Catholic Diocese of Evansville releases list of credibly accused priests

By: Esther Kather

Posted: Feb 22, 2019 4:02 PM EDT

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Catholic Diocese of Evansville has released a list of priests with credible sexual abuse allegations against them.

According to an announcement in Sept. 2018, Bishop Joseph Siegel, said he would release the list of priests who were credibly accused of sexually abusing minors, hoping the release would allow those who were abused to heal as well as keeping minors safe.

The diocese has also sought a private investigator to review church records to determine abuse since its 1944 founding.

The list will be amended as necessary. The following records are a result of the recommendations of Diocesan Review Board members.

Those who believe they have suffered abuse by a diocesan member are asked to call a toll free number at 866-200-3004.

The list is as follows:

Michael Allen

Date of Ordination: June 5, 1971

Action Taken: Not in public ministry, July 2002

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

1971 – Associate Pastor, Sts. Peter and Oaul Church, Haubstadt
1972 – Summer Ministry Program Director
1974 – Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Curch, Princeton
1975 – Associate Pastor, St. John the Baptist Church, Vincennes
1976 – Administrator, St. Patrick, Corning
1976 – Administrator, All Saints, Cannelburg
1979 – Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Jasper
1980 – Associate Pastor, St. Simon Church, Washington
1981 – Pastor. St. Mary Church, Washington
1982 – Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Jasper
1984 – Military service, Assigned outside the diocese
1995 –Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Jasper
1999 – Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Evansville
1999 – Pastor, St. Theresa Church, Evansville
2001 –Pastor, St. Celestine Church, Celestine

John Breidenbach

Date of Ordination: August 21, 1987

Action Taken: Not in public ministry, March 14, 2014

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

1987 – Associate Pastor, St. John the Baptist Church, Vincennes
1990 – Associate Pastor, Holy Family Church, Jasper
1992 – Diocesan Vocation Team
1992 – Associate Pastor, Resurrection Church, Evansville
1993 – Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Evansville
1993 – Pastor, Corpus Christi Church, Evansville
1998 – Sacramental Minister, Holy Trinity Church, Evansville
1999 – Associate Pastor, Holy Rosary Church, Evansville with residence at Villa Maria on Lincoln Avenue next to Memorial High School
2003 – Associate Pastor, St. John Church, Newburgh
2004 – Pastor, Precious Blood Church, Jasper
2010 – Sacramental Minister, St. Mary Church, Ireland
2010 –Sacramental Minister, Resurrection Church, Evansville
2010 –Sacramental Minister, St. Theresa Church, Evansville
2014–Not in public ministry

James Clements

Date of Ordination: June 12, 1954

Action Taken: Dispensed from the clerical state, April 18, 1977; deceased, 1996

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

1954 – Associate Pastor, St. Wendel Church, St. Wendel
1955 – Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Church, Vincennes
1959 – Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Evansville
1962 – Associate Pastor, St. Mary Church, Washington
1964 – Pastor, Blessed Sacrament Church, Oakland City
1972 – Associate Pastor, Good Shepherd Church
1974 – Medical leave
1977 – Dispensed from the clerical state
1996 – Deceased, December 21, 1996

Wilfred Englert

Date of Ordination: May 9, 1986

Action Taken: Removed from public ministry in 2005; convicted of sexual battery, October 3, 2006; served prison sentence; released from incarceration, January 15, 2008; dispensed from the clerical state, October 1, 2009

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

1986 – Associate Pastor, St. John the Baptist, Vincennes
1987 – Associate Pastor, Holy Family Church, Jasper
1990 – Associate Pastor, St. John Church, Newburgh
1993 – Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Evansville
1999 – Associate Pastor, Holy Rosary Church, Evansville
2000 – Associate Pastor, St. Agnes Church, Evansville
2000 – Pastor, St. Raphael Church
2002 –Administrator, St. Celestine Church
2004 –Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Jasper
2005 –Removed from public ministry
2006 –Convicted of sexual battery
2008 – released from incarceration
2009 –Dispensed from the clerical state

Mark Kurzendoerfer

Date of Ordination: May 8, 1981

Action Taken: Removed from public ministry, July 2, 2002; dispensed from the clerical state, November 1, 2009

Number of Credible Allegations: 4

Places Served:

