Priest Abuse List

On Thursday, April 4, 2019, Bishop Emeritus Richard Pates released a list of nine priests who have substantiated allegations of sexually abusing children while serving the diocese. The incidents of abuse occurred from the 1950s to the 1990s.

"On behalf of the Catholic Church in Southwest Iowa, I apologize for the pain experienced by those abused by our priests, as well as the pain this has caused to all the faithful and those in our broader society," said Bishop Pates in a letter sent to registered Catholic households in the diocese. "I share the anger and frustration of recent reports of clerical abuse of minors and young people. It is my sincere hope the release of this list facilitates healing, encourages additional victims who have faced abuse to come forward and begins to restore trust."

• Letter from the bishop to the people of the Diocese of Des Moines (Spanish)
• Video of the news conference
• Video statement from Bishop Pates
• Addressing Clerical Sexual Abuse of Minors: Progress, Healing & Prevention (Spanish)
• Press Release
• List of Allegations
• Frequently Asked Questions (Spanish)
• Press Release Kenkel  (Spanish)
• Victim Assistance Advocate
• The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States, 1950-2002, published February, 2004
• The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010, First printing, May 2011
• The PA Grand-Jury Report:  Not what it seems, by Peter Steinfels, Commonweal magazine. )