35 Joliet Area Priests Had 'Credible' Child Sex Abuse Allegations

JOLIET, IL - Over the weekend, the Diocese of Joliet circulated a letter from Bishop Daniel Conlon regarding the child abuse scandal in Pennsylvania that made national news. "This week the Pennsylvania Grand Jury released a report which details allegations of child abuse over a period of 70 years. The numbers are staggering," Conlon's statement informed Roman Catholics across the Joliet diocese. "Words cannot adequately express the level of anger, pain and humiliation felt by people of faith, including myself."

Conlon's letter went on to explain that the Joliet diocese just passed an audit conducted by the FBI to review the application and management of criminal background checks. Additionally, Conlon reminded everyone that "the diocese first published a list of diocesan priests with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors over a decade ago. It can be found on our website. I pledge to you that anyone with a credible allegation will not be returned to ministry." Here is Bishop Conlon's full letter.

Over the weekend, Patch visited the Joliet diocese's website and realized that the data about Joliet's troubled priests is indeed posted on the church's website, but it is not easy for the public to find.

Utilizing the data, here's a listing of the priests "with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of minors made against them while serving in the Joliet diocese." The document was last updated October 2016.

1. JAMES "JIM" BURNETT
Ordained 1968
Removed from ministry in 2006

2. ANDREW BUCZYNA
Ordained 1987
Removed from ministry in 2008

3. PHILIP DEDERA
Ordained 1972
Removed from ministry in 2002

4. WILLIAM DUGAL
Ordained 1972
Removed from ministry in 2002, died in 2009

5. LOWELL FISCHER
Ordained 1954
Removed from ministry in 2002, died in 2006.

6. ALEJANDRO FLORES
Ordained 2009
Removed from ministry in 2010

7. SALVATORE 'SAL' FORMUSA
Ordained 1935
Removed from ministry 2002, died in 2006

8. JAMES FREDERICK
Ordained 1959
Died 1988

9. JOHN FURDEK
Ordained 1984
Removed 2000

10. MICHAEL GIBBNEY
Ordained 1975
Removed 1992

11. LAWRENCE GIBBS
Ordained 1973
Removed 1992

12. CARROLL HOWLIN
Ordained 1961
Removed 2002, died 2005

13. FREDERICK LENCZYCKI
Ordained 1972
Removed 2002

14. JOHN MALZONE
Ordained 1955
LEFT THE MINISTRY: 1970, died 2008

15. LEONARDO MATEO
Ordained 1956
Removed Left diocese 1984, died 2004

16. ANTHONY MEIS
Ordained 1972
Removed 2002, died 2015

17. LAWRENCE MULLINS
Ordained 1977
Removed 1993

18. JAMES NOWAK
Ordained 1967
Removed 2012

19. DONALD O'CONNOR
Ordained 1964
Removed 2002, died 2011

20. DONALD POCK
Ordained 1958
Removed 2002, died 2004

21. EDWARD POFF
Ordained 1958
Removed 2002

22. ANTHONY ROSS
Ordained 1972
Removed 2002

Ross was ordained in Joliet but left in 1997 for the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California. Ross was removed from ministry by the Diocese of Santa Rosa in 2002.

23. RICHARD RUFFALO
Ordained 1959
Died in 1997

24. LEE RYAN
Ordained 1968
Removed 2010, died 2016

25. HENRY SLADE
Ordained 1969
Removed 1990, died 2016

26. JOHN SLOWN
Ordained 1959
Removed 1986

27. EDWARD STEFANICH
Ordained 1965
Removed 1987

28. CHARLES VAN DUREN
Ordained 1952
Died 1997
The diocese received a credible accusation(s) after his death.

29. MYLES WHITE
Ordained 1968
Removed 1992, died 2012

30. ARNO DENNERLEIN
Ordained 1969
Removed 2003
Listed as a priest with credible allegations with a continuing Canonical process

31. GERALD SIMONELLI
Ordained 1990
Removed 2010
Listed as a priest with credible allegations with a continuing Canonical process

32. WILLIAM "Bill" VIRTUE
Ordained 1975
Removed 2006,

Ordained in Joliet, sent to Diocese of Peoria in 1988, removed from ministry in 2006 by Peoria. Virtue is also listed as a priest with credible allegations with a continuing Canonical process.

33. PAUL DINAN
Ordained 1937
Died 1996
Listed as priest with credible allegations but unresolved; credible accusation(s) received after death.

34. JAMES STORM
Ordained 1952
Died 1974
Listed as priest with credible allegations but unresolved; credible accusation(s) received after death.

35. OLIVER WALSH
Ordained 1960
Died 1975
Listed as priest with credible allegations but unresolved; credible accusation(s) received after death.

RELATED COVERAGE:

Joliet Bishop Joseph Imesch Dies At 84

Joliet Priest Accused Of Sexual Abuse Dies At 83

Joliet Diocese To Release Sexual Abuse Documents

Convicted Pedophile: Former Joliet Diocese Priest Deported to Bolivia