It happened in California -- and in the Santa Rosa Diocese.
Many children have been sexually abused by Catholic priests over many decades.
If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest, or someone employed by the Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa, we can help. Our attorneys have decades of experience helping abuse survivors.
DIOCESE OF SANTA ROSA CA: 25 CREDIBLY ACCUSED*
Important: On March 13, 2023, the Diocese of Santa Rosa filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. This means that if you were abused by someone from the Santa Rosa Diocese, you may file a claim through the federal bankruptcy court. We can help you.
The following is a list of credibly accused, clergy sex-abusers from the Santa Rosa Diocese. The names below do not represent a complete list and are not the only cases of abuse being investigated. *Source: Bishop Accountability.com, public records.
Ordained: 1969
Ordained for Diocese of Santa Rosa. Excardinated to Honolulu June 18, 1984. Accused of abusing a boy at St Anthony's School in Kailua, Hawaii from 1978-81. Bolger was teacher at the school. Civil suit filed May 8, 2013. The same plaintiff says he was abused by Bishop Ferrario while Ferrario was still a priest at St. Anthony's. Possibly named as accused (but not defendant) in original suit against Ferrario. Died Jan. 7, 2015 in Tijuana, Mexico, where he had been living. Fr. Bolger’s name appears on Santa Rosa Diocese's list of credibly accused abusers, Jan. 12, 2019. Santa Rosa’s list notes that Bolger was accused in 1994 of abusing a minor from 1972-73, and that Honolulu was notified in 1994. Accused in one or more lawsuits sometime between 2019-2022.
Ordained: 1958
Per a September 2008 article, Fr. John J. Brenkle was placed on leave in 2005 after the father of a St. Helena boy complained that he had molested his 7th grade son in about 1995. Brenkle denied the allegation. He was investigated and exonerated by the diocese, then returned to ministry. Brenkle said he had a letter from the youth saying that nothing happened. Brenkle was chairman of the diocese's Lay Review Board. Brenkle retired in 2013.
Ordained: 1996
Accused in a lawsuit sometime between 2020-2022 of the sexual abuse of a minor. The Plaintiff claimed Corley sexually assaulted him twice at age 7 in 1977 at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Windsor, California. Corley died of AIDS in 1990. Per his obituary, Corley was assigned to St. Eugene's 1966-67, St. Bernard's in Eureka 1967-71, Holy Spirit in Santa Rosa 1971-74. He was pastor of St. Anthony's in Mendocino 1974-77, administrator of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Windsor (1977-83) and pastor until 1989 of Our Lady, Queen of Peace in Clearlake, California.
Ordained: 1971
Fr. John S. Crews served as Executive Director of Hanna Boys Center in Sebastopol beginning 1984. He resigned Feb. 6, 2013, after report of an inappropriate relationship with a minor male from 1971-75. Prior to the Hanna Boys Center, Crews was assigned to St. Sebastian's Roman Catholic Church in Sebastopol and St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Cotati. One alleged victim is deceased; the matter was reported by his widow to the Sheriff's office prior to notification to diocese. Crews’ name appears on the diocese's list released Jan. 12, 2019. It notes "no assignment" and that he retired in 2013. In April 2017, two men stated publicly that Crews sexually abused them when they were teenage Hanna Boys Center residents, one from 1999-2001, the other from 1984-1985. In April 2019, Crews was living in South Carolina. Accused in new lawsuit(s) in 2022. One settlement in 2022 with a man who claimed abuse by Crews and other Hannah Center staff over three years, beginning when he was age 11.
Ordained: 1943
From Ireland. Ordained for Diocese of Sacramento. Incardinated into the Santa Rosa Diocese when it was created in 1962. Retired Aug. 21, 1989. Died April 15, 1991. A man filed civil suit in November 2002, against diocese alleging abuse as a boy by Gleeson from 1968-72, when Gleeson was pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Calistoga, California. The Diocese said there were no previous accusations against Gleeson. Two cases settled in June 2005 as part of $7.3M deal with eight people. Gleeson’s name appears on the diocese's list released Jan. 12, 2019. Civil lawsuits were filed by five men in December 2019 under the California Child Victims Act, claiming abuse as altar boys.
