Rev. Earl J. Becwar, who was ordained in 1944 and died in 1991 and against whom allegations were made after his death; Rev. Norman J. Dukart, who was ordained in 1967 and who was permanently removed from ministry in 2002; Rev. Robert E. Feeney, who was ordained in 1956, died in 2006, and who was permanently removed from ministry in 2002; Rev. Theodore F. Gustin, who was ordained in 1957, died in 2006, and was permanently removed from ministry in 2002; Rev. Eugene J. Haspert, who was ordained in 1947, died in 1979, and against whom allegations were made after his death; Rev. Donald W. Hill, who was ordained in 1967, died in 2004, and was permanently removed from ministry in 2003; Rev. Michael T. Krank, who was ordained in 1952, permanently removed from ministry in 2004, and died in 2010; Rev. John H. Kuhn, who was ordained in 1943 and died in 2006; Rev. Hugh C. McGovern, who was ordained in 1950 and died in 1988 and against whom allegations were made after his death; Rev. Maurice McNeely, who was ordained in 1958, incardinated into the Diocese of Honolulu in 1982, and who died in 2017; Rev. Frederic J. Nelson, who was ordained in 1950, permanently removed from ministry in 1984, and died in 1988 and against whom allegations were made after his death; Rev. John J. Owens, who was ordained in 1960 and was permanently removed from ministry in 2010; Rev. James E. Reardon, who was ordained in 1965, permanently removed from ministry in 2002, and who died in 2007; Rev. Armour R. Roberts, who was ordained in 1955, died in 1989, and against whom allegations were made after his death; Rev. Aloysius P. Simon, who was ordained in 1950, was permanently removed from ministry in 1985, and died in 1991; Rev. Laurence R. Talty, who was ordained in 1945 and died in 1989; and Rev. Steven R. Zastoupil, who was ordained in 1961, was permanently removed from ministry in 2002, and who died in 2018. Extern clergy with substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor include: Rev. Victor J. Heinen, Order of Saint Benedict, who was ordained in 1936 and died in 1953 and against whom allegations were made after his death; Rev. Charles Meyer, Missionaries of the Precious Blood, who was ordained in 1931 and died in 1997; Rev. Michael A. Spegele, Missionaries of the Precious Blood, who was ordained in 1941 and died in 1998 and against whom allegations were made following his death; Rev. Robert Wuest, Missionaries of the Precious Blood, who was ordained in 1940, died in 1988, and against whom allegations were made following his death.

None of the allegations are recent, according to a press release from the diocese, and most of the accused are now deceased. The most recent of the allegations dates back to 1989.

“In the interest of transparency and accountability, I have chosen, as part of our ongoing process of reaching out to the diocesan community, to publicly identify those priests who have carried out ministry in the Diocese of Bismarck, and against whom there is a substantiated claim of sexual abuse of a minor,” said Bishop David Kagan in the press release.

According to the press release, “a substantiated claim is an allegation that a priest, deacon, monsignor or bishop sexually abused a minor during his appointment within the Diocese of Bismarck which the diocese determined is likely true.”

Those alleged to have been abusive were not necessarily charged or convicted of a crime.

“The Diocese of Bismarck remains committed to reaching out to victims of childhood sexual abuse within our diocese as well as doing all that we can to protect our youth from harm,” the diocese stated in the press release. “While one claim is one too many, the Church acknowledges her brokenness because of the action of a few and recognizes our responsibility for healing and reconciliation.

“This commitment means that no diocesan clergy member against whom there has been a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is currently in ministry. Any diocesan employee or volunteer (clergy or lay) who is found to have a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is permanently removed from ministry and employment. There have been no substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor alleged to have occurred after 1989 – a period of 30 years.

“This commitment includes a diocesan Safe Environment program. All adults who work with minors in the diocese must complete Safe Environment Training. Upon completion, they agree in writing to comply with the diocesan code of conduct and authorize a background check. Thousands of background checks on adults have been conducted by the diocese since 2003.”