The Catholic Diocese of Richmond has released a list of clergy members that “have a credible and substantiated allegation of sexual abuse against a minor,” according to a news release.

The list comes at the conclusion of an independent investigation completed by a third party. 

More than 40 clergy members were included in the list posted on the diocese’s webpage. 

According to the diocese website, the list was compiled after careful analysis. Names were “added to the list if the greater weight of evidence suggested it was more likely than not that the abuse occurred. This does not mean it was proved to have occurred.”

“To the victims and to all affected by the pain of sexual abuse, our response will always be about what we are doing, not simply what we have done. We will seek not just to be healed but will always be seeking healing. We will seek not just to be reconciled but will always be seeking reconciliation,” Bishop Barry Knestout wrote in a letter published along with the list.

In a pastoral letter from September, Knestout told parishioners an independent investigation would be conducted by a third-party.

“Our diocese is committed to making public the names of those priests from our diocese who have received credible and substantiated allegations of abuse,” Knestout wrote in the September letter. “I believe this to be an important step in helping survivors.”

Priests of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond:

Beardsley, Fredrick James: Suspended

Blankenship, John Paul: Convicted/Laicized

Bostwick, John Raymond: Removed

Butler, John Robert: Laicized

Dozier, Carrol T.*: Deceased

Goff, Richard Bernard: Laicized

Goodman, Julian B.: Removed

Hesch, John Beaman *: Deceased

Higgins, Philip J.: Removed

Leonard, John E.: Convicted/Removed

Leveille, Roland Edmund: Dispensed

Majewski, Joseph B.: Suspended

McConnell, James Henry*: Deceased

Murphy, Dennis Paul: Suspended

Pham, Joseph Thang Xuan: Suspended

Rizer, James Lee: Deceased

Rodriquez, Oscar Alexander “Paul”: Convicted

Rule, Steven R.: Suspended

Shrader, Dwight Edward: Laicized

Teslovic, Eugene John: Removed

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Priests ordained in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, alleged to have committed abuse in the present-day territory of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and later incardinated to the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, or alleged to have committed abuse in both dioceses:

Findlay, Harris Markam*: Laicized

Kamerdze, Paul Jude*: Deceased

Krafcik, Andrew William Paul: Laicized

Munley, John Joseph*: Deceased

Nudd, Robert Eugene*: Deceased

Rea, John*: Deceased

Reinecke, William Thomas*: Deceased

Ryder, Austin Lewis*: Deceased

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Religious and Priests of Other Dioceses with allegations of abuse that occurred in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond:

Brady, Martin D., TOR, Franciscan: Deceased

Burkhardt, Gordian, OSB, Benedictine: Laicized

Earley, Richard, R. SSJ, Josephite: Deceased

George, Frederick, OSB, Benedictine: Removed

George, George, Maronite: Convicted

Melody, Roland (Owen John), m.s.ss.t, Trinitarian: Convicted

Philben Francis M., CSS p, Holy Ghost*: Deceased

Ryan, Paul David, Ballarat, Australia: Convicted/Removed

Smalls, Oliver Joseph, Belize, S. A.: Unknown

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Religious and Priests of Other Dioceses with allegations of abuse elsewhere, who worked in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond:

Bourbon, Francis R., S.J., Jesuit: Unknown

Burton, Charles Jeffries, S.J., Jesuit: Removed

Dyer, Bernardine George, O.P., Dominican Friar: Dismissed

Fedor, James, Scranton: Laicized

Ludwig, Augustine, OSB, Benedictine: Abandoned Ministry

Notes:

*The allegation of abuse was made after the priest’s death.

To be laicized means a member of the clergy is dismissed from the clergy

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This is a developing story. Return to PilotOnline.com throughout the day for updates.