Ordained: 1949
Named as accused on the Diocese of Santa Rosa's list Jan. 12, 2019. Fr. Patrick A. Hannon was noted to have been an order priest, without specifying. Accused in 2000 of abuse in 1981. Worked in the diocese from 1980-81. Died in 1993.
Ordained: 1971
Named publicly as accused by the Satna Rosa Diocese on its list Jan. 12, 2019. Accused in 1999 of abuse occurring from 1971-99. Suspended Oct. 24, 1999. Laicized Oct. 15, 2004.
Ordained: 1969
Placed on leave 1990, accused of abuse of boys and girls. Civil suit settled in 2000 for $1.6M. Other suits also settled. Convicted of child molestation in June 2002; sentenced to 7 years in prison for abuse of a 13 year-old-girl in 1981. Same trial found him innocent of raping another girl. The state Supreme Court overturned the law under which he was criminally convicted. Laicized in 2002; died Sept. 15, 2006. Several settlements in 2005 and 2006. On diocese's list Jan. 12, 2019, noting allegations in 1990, of abuse in the 1980s. Suits filed in December 2019 under the CA Child Victims Act claiming abuse of two minors, ages 16 and 17.
Fr. Patrick Joseph McCabe
Ordained: 1961
Fr. Patrick Joseph McCabe is rom the Diocese of Dublin, Ireland; abused there. Arrived in California in 1983 (Santa Rosa, Sacramento and Stockton). Removed when parents complained of children sitting on McCabe’s lap during confession. Faculties removed 1987. Laicized 1988. Interpol found him in Alameda, California in 2003; interviewed in 2007 by the Gardai, national police force of the Irish Republic. Arrested August 2010 for the abuse of six boys in Ireland from 1973-1981. Four U.S. lawsuits in September 2010. Three men settled in March 2012 for $550K. McCabe was extradited to Ireland on June 5, 2011. McCabe was sentenced in March 2013 to 18 months jail in Ireland; released for time served. McCabe is the subject of 21 complaints, per Murphy Report. McCabe’s name appears on the Santa Rosa diocese's abusers’ list of Jan. 12, 2019. It notes he abused in the diocese. McCabe worked in Santa Rosa from 1983-86 and was removed Feb. 27, 1986.
Ordained: 1965
Named publicly as accused by the diocese on its Jan. 12, 2019 list. Accused in the 1960s, on leave 1971, laicized on May 23, 1975. Died April 21, 2009.
Ordained: Ordained: 1973
Named publicly as accused on the Santa Rosa diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list. Ordained of the Diocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Worked in Santa Rosa 1983-84. Accused in 1993 of abuse in 1983. Died in Ocotober 2002.
Ordained: 1972
In September 1996, five former altar boys accused Fr. Vincent O'Neill of abusing them when they were age 13 in the 1970s. O'Neill resigned two months later. Charges were leveled, and church officials suspended him during the investigation. Diocese settled with the five in January 1997 for an undisclosed sum. In March 1997, it was announced that O'Neill had a brain tumor and had only weeks to live. He died Nov. 12, 1998. O’Neill’s name appears on the diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list of abusers. O’Neill was accused in one or more lawsuits between 2019-2022.
Fr. Francisco Xavier Ochoa
Ordained: 1969
Fr. Francisco Xavier Ochoa was ordained in Mexico for the Jesuits; began working in the Santa Rosa diocese in 1988, incardinated there July 11, 1991. Ochoa admitted in April 2006 to a recent incident of sexual misconduct involving a boy; Ochoa was placed on leave in May 2006. Ochaoa admitted a past history to the bishop. Other accusers came forward. Ochoa fled to Mexico before the bishop reported Ochoa to police. Two civil suits filed in October 2006. The diocese and bishop settled with 10 plaintiffs in September 2007 for a little over $5M. A federal arrest warrant for Ochoa was issued on July 27, 2008. Ochoa was harged with 10 counts of forced sodomy and forced oral copulation. Ochoa never returned to the United States to face charges. Ochoa was laicized on June 29, 2009. He died in Mexico on Nov. 30, 2009. Ochoa’s name appears on the diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list of credibly accused abusers. A lawsuit was filed in December 2019 under the California Child Victims Act. Lawsuit(s) in 2022 allege abuse at the Hanna Boys Center.
