Delaware Catholic Diocese Priest Sex Abuse List

List of Accused Priests in Delaware

There have been thousands of priests accused of sexual abuse throughout the United States, including hundreds in the state of Delaware. Catholic dioceses have been under review for years as more and more victims come forward, painting a picture of decades of sexual abuse.

A list of abusive priests released highlights just a small part of the problem in the Catholic Church. Injury Lawyer Team is dedicated to helping those abused or exploited by abusive priests through legal representation and expert guidance.

Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD

Edward B. Carley

• Settled
  

Allegations involved sexual abuse of boys spanning from the 1950s through the 1980s. Carley retired from ministry in 1993 and died in 1998. He was publicly named in 2005, and his name later appeared on a list of abusive priests released by the Diocese of Wilmington in 2006 as part of broader historical disclosures.

Paul Daleo

• Settled
  

Accused of molesting two youths, Daleo was confronted with allegations in 1993 and sent for treatment. He later left his religious order in 2003. Despite leaving the order, he continued performing sacramental functions including baptisms, funerals, and weddings. His case was resolved through settlement connected to the abuse allegations.

Francis P. Cornely

• Accused
  

A credible allegation of abuse was acknowledged, and his name was first released publicly on November 16, 2006, when Bishop Saltarelli issued a list of abusive priests. Cornely had died in 1975. His personnel file was later released in February 2012 as part of diocesan transparency measures.

Francis G. DeLuca

• Convicted
  

Multiple allegations of abuse dating to the 1960s led to his removal from ministry, counseling, and retirement. DeLuca was accused of abusing a boy aged 10 or 11 in 1955 at Camp Tekakwitha in Lake Luzerne, New York. Criminal proceedings resulted in conviction related to the abuse.

Eugene F. Clarahan

• Sued
  

Clarahan was named on the Diocese of Wilmington’s 2006 list of abusive priests released by Bishop Saltarelli. He had been removed from ministry in 1993. Three separate civil lawsuits were filed in 2008 alleging sexual abuse occurring during the 1950s and 1960s.

Henry J. Dreyer

• Accused
  

Dreyer retired from ministry in 1966 and died in 1969. A credible allegation of abuse was later identified, and his name was publicly released on November 16, 2006, on the Diocese of Wilmington’s list of abusive priests. His personnel file was subsequently released in February 2012.

Gerald M. Dunne

• Sued
  

A former student filed a civil lawsuit against Dunne in 2009 alleging sexual abuse. Dunne denied the allegations. The matter entered civil litigation, and no criminal conviction was reported in connection with the claims.

Robert Drelich

• Settled
  

Drelich was one of twelve members of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales identified with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse. The Oblates in Delaware and Pennsylvania reached a global settlement in 2011 totaling $24.8 million with 40 victims, resolving claims associated with his conduct.

Edward F. Dudzinski Jr.

• Settled
  

Prior to ordination, diocesan leadership was aware of concerns regarding Dudzinski’s behavior involving boys. He was later placed on leave and probation. After a 1989 civil lawsuit, he surrendered his counseling license following action by the Virginia Board of Counseling. His case was resolved through settlement.

Richard F. Gardiner

• Accused
  

A credible allegation of abuse was identified, and his name was first released publicly on November 16, 2006, on the Diocese of Wilmington’s list of abusive priests. Gardiner died on October 10, 1989. His personnel file was later released in February 2012.

Peter P. Harney

• Sued
  

Originally from Ireland, Harney was educated at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and spent his entire clerical career in Maryland and Delaware. He died in 2000. Allegations against him later entered civil litigation, placing his conduct into the public record.

John X. Harvey

• Settled
  

Harvey was among twelve Oblates of St. Francis de Sales with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse. His case was included in the 2011 global settlement in which the Oblates in Delaware and Pennsylvania resolved claims brought by 40 victims for a total of $24.8 million.

Richard N. Grant

• Settled
  

He was accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a high school student between 1982 and 1984, beginning when the boy was 16 years old. Grant later became a parish priest in 1992. He died of AIDS in 1993. The abuse allegations were resolved through settlement.

