Former Hartford 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.

19 clergy members who served in Hartford and/or East Hartford were named on the list. Stephen Crowley served as an assistant pastor at Immaculate Conception. He was removed from the ministry in 2002 and died in 2016.

Robert Doyle served as an assistant pastor at St. Peter and a pastor at St. Augustine. He died in 1975 before a single claim was brought against him in 2009.

Ivan Ferguson served as a chaplain at Hartford Hospital. He was removed from the ministry in 1993 and died in 2002.

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

Thomas Glynn served as chaplain at House of Good Shepherd. He retired in 1987 and died in 1993.

Philip Hussey served as assistant pastor at St. Lawrence O'Toole. He died in 1978.

Edward Hyland served as a temp. chaplain at Hartford Hospital. He was removed from the ministry in 2002 and laicized in 2016.

Joseph Lacy served at St. Michael and St. Luke. He died in 1990 before claims were made against him.

Richard McGann served as chaplain at Hartford Hospital. He was removed from the ministry in 2005.

Daniel McSheffery served as an assistant pastor at St. Augustine. He was removed from the ministry in 2002 and died in 2014.

Peter Mitchell served as chaplain at St. Francis Hospital. He was removed from the ministry subsequent to retirement in 2001. He died in 2016.

Howard Nash served as temp. co-pastor at St. Michael. He died in 2001 before a claim was filed against him in 2003.

Luis Paturzo served at Sacred Heart, St. Augustine and St. Lawrence O'Toole. He was removed from the ministry in 2002 and laicized in 2008.

Arthur Perrault served as assistant pastor at Blessed Sacrament in East Hartford. He was removed from the ministry in 1965 and later joined the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

William Przybylo served as pastor of SS. Cyril and Methodius. He was removed from the ministry in 2008.

George Raffaeta served as chaplain at Hartford Hospital. He was removed from the ministry in 2002 and died in 2010.

Kenneth Shiner served as an assistant at Cathedral of St. Joseph. He was removed from the ministry in 2001 and laicized in 2016.

Edward Reardon served as assistant pastor at St. Anthony. He died in 1991.

Peter Zizka was a pastor at St. Isaac Jogues in East Hartford. He was removed from the ministry in 1999 and laicized in 2001.

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.