WIXLIB

Clerical Sexual Abuse in theDiocese of SyracuseAndersonAdvocates.com 1.888.920.9258

Purpose & BackgroundThis report contains the names of clergy associated with the Diocese of Syracuse who have beenaccused of committing sexual offenses against minors. The vast majority of the claims againstthese individuals have not been evaluated in a civil court. Accordingly, the allegations should beconsidered just allegations and should not be considered proved or substantiated in a court oflaw. All individuals should be considered innocent until proven guilty. In many situations, thestatute of limitations has expired preventing the cases from being heard in a court of law.It is believed that the Diocese of Syracuse does not make available to the public the fullhistory, knowledge and context of the sexually abusive clerics. This report is an attempt tocompile information already available to the public from various sources in the public media;bishopaccountability.org; and other sources that have attempted to chronicle this information forpublic use. This report is intended to raise awareness about the important issue of clerical sexualabuse, provide the public with vital information including assignment histories, and provideawareness of the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program available to survivors.Assignment histories are approximations and were compiled from the Official Catholic Directory,bishopaccountability.org and media reports.Jeff Anderson & Associates, P.A.Jeff Anderson & Associates, P.A. pioneered the use of civil litigation to seek justice for survivorsof childhood sexual abuse. Through its work, Jeff Anderson & Associates, P.A. seeks to bringhope, healing, accountability and justice to survivors of child sexual abuse. The attorneys haveadvocated for survivor rights in New York for many decades, having filed their first lawsuit inNew York on behalf of a child sex abuse survivor in approximately 1988. In addition to seekinglegal accountability, the firm has supported survivors of abuse by bringing public awarenessto the cause and even testified before the state legislature endorsing reforms to the statute oflimitations. Recently, Attorney J. Michael Reck filed the first case alleging that a Catholic Diocesein New York was a committing a public nuisance by refusing to disclose the identity and history ofits sexually abusive priests.Jeff AndersonJ. Michael ReckJeff Anderson & Associates PAAttorney Advertising2

The Independent Reconciliation andCompensation Program (“IRCP”)The Diocese of Syracuse has announced the creation of the Independent Reconciliation andCompensation Program (“IRCP”). Similar programs are already in existence in the Archdioceseof New York; Diocese of Brooklyn; and the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The IRCP is a third partyadministered fund that will compensate some survivors of childhood sexual abuse by priests.Survivors can keep their identity fully confidential. Currently, the IRCP is available only forsurvivors who previously reported their abuse. It is possible the program will be made availablein the future to survivors of abuse who have not yet reported their abuse.While the IRCP does provide some measure of justice and accountability, it is also complexand requires a survivor to waive his/her future rights if a settlement is received. A survivorparticipating in the IRCP can enroll in the program alone or may wish to retain an attorney toassist them. An attorney can communicate directly with the IRCP and the Diocese to shield thesurvivor from further trauma.A deadline of May 16, 2018 exists for those who qualify for the IRCP in the Diocese of Syracuse.Jeff Anderson & Associates PAAttorney Advertising3

Diocese of SyracuseCreated on November 26, 1886, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse has been responsiblefor Catholic children for more than a century. Consisting of seven counties in central New YorkState, the Diocese oversees 133 parishes, 24 schools, 257 priests and thousands of minors inCCD programs.Bishop Robert J. Cunningham is the current leader of the Diocese of Syracuse. Bp. Cunninghamwas a priest and long-time Vicar General of the Diocese of Buffalo. Combined with his timeas Bishop of Ogdensburg (2004-2009) and Vicar General of Buffalo, Bp. Cunningham oversawnumerous priests that were accused of sexually assaulted minors. Additionally, the Diocese ofSyracuse has access to the Saint Luke Institute through one of its priests, Msgr. Stephen Rossetti,Ph.D., expert on clerical sexual abuse of minors and professor at Catholic University of America.www.sli.org.Bishop Cunningham is one of a handful of Bishops that signed a Memorandums of Understanding(M.O.U.) with local law enforcement in response to the diocese previous mishandling claimsof child sexual abuse. In 2015, Bishop Cunningham, along with the seven District Attorneys(Onondaga, Madison, Chenango, Oneida, Broome, Oswego, Cortland) signed a memorandum ofunderstanding. The purpose of the document was to create a policy and reporting protocol forreporting all priests that were accused of sexually assaulting minors.Unfortunately, the statements of the Diocese of Syracuse appear to convey the true cultureof denial by the hierarchy in the diocese. It was reported in September 2015 that BishopCunningham testified in a 2011 deposition to the effect that a child victim of sexual abuse waspartially to blame for the abuse. (Syracuse.com, Sept. 13, 2015)The following names are priests connected to the Diocese of Syracuse accused of committingsexual offenses against minors.Jeff Anderson & Associates PAAttorney Advertising4

