Former Hamden Clergy Named To Archidiocese Sex Abuse List

HARTFORD, CT — The Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford has named clergy members who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor from 1953 to the present time. There have been 36 credibly accused Archdiocese clergy members. Of that 23 of them are deceased.

Six clergy members who served in Hamden were named on the list. Stephen Bzdyra served as an assistant at St. Rita. He was removed from the ministry in 2010 and laicized in 2018.

Stephen Crowley served as a temp. administrator at Ascension. He was removed from the ministry in 2002 and died in 2016.

Paul Gotta served as an assistant pastor, temp. administrator and assistant pastor at St. Rita. He was removed from the ministry in 2013 and a canonical process is underway.

John Graham served as assistant pastor at St. Ann. He died in 1983 before a single claim filed against him in 2003.

Louis Paturzo served as an assistant pastor at Blessed Sacrament. He was removed from the ministry in 2002 and laicized in 2008.

Joseph Rozint served as a co-pastor and administrator at St. Rita and a pastor at Ascension. He abandoned the ministry in 1993 and died in 2009.

The report doesn't specifically detail where the reported abuse occurred. Clergy members typically serve in several different capacities and areas over the course of their career.

There have been 142 settled claims involving 29 clergy members and three priests from other dioceses. The total amount of settlements is $50.6 million to date and 98 percent of settlements occurred for abuse before 1990. Of that $26.1 million was paid form insurance recoveries and $24.5 million the the General Reserve Fund of the Archdiocese.

Many of the clergy members were the subject of civil lawsuits. The criminal statute of limitations had expired before most of the incidents became known, according to a statement from the diocese. In the last 20 years two priests were criminally charged and prosecuted.

Archbishop Leonard Blair said that the Archdiocese has hired retired state Superior Court Judge Antonio Robaina to conduct an independent investigation into claims of sexual abuse by clergy members and to detail the Archdiocese's response.

"For the Catholic Church this is a very challenging time inasmuch as the great crime and sin of sexual abuse continues to cast a very dark cloud over the Church's leadership and her clergy," Blair said.

The Bridgeport diocese took similar steps recently too. It released a list of names of those credibly accused of sexual abuse and disclosed that more than $52 million in settlements had been paid. It also has hired a legal team to conduct an independent review.