John F. Heckel

• Settled
  

Accused of sexual abuse by one individual at Salesianum High School in 1969, Heckel was identified in disclosures by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. His case was included in the 2011 settlement resolving abuse claims brought by 40 victims for $24.8 million.

Harold F. Hermley

• Settled
  

Hermley was accused of abusing a boy between 1970 and 1973 while the victim attended Salesianum School. The abuse also occurred during overnight visits to New Jersey and Philadelphia. Hermley died in 1983. The allegations were later resolved through settlement.

Douglas W. Dempster

• Settled
  

Dempster was removed from ministry in 1993 after handling allegations involving his close friend, Rev. Frank DeLuca. In 2023, a civil lawsuit was filed against him personally in connection with his actions related to abuse investigations. The matter was resolved through settlement.

William E. Irwin

• Accused
  

An anonymous caller alleged that Irwin had committed child abuse years earlier. Following the allegation, he was removed from active ministry and prohibited from functioning as a priest. The disclosure acknowledged the allegation without further public details regarding assignments or dates.

Dennis Killion

• Settled
  

Allegations arose that four boys were sexually abused at Salesianum High School in Wilmington. In 2011, two men reached settlements with the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales for $700,000 each. Killion’s case was included among those resolved through these agreements.

Alfred John Lind Jr.

• Settled
  

Known as Jack Lind, he was accused of abusing two boys in their early teens between 1963 and 1965. Lind was removed from active ministry in 1966. His name later appeared on the Diocese of Wilmington’s list of abusive priests released in January 2006.

Kenneth J. Martin

• Guilty plea
  

Martin was arrested in 2001 on charges of sexually abusing a boy at Loyola Blakefield High School in Towson, Maryland. He entered a guilty plea and received probation before judgment for five years. He was not required to register as a sex offender as part of the disposition.

Leonard J. Mackiewicz

• Sued
  

In 2008, a man filed a civil lawsuit alleging abuse in 1970. That same year, a woman filed a separate lawsuit alleging abuse in 1966 when she was 13 years old. The claims proceeded through civil litigation without reported criminal convictions.

John M. McDevitt

• Settled
  

Known as Jack McDevitt, he was accused of abusing a student at Salesianum School during the 1985 to 1986 academic year. McDevitt died in 1999. His case was included in the $24.8 million global settlement reached in 2011 involving 40 victims.

George A. Mahoney

• Sued
  

Mahoney served at Northeast Catholic High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and at Salesianum School in Delaware. He was accused of sexually abusing a girl and another girl at Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Centreville, Delaware, in 1960. The allegations entered civil litigation.

Harold V. McGovern

• Settled
  

McGovern was one of twelve Oblates with substantiated allegations of abuse included in the 2011 settlement with the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in Delaware and Pennsylvania. He served as pastor and sole priest at Holy Cross Church in Kernersville, North Carolina, from 1980 to 1986.

Joseph A. McGovern

• Accused
  

Removed from ministry in 1986, McGovern was sent to Philadelphia for further study. He was later included in the 2005 Philadelphia Grand Jury Report, which documented clergy abuse allegations and diocesan responses.

Timothy F. Mullen

• Sued
  

Bishop Neumann Academy accused Mullen of being a sexual predator. The Norbertine order responded by reassigning him rather than reporting the allegations to civil authorities or issuing public warnings. The allegations later became the subject of civil litigation.

Francis L. Norris

• Settled
  

A lawsuit filed in 2007 alleged Norris attempted to rape a boy attending Salesianum School in 1962. In 2009, three additional plaintiffs filed lawsuits alleging abuse at the same school. The claims were ultimately resolved through settlement.

John Francis O’Brien

• Sued
  

A parish priest, O’Brien was accused of sexually abusing an anonymous plaintiff in the early 1960s. The allegation entered civil litigation, and diocesan records indicated his personnel file was scheduled for release in November 2009.

James W. O’Neill

• Settled
  

Removed from ministry in 2003, O’Neill was accused of sexually abusing a youth over a period spanning 1976 to 1985. He admitted to the abuse. At the time a civil lawsuit was filed, he was living in a monitored setting under church supervision. The matter was resolved through settlement, concluding civil proceedings related to the admitted conduct.

