Crime & Safety
Arlington Diocese Names Priests Accused Of Sexual Abuse
The diocese named priests who admitted guilt, were found guilty or had credible accusations against them.
ARLINGTON, VA—On Wednesday, Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington released names of priests credibly accused of sexual abuse against minors. The list covers the history of the diocese since its founding in 1974.
The diocese says independent examiners formerly with the FBI went through all clergy files. The Diocesan Review Board, which internally investigates allegations of sexual abuse, also reviewed the names and recommended they be published.
At the time the allegations were reported, the diocese reported the incidents to law enforcement before conducting its own internal investigations.
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Burbidge said in a statement promised to publish the list "in the hope that providing such a list might help some victims and survivors of clergy sexual abuse to find further healing and consolation."
The priests named on the diocese's list meet one of the following criteria: they admitted guilt, they were found guilty in a criminal court, civil court or by an ecclesiastical process, or the Arlington or Richmond Diocesan Review Board found the allegation credible.
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Priests incardinated in Diocese of Arlington
| Name | Year ordained or incardinated in Arlington Diocese | Status |
| Robert C. Brooks | Ordained 1961 in Richmond diocese, joined Arlington in 1974 | Removed from public ministry in 2004; retired |
| Christopher M. Buckner | 1980 | Accused of sexual abuse and removed from public ministry in 2007; Diocesan Review Board found accusation credible; retired in 2018 |
| Curtis L. Clark | 1984 | Laicized (loss of the clerical state) in 2004 |
| William J. Erbacher | 1987 | Removed from public ministry in 2001 |
| Andrew W. Krafcik | Ordained 1959 in Richmond diocese, joined Arlington in 1984 | Removed from public ministry in 2002; dismissed from clerical state in 2004 |
| John J. Munley | Ordained 1954 in Richmond diocese, joined Arlington in 1975 | Died in 1995 |
| Tran Dinh Nhi | Ordained 1971, joined Arlington in 1980 | Accused of sexual abuse and removed from public ministry in 2006; Diocesan Review Board found accusation credible |
| William T. Reinecke | Ordained 1965 in Richmond diocese, joined Arlington in 1974 | Died in 1992 |
| Stephen A. Roszel | 1977 | Removed from public ministry in 2003 |
Religious order priests
| Name | Ordination date | Status |
| Scott A. Asalone (Capuchin Friars, Capuchin Province of the Stigmata | 1983 | Removed from public ministry in 1993; dismissed from religious order in 2007 |
| Richard P. Baird (Missionaries of the Precious Blood) | 1940 | Died in 1996; posthumously accused; accusation found credible by Missionaries of the Precious Blood |
Richmond Diocese Priests Incardinated into Arlington Diocese
Incidents took place before Arlington Diocese founding in 1974
| Name | Year ordained and year incardinated into Arlington Diocese | Status |
| Harris M. Findlay | Ordained in 1941; joined Arlington in 1974 | Died in 1980 |
| Paul J. Kamerdze | Ordained in 1970; joined Arlington in 1974 | Died in 1984 |
| Robert L. Nudd | Ordained in 1949; joined Arlington in 1974 | Died in 1978 |
| John W. Rea | Ordained in 1945; joined Arlington in 1974 | Died in 2002 |
| Austin L. Ryder | Ordained in 1948; joined Arlington in 1974 | Died in 1981 |
The Diocese of Arlington covers 21 counties and seven cities in northern and central Virginia. The complete list of accused priests has been published on the Arlington Diocese website.
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