CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Diocese of Corpus Christi is joining Texas Catholic dioceses from all over the state to release the names of priests that have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors dating back to 1950.
The groundbreaking decision between the bishops across the state was made in September of 2018 as an effort to restore trust in the Catholic Church and promote healing.
The list has been compiled over the last several months from 1,320 Catholic parishes in Texas. According to the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops the list will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
Below are the names listed released Thursday by the Diocese of Corpus Christi:
RELIGIOUS ORDER CLERICS & EXTERN CLERICS
(Clerics not from the Diocese of Corpus Christi)
Name:
Bishop Joseph V. Sullivan
Date of Birth:
8/15/1919
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/1/1946 (Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph)
Episcopal ordination: 4/3/1967 (Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph; Diocese of Baton Rouge)
Extern cleric who visited the Diocese of Corpus Christi
Current Status:
Deceased 9/4/1982
Name:
Rev. Russell Gerard Appleby, MSF
Date of Birth:
10/3/1934
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 3/26/1966 (Missionaries of the Holy Family)
Current Status:
Removed from ministry in Diocese of Corpus Christi, September 1983
Name:
Rev. Robert J. Bedrosian, MSF
Date of Birth:
7/7/1937
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination:3/26/1965 (Missionaries of the Holy Family)
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1979
Left Missionaries of the Holy Family order 1982
Name:
Rev. John M. Fiala, SOLT
Date of Birth:
10/14/1960
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/2/1984 (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity)
Current Status:
Criminal conviction (I): 5/17/12
Criminal conviction (II): 12/2/2014
Deceased 2017
Name:
Rev. Edward J. Horan, SOLT
Date of Birth:
3/1/1918
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/27/1987 (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity)
Current Status:
Retired 1996
Deceased 1997
Name:
Rev. Patrick Koch, SJ
Date of Birth:
11/8/1927
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/12/1957 (Society of Jesus)
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1966
Deceased 9/9/2006
Name:
Rev. Eusebio (“Chevy”) Pantoja, CMF
Date of Birth:
Unknown
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 1968 (Claretian Missionaries)
Current Status:
Removed from ministry in Diocese of Corpus Christi 1980
Expelled from Claretian Order 1980
Name:
Rev. Alfredo Prado, OMI
Date of Birth:
1930
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 1958 (Oblate of Mary Immaculate)
Current Status:
Suspended 1991
Name:
Rev. Christopher Joseph Springer, CSSR
Date of Birth:
11/7/1925
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/26/1952 (Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer)
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1971
CLERICS FROM OR INCARDINATED INTO THE DIOCESE OF CORPUS CHRISTI
Name:
Rev. Jerome Caponi
Date of Birth:
9/15/1925
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/11/1960 (Order of St. Benedict)
Incardinated into Diocese of Corpus Christi 1971
Excardinated from Diocese of Corpus Christi 1982
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1982
Deceased 2/27/2009
Name:
Msgr. Hugh Clarke
Date of Birth:
12/30/1924
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 7/16/ 1950 (Dublin, Ireland)
Incardinated into Diocese of Corpus Christi 8/15/1975
Current Status:
Retired 1997
Deceased 12/16/2002
Name:
Rev. William Daly
Date of Birth:
4/21/1924
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/17/1957 (Ordained in Dublin, Ireland for the Diocese of Corpus Christi)
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1971
Deceased 11/9/1982
Name:
Rev. Domingo De Llano
Date of Birth:
10/19/1939
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 5/28/1966 (Ordained in Laredo, TX for the Diocese of Corpus Christi)
Current Status:
Retired 1999
Deceased 5/4/2013
Name:
Rev. Steven T. Dougherty
Date of Birth:
10/11/1956
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/14/2003 (Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity)
Incardinated into Diocese of Corpus Christi 7/8/2008
Current Status:
Removed from ministry 12/16/2011
Criminal conviction: 2/28/2018
Name:
Rev. John J. Feminelli
Date of Birth:
10/12/1946
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/6/1987 (Corpus Christi, TX)
Current Status:
Retired 4/16/2007
Name:
Rev. Adelhard M. Francois
Date of Birth:
Unknown
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 2/24/1935, Wuerzburg, Bavaria (Mariannhill Missionary Society)
Incardinated into Diocese of Corpus Christi: 1/14/1950
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1959
Name:
Rev. J. Frank Gomez
Date of Birth:
10/28/1928
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 5/27/1961 (Corpus Christi, TX)
Excardinated from Diocese of Corpus Christi 1965
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1965
Name:
Rev. Clement Hageman
Date of Birth:
Unknown
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/10/1930, St. Meinrad, IN
Current Status:
Removed from ministry in Diocese of Corpus Christi April 1939
Deceased 7/2/1975
Name:
Msgr. Michael Heras
Date of Birth:
6/7/1958
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/15/1984 (Corpus Christi, TX)
Current Status:
Removed from ministry 6/24/2014
Name:
Rev. Jesus Garcia Hernando
Date of Birth:
10/7/1960
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/22/1984, Burgos, Spain
Incardinated into Diocese of Corpus Christi: 1/10/1994
Excardinated from Diocese of Corpus Christi: 2/11/2000
Current Status:
Removed from ministry 9/15/1994
Name:
Rev. Flover Antonio Osorio Herrera
Date of Birth:
10/7/1954
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 3/19/1985 (Diocese of Villavicencio, Meta, Columbia)
Incardinated into Diocese of Corpus Christi 12/4/2003
Current Status:
Removed from ministry 10/29/2007
Name:
Rev. Peter J. Hughes
Date of Birth:
Unknown
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/10/1956 (Ordained in Carlow, Ireland for the Diocese of Corpus Christi)
Current Status:
Left Diocese of Corpus Christi 1963
Deceased 12/7/1990
Name:
Msgr. William J. Kelly
Date of Birth:
10/11/1916
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/24/1944 (Ordained in Dublin, Ireland for the Diocese of Corpus Christi)
Current Status:
Deceased 3/12/1983
Name:
Msgr. William C. Kinlough
Date of Birth:
8/29/1918
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 6/20/1943 (Ordained in Ireland for the Diocese of Corpus Christi)
Current Status:
Retired 1999
Deceased 9/29/2000
Name:
Rev. Msgr. Thomas Meany
Date of Birth:
5/12/1928
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 5/31/1955 (Corpus Christi, TX)
Current Status:
Retired 2004
Deceased 7/20/2008
Name:
Rev. Robert Trevino
Date of Birth:
11/10/1958
Ordination & Prior Status:
Ordination: 12/28/1985 (Corpus Christi, TX)
Current Status:
Removed from ministry 1995
Laicized 12/6/2012
Corpus Christi Bishop Michael Mulvey sat down for a one-on-one interview with Kiii News Anchor Joe Gazin to discuss the release of the names and what it means for the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
“This is an action in response to the faithful’s call for greater accountability and transparency,” said Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, archbishop of Galveston-Houston. "Every bishop in our state has made a statement expressing his concern for all who have been hurt and I want to express my personal sorrow at such fundamental violations of trust that have happened. We are completely committed to eradicating the evil of sexual abuse in the church and promoting healing among the faithful and those injured by this crime.”
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops say by releasing the names of priests that this decision is just part of a continuing effort to provide an even safer environment for children. The group has organized a plan of action to help prevent the sexual abuse of minors by implementing policies and practices in each diocese in Texas.
RELATED: 40 Catholic priests named in Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s ‘credibly accused’ sex abuse list
RELATED: Dallas Diocese releases 31 names of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse: Here are their names