Fr. Daniel W. Casey, Jr.Fr. Felix R. ColosimoOrdination: 1975Ordination: 1965Notes: Two civil lawsuits filed in 1992Notes: Fr. Felix R. Colosimo wasalleged that Fr. Daniel W. Casey, Jr.sexually abused three children in the1980s. The Diocese of Syracuse settledboth lawsuits. Fr. Casey reportedlyresigned from the priesthood.Assignments:permanently removed from ministry in2014 in the wake of credible allegationsof child sexual abuse.Assignments:1976-1981Blessed Sacrament, Johnson City, NY1965-1968St. John the Baptist, Rome, NY1982-1986St. Mary, Cortland, NY1968-1971Our Lady of Pompeii, Syracuse, NY1986-1988Cortland County Jail1971-1976St. Bartholomew, Norwich, NY1987-1989St. Paul, Oswego, NY1976-1981St. Peter, Utica, NY1990-1991St. John, Utica, NY (in residence)1981-1987St. Leo, Holland Patent, NY1992St. Monica, Rochester, NY (in residence)1987-1998St. Anthony of Padua, Utica, NY1993-1999Unknown1998-2014Our Lady of the Rosary, New Hartford, NY1/9/2000Died2014-2016Unknown10/26/2017DiedFr. Donald J. CrosbyFr. Charles H. EckermannOrdination: 1963Ordination: 1958Notes: Fr. Donald J. Crosby was accusedNotes: Fr. Charles H. Eckermann wasof sexually abusing children in the 1970s.He voluntarily left the priesthood in 1975and was laicized in 1980. He went on towork for 25 years as a guidance counselorat Soule Road Middle School in Utica,New York, but resigned in 2003 after theschool learned of his alleged child sexualabuse 30 years earlier.Assignments:defrocked and sentenced to a life ofprayer and penance by the Vaticanin April 2014 as a result of credibleallegations of child sexual abuse.Assignments:1964-1969St. Matthew, East Syracuse, NY1958-1963St. Brigid, Syracuse, NY1970St. Thomas, New Hartford, NY1964St. Cecilia, Solvay, NY1971-1974Faculty House, Utica, NY1965-1966St. Brigid and St. Joseph, Syracuse, NY (in residence)1973-1974Utica Catholic Academy1967-19761975-2003UnknownBishop Ludden Faculty House, Syracuse, NY(in residence)1/2/2004Died1972-1976Bishop Ludden High School, Syracuse, NY (Principal)1977-1984St. John the Baptist, Syracuse, NY1985St. Mary of the Assumption, Binghamton, NY1986On sabbatical leave1987-1988Our Lady of Pompeii, Syracuse, NY (in residence)1988Office for Planned Giving, Syracuse, NY1989Office for School Development, Syracuse, NY (Director)1989-2001St. Ann, Manlius, NY2002-2007Blessed Sacrament, Syracuse, NY (in residence)2002-2014Retired2013-2014Presbyteral Council2015-2018UnknownAndersonAdvocates.com 646-679-5996Attorney Advertising5

Fr. Francis J. FurfaroFr. Bernard GarstkaOrdination: 1941Ordination: 1948Notes: Fr. Francis J. Furfaro has beenNotes: Two civil lawsuits filed in the earlyaccused of sexually abusing severalchildren. A 2003 lawsuit alleged thatFr. Furfaro sexually abused sevenmen or boys. In 2003, the Diocese ofSyracuse stated that Fr. Furfaro had beenpermanently removed from ministry asa result of credible allegations of childsexual abuse.Assignments:2000s accused Fr. Bernard A. Garstka ofchild sexual abuse.Assignments:1942-1949Our Lady of Pompeii, Syracuse, NY1949-1953Sacred Heart, Syracuse, NY1950-1991St. Joseph, Oswego, NY1954-1958St. Ann, Binghamton, NY1973-1978Episcopal Vicars – Oswego County1959-1960Blessed Sacrament, Johnson City, NY1979-1996Vicars-General – Northern Area Vicar1961-1962Holy Trinity, Utica, NY1984-2001Oswego County Jail, Oswego, NY1963-1964Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Binghamton, NY1992-2003Retired1965-1966St. Patrick, Taberg, NY1993-1996St. Louis, Oswego, NY1967-1971St. Stephen, Marathon, NY1997Vicars Forane – Northern Area Vicar1972-1982St. Stephen, Syracuse, NY2004-2009Unknown2/28/1982Died3/29/2010DiedFr. John F. HarroldFr. James C. HayesOrdination: 1973Ordination: 1965Notes: In 1983, Fr. John F. Harrold wasNotes: Fr. James C. Hayes was removedarrested for allegedly sending child pornography through the mail. The criminalcharges against him were dropped afterhe entered a treatment center in NewMexico. Fr. Harrold reportedly resignedfrom the priesthood in 1997.Assignments:from his parish assignment in 2002 in thewake of an allegation of inappropriatebehavior. In 2003, the Diocese stated thatFr. Hayes had been permanently removedfrom ministry due to credible allegationsof child sexual abuse.Assignments:1974-1977St. Mary of the Assumption, Rome, NY1966-1967St. Mary, Binghamton, NY (in residence)1978St. Peter, Rome, NY1968-1969Faculty House, Binghamton, NY1979-1980St. Catherine, Binghamton, NY1970-1972Unknown1980Catholic Charities – Broome County Offices(Executive Administrator)1973St. Louis, Oswego, NY (in residence)1974St. John the Evangelist, Oswego, NY (in residence)1974-1976Oswego Catholic High School, Oswego, NY (Principal)1977Assistant Superintendent – Oswego County1977-1978Bishop Cunningham Catholic High School, Oswego, NY1978-1984St. Anne, Parish, NY1979-1981Ecclesiastical Attorneys1984Diocesan Pastoral Council – Northern Region1984Priests’ Senate (Senator)1985-1988St. John the Baptist, Syracuse, NY1989Diocesan Cabinet – Northern Region1989-1990Board of Diocesan Consultors1989-1991Holy Family, Fulton, NY1992-2002Community General Hospital, Syracuse, NY (chaplain)1993-2003St. Michael, Onondaga Hill, NY (in residence)1997-2003Special assignment1998-2002Our Lady of Good Counsel, Warners, NY2003-2018Unknown1980Family Life Bureau – Broome County (Director)1981-1982St. Mary, Oswego, NY1983Leave of absence1984-1986On duty outside the Diocese – Servants of the Paraclete1987Absent on leave1988-2003On duty outside the Diocese2004-2018UnknownAndersonAdvocates.com 646-679-5996Attorney Advertising6