William J. Porter

• Accused
  

A parish priest, Porter was removed from ministry and had his faculties suspended following an allegation of sexual misconduct involving a teenager that reportedly occurred 38 years earlier. The diocesan action formally restricted his clerical authority while addressing the historical allegation.

Henry A. Paul

• Settled
  

Paul was one of twelve members of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales identified with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse. His case was included in a global settlement announced by the Oblates in Delaware and Pennsylvania, resolving claims brought by 40 victims through civil litigation.

Walter D. Power

• Sued
  

Bishop Saltarelli released Power’s name in 2006 on a list of credibly accused retired priests. A civil lawsuit was filed against him in 2008, followed by an additional suit in 2010. The allegations entered the public record through these legal actions.

James Edward Richardson

• Reinstated
  

Richardson was placed on leave in 2009 after an anonymous plaintiff filed a civil lawsuit alleging abuse. He denied all allegations. Later that same year, the Diocese restored his faculties, returning him to active ministry following review of the matter.

Francis J. Rogers

• Accused
  

Initially accused in 1981 of sexually abusing a minor, Rogers was kept in ministry and sent to counseling. He was later removed from ministry in 2003. His name appeared on the Diocese of Wilmington list of accused priests released on November 16, 2006, and he opposed release of his personnel file in February 2012.

John A. Sarro

• Charged
  

A credible allegation of abuse arose from conduct in the early 1980s while Sarro was working in Papua New Guinea. He was removed from ministry in 1998. In January 2018, he was criminally charged with fondling and raping a girl under the age of 16, initiating formal criminal proceedings.

Carmen D. Vignola

• Sued
  

A civil lawsuit was filed in 2008 alleging that Vignola sexually abused a 14-year-old boy. The claim proceeded through civil litigation, placing the allegation into the public record.

Patrick J. Shannon

• Accused
  

Accusations of sexual abuse surfaced in 1973 within the Diocese of Wilmington, leading to Shannon being placed on leave from ministry. He was later included on the Diocese of Harrisburg list of accused clergy released on August 1, 2018, reflecting recognition of the allegation across jurisdictions.

Harry Dean Walker

• Accused
  

In 2010, a man alleged that Walker sexually abused him when he was a 15-year-old parishioner at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Salisbury, Maryland, during the 1960s. Walker was laicized in 2012. Despite laicization, he continued to be referred to publicly using the clerical title.

Harry Peter Weaver

• Accused
  

Weaver’s name appeared on a list of accused priests whose personnel files were scheduled for release in November 2009 as part of the Diocese of Wilmington bankruptcy proceedings. He died in 2016. According to his obituary, he later worked professionally as a counselor.

Charles W. Wiggins

• Sued
  

Removed from ministry in 2003, Wiggins resided in Norwood, Pennsylvania. A civil lawsuit alleging sexual abuse was filed against him in 2009. The suit was dismissed in 2010 due to failure to timely serve, concluding the litigation without adjudication.

About Clergy Sexual Abuse

Clergy sexual abuse involves the abuse or exploitation of church members under the care or guidance of a priest. Often, it includes the repeated sexual abuse of a child or vulnerable adult.

In 2018, Delaware launched a widespread probe in the Catholic Church in an attempt to identify priests or clergy members responsible for child sexual misconduct and abuse. The official investigation found an extensive list of abusive priests, including substantiated allegations from hundreds of victims. Victims of abuse by priests or clergy members may be eligible to file a civil suit through the Delaware legal system.

Legal Support for Survivors in Delaware

The Delaware legal system presumes those accused of abuse to be innocent until proven guilty. The right legal team is crucial in building a case and seeking justice against abusive priests.

Legal support can help victims seek criminal and civil justice. Catholic priests charged criminally may be subject to jail time and criminal fines. Civil claims allow victims to seek compensation for damages incurred through sexual abuse or misconduct in the church.

Laws and Regulations in Delaware

The Catholic Church has tried to shield itself from mandatory reporting laws, claiming that requiring priests to report child sex abuse they learned about through confession goes against pastor-member privilege. However, Delaware lawmakers have been pushing to change this. House Bill 74 was introduced in 2023 but has not reached the necessary avenues or been signed into law.

