. Ahearn (Franciscan) | 1938 | 1997 | Single allegation | Removed from Ministry and Convicted 1993 | St. Luke, Westport (1986-1990); St. Mary, Bethel (1991-1993) | |
| Stanley Bonzszek (Maryknoll) | 2007 | Single allegation | St. Anthony of Padua, Bridgeport (1985) | |||
| Jean Marie DeGraff (Society of St. Jacques) | 1962 | 1999 | 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 allegations | Removed from ministry 2002 | Notre Dame Catholic High School, Fairfield (1965-1986) |
Credibly Accused Clergy, Visiting from Other Dioceses
| Name | Birth Year | Ordination | Deceased | Allegation | Status | Assignments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Daniel Alberran | Diocese of Barcelona, Venezuela | St. Peter, Bridgeport, (Summer 1991) |