1981 – Administrator, St. Mary Church, Sullivan
1981 – Associate Pastor, St. Simon Church, Washington
1981 – Teacher, Washington Catholic, Washington
1984 – Residence, Faculty House on Lincoln Ave., Evansville
1984 –Teacher, Mater Dei High School, Evansville
1986 – Administrator, Holy Angels Church, New Harmony
1989 – Diocesan Vocation Board
1992 –Diocesan Vocation Team,
1995 – Sacramental Minister, St. Thomas Church, Vincennes
1999 – Associate Pastor, Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Haubstadt, and assisting at St. Joseph, Princeton, Blessed Sacrament, Oakland City
2002 – Removed from public ministry
2009 – Dispensed from the clerical state

Arthur Mergen

Date of Ordination: June 4, 1976

Action Taken: Deceased; Left Evansville Diocese in 1988 without Bishop’s permission

Number of Credible Allegations: 2

Places Served:

1976 – Associate Pastor, Sacred Heart Church, Vincennes
1977 – Associate Pastor, St. John the Baptist Church, Vincennes
1981 – Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Jasper
1981 – Pastor, St. Peter Church, Montgomery; Administrator, St. Michael’s, Daviess County, September 1, 19811976 – Administrator, St. Patrick, Corning
1986 – Pastor, Holy Cross Church, Fort Branch
1988 – Pastor, St. Mary Church, Washington
1988 –St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes
1988 –Left Diocese of Evansville without the Bishop’s permission
1994 –Deceased

Othmar Schroeder

Date of Ordination: June 7, 1938

Action Taken: Deceased before sexual abuse reported

Number of Credible Allegations: 18

Places Served:

1938 – Associate Pastor, St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceburg
1940–St. Clement Church, Boonville
1942 – Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Jasper
1944 – Incardinated into the Diocese of Evansville upon its establishment
1940s-1960s –Boy Scouts Ministry
1947 –Pastor, Holy Family Church, Jasper
1965 –Committee on Discipline, Magister Noster School, Evansville
1975 –Pastor, Sacred Heart Church, Schnellville
1988 –Deceased

Richard Wildeman

Date of Ordination: May 13, 1977

Action Taken: Left ministry in 2002; dispensed from clerical state in 2007

Number of Credible Allegations: 1

Places Served:

1977 – Associate Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Jasper
1977 –Associate Pastor, St. John Church, Newburgh
1979 – Associate Pastor, St. Matthew Church, Mt. Vernon
1979 – Chaplain, Boy Scouts
1980 –Residence, Faculty House on Lincoln Avenue, Evansville
1980 –Diocesan Director, Youth Ministry
1980 –Weekend assistance, Corpus Christi Church, Evansville
1981 –Weekend assistance, St. Clement Church, Boonville
1980 –Weekend assistance, Corpus Christi Church, Evansville
1982 –Associate Pastor, Holy Family Church, Jasper
1987 –Pastor, St. Mary Church, Sullivan
1987 –Administrator, St. Joan of Arc Church, Jasonville
1991 – Pastor, St. Joseph Church, Vanderburgh County
2000 – Granted permission for ministry in Haiti
2002 – Left active ministry
2007 – Dispensed from the clerical state

Jean Vogler

Date of Ordination: Feb. 28, 1970

Action Taken: Priest charged and convicted in U.S. District Court for Southern Indiana of Receiving Child Pornography in 1996 and sentenced to 366 days in federal prison. The priest was reinstated to active ministry in 1999 and retired in Sept. 2011.

Places Served:

1970 – Associate Pastor, St. Theresa Church, Evansville
1972 –Associate Pastor, Christ the King Church, Evansville
1975 – Teacher, Reitz Memorial High School, Evansville
1975 – Weekend Assistance, St. James Church, Haubstadt
1980 –Pastor, Holy Redeemer Church, Evansville
1986 –Pastor, St. Mary Church, Sullivan
1986 –Administrator, St. Joan of Arc Church, Jasonville
1987 –Pastor, St. Boniface Church, Evansville
1990 –Pastor, Holy Rosary Church, Evansville
1998 –Residence at Villa Maria on Lincoln Avenue next to Memorial High School
1998 – Appointed as chaplain of St. Mary’s Medical Center, Evansville (appointment withdrawn before it became effective)
1999 –Associate Pastor, Holy Trinity Church, Evansville
2004 – Residence at Villa Maria on Lincoln Avenue next to Memorial High School
2007 – Sacramental Minister, St. Joseph Church, Evansville
2011 – Retired 2011
2019 – Not in public ministry