Delaware abolished the statute of limitations for sex abuse lawsuits in 2007. Previously, victims of child sex abuse had just two years to file a civil suit. Currently, there is no Delaware statute of limitations on filing a sexual abuse case from a criminal act against a minor.

Delaware has many laws in place to help protect victims of reported abuse, including the Delaware Child Victims Act of 2007. This amended law makes it easier for victims of child sexual abuse to seek damages through a civil trial.

Filing a Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuit in Delaware

If you or a loved one was the victim of clergy sexual abuse, you may have legal options available. File a claim with the following steps:

• Initial Consultation – An initial consultation with Injury Lawyer Team is the first step to getting your suit filed.
• Case Review and Evidence Collection – Our legal team takes the necessary steps in investigating allegations and collecting evidence to build a strong case. This may also include reporting the priests or clergy members accused of abuse to the necessary departments. Reporting abuse ensures the person accused is properly investigated.
• Consider Settlement Offer – It’s not uncommon for the Roman Catholic Church to try to settle a civil suit filed in court to avoid further publicity. While a claim settled can be a cost-effective approach to serving justice, it may not be the right legal route for everyone.
• Prepare for Trial – If the available civil or private settlements don’t appropriately cover your damages, our legal team will prepare for trial.

Contact Injury Lawyer Team today for a free, confidential consultation.

Support Resources for Survivors in Delaware

Victims of sexual abuse may suffer from the effects for many years or decades. Support resources are available for Delaware survivors, including:

• YWCA Sexual Assault Response Center (SARC): The YWCA response center offers crisis services in New Castle and Sussex Counties to sexual abuse victims 12 years and older.
• Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence: The Delaware Alliance Against Sexual Violence is a state coalition focused on supporting and intervening in cases of sexual abuse.
• Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware: The Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware helps children work through sexual abuse.
• Catholic Diocese of Wilmington: The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington offers reporting tools and resources to those who have been sexually abused by priests or clergy members.

Legal support services can also help survivors explore their civil trial options. Victim advocates and support services can help survivors work through years of sexual abuse in the ministry.

Notable Cases and Outcomes in Delaware

The list of accused priests shows a long history of alleged abuse in the state of Delaware. One of the biggest and most notable cases of clergy sexual abuse in Delaware involves the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, DE. Over 130 lawsuits were filed against the Wilmington Diocese. A court also ruled that St. Francis De Sales Parish, a part of the Wilmington diocese, was liable under the state’s Child Victims Act, eventually leading to the Wilmington diocese’s bankruptcy filing.

The abuse extended to numerous priests accused of sexual abuse, a youth pastor, associate pastor, a youth minister, and even a drug and alcohol counselor. Such claims have given more victims the confidence necessary to come forward about other abusive clergy members.

In total, Delaware dioceses settled over 145 filed suits of alleged abuse. However, it’s likely there are still many victims who haven’t yet come forward.

Our attorneys have reviewed public and private settlement data related to Delaware clergy abuse settlements. Depending on the circumstances of your case, these cases may be fairly valued in the $400,000 to $950,000 range. In cases of extreme conduct or cases that go to trial, damages could exceed $1 million.

Why Choose Injury Lawyer Team?

Injury Lawyer Team is committed to helping those affected by those accused of abuse in the Catholic priesthood. Church members put their trust in the Catholic Clergy, and abusive priests break that trust. Our clergy sexual abuse team has a proven track record of helping victims hold those responsible accountable.

We offer a compassionate, discreet approach to legal counseling that ensures justice against abusive members of the Catholic clergy. Our experienced legal team gives a voice to victims, helping to connect them to the support and legal services they need.

Contact a Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawyer

If you or a loved one suffered abuse or exploitation in the Catholic Church, you may still have legal options available. Hold abusive clergy members accountable by reporting the abuse and filing a civil suit today.

Whether you’re seeking justice from a clergy member of the Wilmington Presbyterian Church or want to bring a history of abuse against a former Roman Catholic priest to light, we have the expertise you need during this difficult time. It’s time for those accused of abuse to take responsibility for their actions.

Contact Injury Lawyer Team today for a free consultation at 866-757-6452. You can also fill out our online form to have one of our legal members contact you.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.