Ordained: 1984
Oswald was a religious brother in Tucson from 1976-77 before entering seminary for the priesthood. On June 1, 2008, he said he was taking leave due to a Jan. 2, 2008 civil suit, which alleged he had sexually abused a teenage boy from 1988-95. Oswald denied the allegations. Oswald was permanently removed. Two plaintiffs settled in March 2009 for $1.3M. A Vietnam vet, Oswald was a military and civilian policeman before becoming a priest. He testified in 1999 and 2000 that he had reported abuse by R. Trupia to his superiors in 1976 and provided written statements from his students. Oswald died July 4, 2010. A new lawsuit was filed August 2012 and settled on July 15, 2014 for $3.5M. Oswald’s name appears on the diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list of credibly accused abusers. (It showed an erroneous death date.) Oswald was further accused in one or more lawsuits between 2109-2022.
Fr. Xavier Pallathuparambil
Ordained:1952
Fr. Xavier Pallathuparambil was publicly named as accused on the diocese's January 12, 2019 list. He was ordained for the Diocese of Vijayapuram, India. He worked in the Santa Rosa Diocese from Feb. 2, 1984 until he was dismissed April 12, 1984. Died in India May 29, 2004.
Ordained: 1985
In 2007, a man told the diocese that he had been abused as a youth by Fr. Thomas G. Parker from 1988-89 at St. Apollinaris parish in Napa, California. In September 2007, Parker admitted to the abuse. His victim settled with the diocese for $215K in late 2008. Parker was Laicized in May 2008. Parker’s name appears on the diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list of credibly accused abusers.
Ordained: 1976
Fr. John K. Rogers, a noted religious scholar and former campus minister at Humboldt State University died by suicide Nov. 8, 1995 in Belgium upon being ordered back to the United States to face accusations that he molested a 15-year-old boy in 1976. A suicide note proclaimed his innocence but said the pain and embarrassment too much to handle. His accuser said he first complained in 1989 and again in 1995; Rogers’ accuser died of drug abuse about six years after Rogers' death.
Ordained: 1994
Fr. Jorge Hume Salas was placed on leave in January 1999 after four men over 18 reported that they had been sexually accosted by Salas between 1996-1998. There was no criminal prosecution due to an expired statute of limitations. Later the same year, Salas himself filed suit alleging that he had been sexually abused and harassed by Bishop Ziemann of Santa Rosa. His suit settled for $535K in April 2000 after Bishop admitted the relationship and resigned. Salas remained a priest but was believed to have returned home to Costa Rica. There’s some doubt as to whether Salas ever completed seminary.
Ordained: 1990
Fr. Anthony Bolger was ordained for the Pallotine Fathers in Wisconsin. Bolger workked in Fargo, North Dakota until 1966. Bolger taught for a year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and moved to the Diocese of Santa Rosa in Summer 1966. Bolger retired in 1989. Bolger was accused of sexually abusing a minor from 1972-77. Bolger died Oct. 21, 2014.
Ordained: 1971
Fr. Alfredo Sobalvarro was ordained for the Archdiocese of Washington DC. He worked in the Santa Rosa Diocese from 1972-76. Sobalvarro was publicly named as a credibly accused abuser on the Santa Rosa Diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list. The list noted that he had been "out of ministry since 2003."
Ordained: 1972
Fr. Jerome Stack was a parish priest, high-school and college instructor, state psychiatric facility chaplain in California, and secretary general for six years for his order in Rome. Stack retired in 2017 to Mesa, Arizona, where he assisted local parishes. Stack was removed from active ministry in 2019 after the Cincinnati Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood received an allegation that Stack sexually abused a minor in 1979. The order's review board deemed the allegation credible. Stack was assigned to the Diocese of Santa Rosa from 1971-1981. Stack is included on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles list of credibly accused in December 2021.
