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. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is dedicated to helping those abused or exploited by abusive priests through legal representation and expert guidance.
Table of Contents
| Last Name | First Name | Diocese | Status | Accusations (Summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carley | Edward B. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | Accused of abuse of boys in the1950s-1980s, named publicly in 2005, retired in 1993, died in 1998, and was listed on a list of abusive priests released by the Diocese in 2006. |
| Daleo | Paul | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | Accused of molesting two youths, Daleo was confronted with allegations in 1993 and sent for treatment. He left the Order in 2003 and performed baptisms, funeral rites and weddings. |
| Cornely | Francis P. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | Credible allegation of abuse. Name first released on list of abusive priests released by Bishop Saltarelli on 11/16/2006. Died in 1975. Personnel file released in 2/2012. |
| DeLuca | Francis G. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Convicted | Barred from ministry, sent for counseling and retired after multiple allegations of abuse in the 1960s. Accused of abusing a boy, age 10 or 11, in 1955 at Camp Tekakwitha in Lake Luzerne NY. |
| Clarahan | Eugene F. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | Clarahan was named on a list of abusive priests by Bishop Saltarelli in 2006, and was removed from ministry in 1993. Three separate suits were filed in 2008 alleging abuse in the 1950s and 1960s. |
| Dreyer | Henry J. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | Retired in 1966 and died in 1969. Credible allegation of abuse. Name first released on list of abusive priests released by Bishop Saltarelli 11/16/2006. Personnel File released in 2/2012. |
| Dunne | Gerald M. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | A lawsuit was filed in 2009 against Dunne by a former student. Dunne denied the allegations. |
| Drelich | Robert | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in DE and PA settled with 40 victims of sexual abuse for $24.8M. Drelich is one of 12 Oblates with substantiated allegations of abuse. |
| Jr. | Edward F. Dudzinski, | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | The Diocese knew prior to ordination about Dudzinski’s behavior with boys. He was placed on leave, put on probation, and surrendered his counseling license after the VA Board of Counseling learned of the 1989 suit. |
| Gardiner | Richard F. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | Credible allegation of abuse. Name first released on list of abusive priests released by Bishop Saltarelli 11/16/2006. Died 10/10/1989. Personnel file released in 2/2012. |
| Harney | Peter P. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | From Ireland, he graduated from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore and spent his entire career in MD and DE. He died in 2000. |
| Harvey | John X. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | The Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in DE and PA settled with 40 victims of sexual abuse for $24.8M. Harvey was one of the 12 Oblates released. |
| Grant | Richard N. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | Accused of repeated sexual abuse of a high school boy in 1982-1984, starting when the boy was 16. He became a parish priest in 1992 and died of AIDS in 1993. |
| Heckel | John F. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | Heckel (spelled Heckle) was accused of abuse by one person at Salesianum High School in 1969. The Order in DE and PA announced a settlement with 40 victims in 2011 for $24.8M. |
| Hermley | Harold F. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | Hermley was accused of abusing a boy from 1970-1973 while the boy was a student at Salesianum School and during overnight visits to NJ and Philadelphia. He died in 1983. |
| Dempster | Douglas W. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | Dempster was removed from ministry in 1993 after investigating allegations against his close friend, Rev. Frank DeLuca. A lawsuit was filed against him personally in 2023. |
| Irwin | William E. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | An anonymous caller accused Irwin of child abuse years prior. He was removed from active ministry and could no longer function as a priest. |
| Killion | Dennis | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | In 2008, four boys were allegedly abused at Salesianum High in Wilmington. Two men settled with the Oblates in 2011 for $700K each. |
| Jr. | Alfred John Lind, | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | Jack Lind was accused of abuse of two boys in their early teens between 1963-1965. He was removed from active ministry in 1966 and named on the Diocese’s 1/2006 list of abusive priests. |
| Martin | Kenneth J. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Guilty plea | Martin was arrested in 2001 on charges of sexually abusing a boy at Loyola Blakefield High School in Towson, MD. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to “probation before judgment” for five years, and not required to register as a sex offender. |
| Mackiewicz | Leonard J. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | A man filed a civil suit in 2008 claiming abuse in 1970, and a woman filed a civil suit in 2008 claiming abuse in 1966 when she was 13. |
| McDevitt | John M. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | ‘Jack” McDevitt was accused of abusing a student at Salesianum School in Wilmington during the student’s junior year 1985-1986. He died in 1999 and was named in a $24.8M settlement with 40 individuals. |
