Diocese of Superior releases list of 23 priests accused of sexual abuse

SUPERIOR, WI -- The Diocese of Superior released a list Tuesday of all the priests connected to their congregation who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing a minor.

This list of names is the result of three separate clergy file reviews, including one by a private independent security consulting firm, more than a year of meetings, and multiple sessions with the Diocesan Review Board.

The list includes the names of 23 priests with allegations against them. Of them, 20 are deceased.

“It should be noted that there is no priest on the list that is currently active in ministry,” Diocese leaders wrote.

The news release read, “Bishop of the Superior Diocese, the Most Rev. James Powers, sincerely acknowledges the sinful harms of the past, apologizes on behalf of the local Church, and prays for the healing of all victims-survivors and their affected families and friends.”

He was quoted saying, “I wish we could go back in time and undo all of the hurt and pain, the sins of the past. But we cannot... What we can do is learn from the past and do everything in our power to never repeat the abuse. I firmly believe that the Diocese of Superior is clearly on the right path in protecting our children.’

Victims of clergy abuse are strongly urged to report their abuse to local law enforcement and Kathy Drinkwine, Diocesan Coordinator of Assistance at (cell) 715-718-1110, (office) 715-394-0216, and (email) kdrinkwine@catholicdos.org.

The Diocese of Superior has 103 parishes and 14 Catholic schools and over 23,000 households.

It encompasses the City of Superior and the Counties of Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Price, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn in northern Wisconsin.

Here is the list as shown on the website where the information was released. It also has a guide at the top explaining some of the notes in the list:

* Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior

Religious Orders: OMI - Order of Mary Immaculate CPPS - Congregation of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood ICKSP - Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

Ahrens, Theodore

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth July 21, 1937

Date of Ordination May 1, 1963

Timeframe & Location of Abuse Early 1960s, Hurley

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry April 1978

Current Status Deceased November 20, 2003

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Augustyn, Thaddeus

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth February 23, 1913

Date of Ordination December 20, 1944

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1943 - 1946, Lublin 1955 - 1965, Shell Lake

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry November 2, 1966

Current Status Deceased August 10, 1981

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Bartelme, James

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth March 27, 1951

Date of Ordination June 11, 1982

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1990 - 1991, Superior

Allegations Single

Date Left or Removed from Ministry September 8, 2022

Current Status Administrative Leave

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Beutner, Edward

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth March 29, 1940

Date of Ordination May 29, 1965

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1965 - 1970 & 1974 - 1975, Superior

Allegations Multiple Date Left or Removed from Ministry April 2002

Current Status Laicized March 14, 2006 | Deceased January 26, 2008

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Charland, Michael OMI*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth June 22, 1945

Date of Ordination August 21, 1971

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1970s - 1980s, Outside of Diocese of Superior

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry 1984 Current Status Laicized 1989

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but served in River Falls in 1984

Listed as credibly accused by: Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota Diocese of Belleville, Illinois

Dummer, Donald OMI*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth October 23, 1937

Date of Ordination December 19, 1964

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1986, River Falls

Allegations Single

Date Left or Removed from Ministry December 30, 1986

Current Status Laicized 2006

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but served in River Falls Listed as credibly accused by Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ericksen, Thomas

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth June 17, 1947

Date of Ordination June 2, 1973

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1979 - 1983, Winter

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry June 30, 1983

Current Status Laicized April 29, 1988 | Convicted/Incarcerated September 2019

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Erickson, Ryan

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth January 17, 1973

Date of Ordination June 4, 2000

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 2000 - 2003, Hudson

Allegations Single

Date Left or Removed from Ministry December 19, 2004

Current Status Deceased December 19, 2004

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Hanchak, Augustine CPPS*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth July 29, 1924

Date of Ordination May 18, 1952

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1960s, Diocese of Dodge City, Kansas 1976 - 1984, Sanborn / Highbridge / Mason

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry Late 1984 | Reassigned outside of Diocese of Superior by Religious Order

Current Status Deceased November 20, 2001

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but served in the Westboro / Chelsea / Whittlesey area 1966 - 1968 and in the Sanborn / Highbridge / Mason area 1976 – 1984 Listed as credibly accused by Diocese of Dodge City, Kansas

Herrmann, Richard*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth June 12, 1920

Date of Ordination October 28, 1944

Timeframe & Location of Abuse Dates unavailable - Abuse outside of Diocese of Superior