Ordained: 1967
Fr. Gary Timmons founded Camp St. Michael in Leggett, California. Two 1994 civil lawsuits alleged abuse by Timmons of eight boys. Timmons was arrested on Oct. 31, 1995 on 17 counts involving two victims. There were 18 others known but dropped because of statute of limitations. Timmons admitted in a 1970 diary entry to being a child molester. Timmons was sentenced in Septembe 1996 to two concurrent eight-year prison terms. Timmons was released from prison in 2000, laicized on May 15, 2001. Other civil lawsuits were filed in 2003 and 2007. Timmons’ name appears on the Sex Offender Registry and on the diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list, noting he worked in the diocese from June 1967 to March 1994. The diocese and camp were sued in December 2019 under the California Child Victims Act, in two cases of abuse by Timmons. Timmons was living in Sacramento in 2019. Timmons is accused in new lawsuit(s) in 2022 of abuse at Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma Valley.
Ordained: 1943
Fr. James E. Walsh was ordained for the Archdiocese of San Francisco and incardinated into the Santa Rosa Diocese when it was established in 1962. Walsh died on Dec. 3, 1993. Walsh has been publicly named on the diocese’s Jan. 12, 2019 list of credibly accused abusers. The diocese’s list noted that he was accused in 2005 of abuse in 1965. Assigned during the time in question to St. Helena's in St. Helena, California.
Ordained: 1943
Originally from Ireland, Moloney entered the San Diego Diocese in 1946. He was a pastor in Southern California until his death in 1986. A civil suit was filed against the Diocese by a man in 2003 alleging that Moloney molested him at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Riverside, CA in 1963. San Diego Diocese released Moloney’s personnel file to the public in 2010.
Montagna was publicly named as an accused sex abuser by the San Diego Diocese in 2018. He is accused of molesting two girls. Montagna worked in the Diocese for three years (1972-1975). Not much is known about Montagna, he is thought to be deceased.
Rev. Robert Daniel Nikliborc
Ordained:1955
Nikilborc was a priest in the San Diego Diocese from 1955-2001. According to his assignment history, he began working again in 2002 at St. Anne parish in San Diego until he retired for the final time in 2005.
He was sued in in 2005; accused of abusing an 11-year-old boy at Boys Town of the Desert, which was a residential-care facility for troubled/at risk boys located in Banning, CA. Nikilborc was assigned to Boys Town of the Desert from 1957-1969. He spent time at the Servants of the Paraclete, the Catholic Church’s former rehab center for pedophile priests, in Jemez Springs, NM in 1956. He went to jail for 97 days when he was convicted of tax evasion in 1968. Nikilborc died in 2006.
Ordained: 1969
Originally ordained in the Santa Rosa Diocese, Polizzi transferred to the Diocese of San Diego in 1970. He was suspended from the priesthood in 1996 after a hospitalized teenager told hospital staff that he had been abused by a priest. The hospital reported this allegation to CPS, the Diocese, and the police. No criminal charges were pursued. The Diocese permanently removed Polizzi from ministry in 1997. Polizzi died in 2003. He is named in both the San Diego and Santa Rosa Dioceses’ list of credibly accused priests.
Ordained: 1936
Originally from Austria, Robier began working in the San Diego Diocese in 1955. He spent time at the Servants of the Paraclete, the Catholic Church’s former rehab center for pedophile priests, in Jemez Springs, NM in 1957. Robier died in 1994.
Several civil lawsuits were filed against the Diocese in 2003 regarding sexual misconduct by Robier. A serial abuser, Robier was accused of abuse, including rape, of as many as 24 girls during the late 1950’s- early 1960’s. Claims settled in 2007 as part of a multimillion-dollar settlement against the Diocese. Robier’s personnel file was released to the public by the Diocese in 2010.
Ordained: 1962
One of the most prolific abusers in the Diocese, Rodrigue admitted to sexually abusing 150 children. Rodrigue has a criminal record for molesting boys. He was placed on probation in 1979 when he pleaded no contest in the sexual assault of a boy. Despite being an admitted child abuser, Rodrigue remained a priest until the church removed Rodrigue from the priesthood in 1992.
