Most Reverend William F. Medley, Bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro held a press conference Friday at the McRaith Catholic Center.
The purpose of this conference was to release the names of priests of the Diocese of Owensboro who have substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor and to answer any questions.
The full list released by the diocese:
Priests ordained for the Diocese of Owensboro
Gerald Baker – Ordained priest of the Diocese of Owensboro in 1983. Three allegations deemed substantiated by the Diocean Review Board. Removed from public ministry 2016.
Paul Greenwell – Ordained in the Diocese of Louisville in 1928. Became a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro in 1937. Multiple allegations from the 1940s and 1950s deemed substantiated. Left the diocese in 1956. Deceased 1964.
Walter Hancock – Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro in 1947. Multiple allegations deemed substantiated. Removed from public ministry 2002. Deceased 2012.
Gilbert Henninger – Ordained a priest in the Diocese of Louisville in 1937. Became a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro in 1937. Multiple allegations received after his death but deemed substantiated. Deceased 1990.
John Meredith – Obtained a priest in the Diocese of Owensboro in 1980. One allegation deemed substantiated by the Diocean Review Board. Removed from public ministry 2013.
Louis Piskula – Ordained a priest in the Diocese of Owensboro in 1975. Six allegations deemed substantiated. From 1994 onward he was in restricted ministry and removed from public ministry in 2002. In 2014, he was convicted of child sexual abuse and sentenced to prison. Deceased 2018.
John Speaks – Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro in 1974. One allegation deemed substantiated. Removed from public ministry in 2002.
Carroll Wheatley – Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro in 1975. Two allegations deemed substantiated. Removed from public ministry in 2011. Deceased 2013.
Henry Wieder – Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Owensboro in in 1989. One allegation of sexual abuse received in 2002 involving incident prior to ordination deemed substantiated. Left active ministry 2003.
Priests from another Diocese of Religious Order
Joseph Alexander – Ordained a priest in 1973 in the Order of St. Benedict. Allegation is from years prior to ordination while at St. Maur’s Seminary in South Union, Kentucky. Considered substantiated and removed from public ministry in 2002.
Joseph Pilger – Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Covington in 1955. Served in the Diocese of Owensboro from 1963 – 1976. Thirteen allegations deemed substantiated. Convicted of child sexual abuse in 1993. Deceased 2003.
Louis Telegdy – Ordained as a priest of the Precious Blood Order in 1942. Served in the Diocese of Owensboro 1972-1978. One allegation received in the Diocese of Owensboro after his death. Three allegations in the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa deemed substantiated. Deceased 1995.
Raymond Waldruff – Ordained a priest as a Franciscan Third Order Regular (TOR) in 1953. Served in the Diocese of Owensboro in 1967 – 1968. Five allegations received; at least two deemed substantiated. Dismissed from the TOR in 1983. Deceased 1985.
Allegations which occurred outside the Diocese of Owensboro
Paul Haas – Ordained a priest in the Diocese of Nashville in 1959. Served in the Diocese of Owensboro 1966-1977. Multiples allegations in Tennessee were deemed substantiated. No allegations received in the Diocese of Owensboro. Deceased 1979.
William Odom-Green – Ordained a priest in the Diocese of Owensboro in 1991. One allegation in the Diocese of Oakland, California in 1999. Convicted of sentenced to prison. No allegations in the Diocese of Owensboro. Removed from public ministry in 1999.
