Report shows credible child sexual abuse allegations against multiple Boise priests
Fifteen Catholic priests and one deacon who worked at or were associated with the Diocese of Boise have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor since the 1950s, according to a report released Monday by the Diocese.
Those priests have since been removed from the ministry. The cases date back to 1950, and were reported as recently as 2018. Six of the 15 priests were clergy members of the Diocese of Boise, while nine were from other dioceses but were at one point assigned to Boise.
Since 1950, more than 300 priests have served in the Diocese of Boise.
The cases were presented to the Diocesan Review Board for Sexual Abuse of Minors in 2002. The Diocese of Boise informed law enforcement “in appropriate cases where the alleged perpetrator was known to be alive,” according to the report.
The list comes three weeks after The Associated Press published an investigation of clergy members nationwide who have been credibly accused of child sexual abuse. The Boise Diocese was one of just 10 dioceses nationwide that as of Sept. 28 had not said whether they would release lists of the names of priests and other church employees accused.
The list includes W. Thomas Faucher, the retired St. Mary’s Catholic Church priest who pleaded guilty last year to possessing child pornography. On Saturday, the Vatican formally cut its ties with Faucher and he was laicized, the Statesman reported.
The Statesman most recently received an updated list of abuse claims in 2018.
Diocese of Boise Clergy (1950s to current)
Simmons, Donald (Deceased)
Incidents, 1950, ‘56
Reported, 2002
Later, Morris (Deceased)
- Incidents, 1960s and 70s
- Reported, 2003
Kuiper, Michael (Deceased)
- Incident, 1974
- Reported, 1994
Worsley, James
- Incidents, 1976-1981
- Reported, 1992
- Left Idaho, laicized. Diocese to where he relocated was informed.
Gould, William (Deceased)
- Incident, 1981
- Reported, 2010
Howell, Robert “Rap” (Deacon)
- Incident, 2002
- Reported, 2004
- Possession of Child Pornography. Served prison sentence, Laicized
Faucher, W. Thomas
- Incident, 2018
- 2018 Convicted of Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography. Imprisoned, Laicized.
Religious Order Priests (1960s to current)
Cornelius (McKenna), John
- Seminarian, Ordained for Seattle Archdiocese
- Incidents, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973
- Reported, 2001
- Left Diocese of Boise to be ordained elsewhere in 1970s. Seattle Archdiocese took action.
Meunier, Luke (Deceased)
- Diocesan priest from Canada
- Incident, 1971
- Reported, 1993
Kuiper, Michael (Deceased)
- Diocesan priest from Canada
- Incidents: 1971
- Reported: 1993
- Religious Order
- Incident, 1972
- Reported, 2004
- Left Idaho in 1975. His religious order was notified, but his whereabouts are unknown.
Schuck, Martin (Deceased)
- Diocesan priest from New York state.
- Incidents, 1974-76
- Reported, 2003
Baltazar, Carmelo Melchior (Mel)
- Philippine Diocese of Metolos
- Incidents, Late 1970s and 1985
- Reported, 1985
- Imprisoned, 1985
Garcia, Ruben
- Incardinated in Diocese of Tijuana, Mexico
- Incidents, 1980s
- Reported, 1991
- Imprisoned
Connolly, Thomas
- Religious Order
- Incidents, Early 1980s
- Reported, 2012
- Permanently removed from ministry, resides in another state. Incidents were reported to his home diocese and Religious Order.
O’Grady, Peter (Deceased)
- Religious Order
- Incidents: 1984 and 1985
- Reported: 2003
Arockiam, Francis
- Order from India
- Incidents: 1996
- Reported: 1996
- Expelled from Diocese back to home in India.
Correction: A previous version of this story said that Boise’s Diocese was one of six nationwide that had not said whether they would release lists of accused priests and church employees. In fact, it was one of 10 nationwide.
This story was originally published October 21, 2019 at 6:49 PM.