In 1997, Rodrigue was arrested for the sexual assault of an 11-year-old boy at an apartment complex where the former priest worked as a janitor. Rodrigue pleaded guilty to this and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released from prison in 2006 and died in 2009. Several civil suits filed against the diocese since 2003 by people who were abused by Rodrigue when they were children. Rodrigue is named in the San Diego/ San Bernardino list of credibly accused priests.
Ordained: 1977
Fr. Bernard Ward left the priesthood in 1979 or 1980 and went on to marry and have children. Ward became a radio talk show host. He was indicted in December 2007 on federal internet child-porn charges. His attorney said the images were for a book Ward was researching three to four years prior. Ward reportedly emailed child porn images to a woman who immediately turned him over to police and the FBI. Ward originally pled not guilty but later pled guilty in May 2008 to one count. Per May 2008 articles, abuse was alleged when he was an active priest. In August 2008, Ward was sentenced seven-plus years. He was released from prison in December 2014. Ward’s name appears on the Santa Rosa Diocese's Jan. 12, 20189 list of credibly accused abusers.
Ordained: 1971
Allegations against Fr. Ron Wiecek were made public in January 2010. Wiecek was placed on leave. Per news reports, Wiecek's privileges were removed after he was accused of having "overzealously spanked" a boy in the 1970s while working in the Santa Rosa Diocese, and he attempted to pick up a gay man about 30 years prior. Wiecek had been in Monterey for 20 years. His order recalled him to Ohio immediately. Wiecek’s name appears on the Santa Rosa Diocese's Jan. 12, 2019 list of credibly accused abusers.
Ordained: 1943
Originally from Ireland, Moloney entered the San Diego Diocese in 1946. He was a pastor in Southern California until his death in 1986. A civil suit was filed against the Diocese by a man in 2003 alleging that Moloney molested him at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Riverside, CA in 1963. San Diego Diocese released Moloney’s personnel file to the public in 2010.
Montagna was publicly named as an accused sex abuser by the San Diego Diocese in 2018. He is accused of molesting two girls. Montagna worked in the Diocese for three years (1972-1975). Not much is known about Montagna, he is thought to be deceased.
Rev. Robert Daniel Nikliborc
Ordained:1955
Nikilborc was a priest in the San Diego Diocese from 1955-2001. According to his assignment history, he began working again in 2002 at St. Anne parish in San Diego until he retired for the final time in 2005.
He was sued in in 2005; accused of abusing an 11-year-old boy at Boys Town of the Desert, which was a residential-care facility for troubled/at risk boys located in Banning, CA. Nikilborc was assigned to Boys Town of the Desert from 1957-1969. He spent time at the Servants of the Paraclete, the Catholic Church’s former rehab center for pedophile priests, in Jemez Springs, NM in 1956. He went to jail for 97 days when he was convicted of tax evasion in 1968. Nikilborc died in 2006.
Ordained: 1969
Originally ordained in the Santa Rosa Diocese, Polizzi transferred to the Diocese of San Diego in 1970. He was suspended from the priesthood in 1996 after a hospitalized teenager told hospital staff that he had been abused by a priest. The hospital reported this allegation to CPS, the Diocese, and the police. No criminal charges were pursued. The Diocese permanently removed Polizzi from ministry in 1997. Polizzi died in 2003. He is named in both the San Diego and Santa Rosa Dioceses’ list of credibly accused priests.
Ordained: 1936
Originally from Austria, Robier began working in the San Diego Diocese in 1955. He spent time at the Servants of the Paraclete, the Catholic Church’s former rehab center for pedophile priests, in Jemez Springs, NM in 1957. Robier died in 1994.
Several civil lawsuits were filed against the Diocese in 2003 regarding sexual misconduct by Robier. A serial abuser, Robier was accused of abuse, including rape, of as many as 24 girls during the late 1950’s- early 1960’s. Claims settled in 2007 as part of a multimillion-dollar settlement against the Diocese. Robier’s personnel file was released to the public by the Diocese in 2010.
Ordained: 1962
One of the most prolific abusers in the Diocese, Rodrigue admitted to sexually abusing 150 children. Rodrigue has a criminal record for molesting boys. He was placed on probation in 1979 when he pleaded no contest in the sexual assault of a boy. Despite being an admitted child abuser, Rodrigue remained a priest until the church removed Rodrigue from the priesthood in 1992.