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry Date unavailable

Current Status Deceased February 18, 2016

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but served in Boulder Junction, Catawba, Conrath, Cumberland, Ladysmith, Presque Isle, Sayner, Spooner, and Trego Listed as credibly accused by Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin

Higgins, Joseph

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth February 25, 1920

Date of Ordination June 29, 1946

Timeframe & Location of Abuse Late 1960s, River Falls

Allegations Single

Date Left or Removed from Ministry February 17, 1974

Current Status Deceased February 17, 1974

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Klister, Irving “Jack”

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth September 7, 1915

Date of Ordination May 27, 1944

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1950s - 1960s, Outside of the Diocese of Superior

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry 1995

Current Status Deceased April 19, 1997

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior until 1984 when incardinated in the Diocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico Convicted of Federal child pornography charges in 1990

Listed as credibly accused by: Diocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico

Kraker, James

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth November 28, 1936

Date of Ordination May 29, 1965

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1988 - 1998, Hammond / Merrill

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry November 28, 2001

Current Status Deceased December 8, 2013

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Leipert, John “Jack”*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth March 12, 1946

Date of Ordination April 24, 1975

Timeframe & Location of Abuse Dates unavailable - Abuse outside of the Diocese of Superior

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry June 2001

Current Status Laicized February 17, 2006

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but served as a transitional deacon in 1972 Listed as credibly accused by Diocese of Saginaw, Michigan

Mahon, Gerald

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth December 1, 1904

Date of Ordination June 14, 1930

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1943 -1946, Superior

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry August 26, 1971

Current Status Deceased August 27, 1977

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Malsch, David

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth March 22, 1939

Date of Ordination May 27, 1967

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1987 - 1991, Tomahawk

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry October 26, 1993

Current Status Laicized May 20, 2005 | Deceased May 20, 2022

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Murphy, Lawrence*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth November 11, 1925

Date of Ordination May 1950

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1963 - 1974, Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry January 1993

Current Status Deceased August 21, 1998

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but retired to and served the Boulder Junction / Sayner / Presque Isle area in a help-out capacity for nearly 20 years Listed as credibly accused by Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Payne, Alan

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth December 6, 1945

Date of Ordination May 27, 1972

Timeframe & Location of Abuse Early 1970s, Rhinelander

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry June 22, 1988

Current Status Laicization in progress

Notes/Comments Priest of Diocese of Superior

Regh, John

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth December 10, 1926

Date of Ordination May 26, 1953

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1973 - 1975, Catawba

Allegations Single

Date Left or Removed from Ministry June 8, 1993

Current Status Deceased February 5, 2006

Notes/Comments Priest of Diocese of Superior

Scobee, Robert*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth November 19, 1911

Date of Ordination May 22, 1937

Timeframe & Location of Abuse Unavailable - Abuse outside of the Diocese of Superior

Allegations Single

Date Left or Removed from Ministry 1976

Current Status Deceased April 30, 1979

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but served in Lake Tomahawk and Rhinelander Listed as credibly accused by Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri

Stremski, John

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth April 13, 1934

Date of Ordination June 11, 1960

Timeframe & Location of Abuse Early 1970s, Superior

Allegations Single

Date Left or Removed from Ministry June 13, 1999

Current Status Deceased July 13, 2004

Notes/Comments Priest of the Diocese of Superior

Svea, Timothy ICKSP*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth March 10, 1963

Date of Ordination November 11, 1992

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1990s, Diocese of La Crosse

Allegations Multiple

Date Left or Removed from Ministry November 2020

Current Status Incarcerated

Notes/Comments Grew up in the Diocese of Superior, but ordained by Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest Listed as credibly accused by Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin

Telegdy, Louis CPPS*

Date Added or Updated November 22, 2022

Date of Birth February 2, 1911

Date of Ordination March 8, 1942

Timeframe & Location of Abuse 1961 - 1962, Rib Lake 1962 - 1966, Park Falls Multiple dates in other dioceses

Allegations Single in Diocese of Superior, Multiple in other dioceses

Date Left or Removed from Ministry 1984

Current Status Deceased January 21, 1995

Notes/Comments Not a priest of the Diocese of Superior, but served in Rib Lake and Park Falls Listed as credibly accused by: Diocese of Davenport, Iowa Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky Diocese of Stockton, California

Click here to view the full list as shared by the Diocese.