| Mahoney | George A. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | Mahoney was a priest who served at Northeast Catholic High School in Philadelphia PA and Salesianum School in DE. He was accused of sexually abusing a girl and another girl at Our Mother of Sorrows Parish in Centreville DE in 1960. |
| McGovern | Harold V. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | McGovern is one of 12 Oblates with substantiated allegations of abuse who settled with the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in DE and PA in 2011. He was pastor and sole priest at Holy Cross church in Kennersville in the Charlotte NC diocese 1980-1986. |
| McGovern | Joseph A. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | Removed from ministry in 1986, sent to Philadelphia to study, and included in the 2005 Philadelphia Grand Jury Report. |
| Mullen | Timothy F. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | Bishop Neumann Academy accused him of being a sexual predator, but the Norbertines chose to move him around instead of reporting him to the civil authorities or warning the general public. |
| Norris | Francis L. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | In 2007 a lawsuit was filed claiming Norris attempted to rape a boy attending Salesianum School 1962. In 2009 three more plaintiffs filed suit claiming abuse at Salesianum School. |
| O’Brien | John Francis | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | Parish priest accused of abusing one anonymous plaintiff in the early 1960s. Personnel file was to be released in 11/2009. |
| O’Neill | James W. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | O’Neill was removed from ministry in 2003 and accused of abuse of a youth 1976-1985. He admitted the abuse and was living in a monitored setting when the suit was filed. |
| Porter | William J. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | A parish priest was removed from ministry and his faculties suspended after an allegation of sexual misconduct with a teenager 38 years prior. |
| Paul | Henry A. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Settled | The Order in DE and PA announced a settlement with 40 victims of sexual abuse who filed suits in DE. Paul was one of 12 Oblates with substantiated allegations of abuse. |
| Power | Walter D. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | Bishop Saltarelli released the name of a retired priest on his list of credibly accused in 2006; a civil suit was filed in 2008 against him, and a new suit was filed in 2010. |
| Richardson | James Edward | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Reinstated | Richardson was placed on leave in 2009 after an anonymous plaintiff filed a civil suit. He denied all allegations and his faculties were restored by the Diocese in 2009. |
| Rogers | Francis J. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | Accused in 1981 of abuse of a minor; kept in ministry, sent to counseling. Removed from ministry in 2003. Name included on list of accused priests released by Bishop Saltarelli 11/16/2006. Was fighting release of personnel file in 2/2012. |
| Sarro | John A. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Charged | Credible allegation of abuse, stemming from the early 1980s while working in Papua New Guinea. Sarro was removed from ministry in 1998 and was criminally charged in 1/2018 with fondling and raping a girl under age 16. |
| Vignola | Carmen D. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | A civil suit was filed in 2008 against a priest for abuse of a 14-year-old boy. |
| Shannon | Patrick J. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | Shannon was accused of sexual abuse in 1973 in the Wilmington diocese and was placed on leave. He was later included on the Harrisburg diocese’s 8/1/2018 list. |
| Walker | Harry Dean | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | In 2010, a man accused Walker of abuse when he was a 15-year-old parishioner of St. Francis de Sales parish in Salisbury MD in the 1960s. Walker was laicized in 2012 and continued to be often called “Rev.” |
| Weaver | Harry Peter | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Accused | Weaver’s name appears on a list of accused priests whose personnel files were to be released in 11/2009 as part of the Wilmington Diocese’s bankruptcy filing. Died in 2016. Per his obituary, Weaver worked as a counselor. |
| Wiggins | Charles W. | Diocese of Wilmington DE and MD | Sued | Wiggins was removed from ministry in 2003 and lived in Norwood, PA. A civil suit was filed against him in 2009, but was dismissed in 2010 for failure to timely serve. |
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 Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers 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 Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers 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 Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers?
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers 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.
| $14.2 Million Priest grooming and handling | $4.1 Million Deacon assault and rape | $3 Million Clergy child abuse filed in adulthood |
| $2.5 Million Volunteer-perpetrated Catholic church abuse | $2.3 Million Religious school priest teen sexual abuse | $1.5 Million Clergy abuse case filed against a deceased priest |
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 Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation at (888) 424-5757. 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.