In 1997, Rodrigue was arrested for the sexual assault of an 11-year-old boy at an apartment complex where the former priest worked as a janitor. Rodrigue pleaded guilty to this and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released from prison in 2006 and died in 2009. Several civil suits filed against the diocese since 2003 by people who were abused by Rodrigue when they were children. Rodrigue is named in the San Diego/ San Bernardino list of credibly accused priests.
Ordained: 1943
Originally from Ireland, Moloney entered the San Diego Diocese in 1946. He was a pastor in Southern California until his death in 1986. A civil suit was filed against the Diocese by a man in 2003 alleging that Moloney molested him at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Riverside, CA in 1963. San Diego Diocese released Moloney’s personnel file to the public in 2010.
Montagna was publicly named as an accused sex abuser by the San Diego Diocese in 2018. He is accused of molesting two girls. Montagna worked in the Diocese for three years (1972-1975). Not much is known about Montagna, he is thought to be deceased.
Rev. Robert Daniel Nikliborc
Ordained:1955
Nikilborc was a priest in the San Diego Diocese from 1955-2001. According to his assignment history, he began working again in 2002 at St. Anne parish in San Diego until he retired for the final time in 2005.
He was sued in in 2005; accused of abusing an 11-year-old boy at Boys Town of the Desert, which was a residential-care facility for troubled/at risk boys located in Banning, CA. Nikilborc was assigned to Boys Town of the Desert from 1957-1969. He spent time at the Servants of the Paraclete, the Catholic Church’s former rehab center for pedophile priests, in Jemez Springs, NM in 1956. He went to jail for 97 days when he was convicted of tax evasion in 1968. Nikilborc died in 2006.
Ordained: 1969
Originally ordained in the Santa Rosa Diocese, Polizzi transferred to the Diocese of San Diego in 1970. He was suspended from the priesthood in 1996 after a hospitalized teenager told hospital staff that he had been abused by a priest. The hospital reported this allegation to CPS, the Diocese, and the police. No criminal charges were pursued. The Diocese permanently removed Polizzi from ministry in 1997. Polizzi died in 2003. He is named in both the San Diego and Santa Rosa Dioceses’ list of credibly accused priests.
Ordained: 1936
Originally from Austria, Robier began working in the San Diego Diocese in 1955. He spent time at the Servants of the Paraclete, the Catholic Church’s former rehab center for pedophile priests, in Jemez Springs, NM in 1957. Robier died in 1994.
Several civil lawsuits were filed against the Diocese in 2003 regarding sexual misconduct by Robier. A serial abuser, Robier was accused of abuse, including rape, of as many as 24 girls during the late 1950’s- early 1960’s. Claims settled in 2007 as part of a multimillion-dollar settlement against the Diocese. Robier’s personnel file was released to the public by the Diocese in 2010.
Ordained: 1962
One of the most prolific abusers in the Diocese, Rodrigue admitted to sexually abusing 150 children. Rodrigue has a criminal record for molesting boys. He was placed on probation in 1979 when he pleaded no contest in the sexual assault of a boy. Despite being an admitted child abuser, Rodrigue remained a priest until the church removed Rodrigue from the priesthood in 1992.
In 1997, Rodrigue was arrested for the sexual assault of an 11-year-old boy at an apartment complex where the former priest worked as a janitor. Rodrigue pleaded guilty to this and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released from prison in 2006 and died in 2009. Several civil suits filed against the diocese since 2003 by people who were abused by Rodrigue when they were children. Rodrigue is named in the San Diego/ San Bernardino list of credibly accused priests.
If you or someone you love was abused by a priest or church employee in Santa Rosa or elsewhere, please contact our team of attorneys to learn more about our work with sexual-abuse survivors. Please contact any of our team members below:
Donahoo & Associates at 714-953-1010; wdonahoo@donahoo.com; rdonahoo@donahoo.com
James Vernon & Weeks, P.A. at: (208) 667-0683; Martha@jvwlaw.net; Brady@jvwlaw.net; Cvernon@jvwlaw.net; Ljames@jvwlaw.net
