The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend has published an amended list of the priests and deacons credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.
Two additional priests were added to the list on Tuesday, Oct. 9, and the number of allegations against a priest on the original list has been corrected.
The diocese released the first list of accusations last month.
RELATED: Local Diocese publishes names of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor
The amended list of those credibly accused was developed with the assistance of the Diocesan Review Board, which was established to assist the bishop in complying with the requirements of The Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and The Essential Norms. The Diocesan Review Board is comprised of mostly lay people and its members assess all allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests and deacons presented in this diocese.
The two additional names of priests who have served in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend and have been credibly accused of at least one act of sexual abuse of a minor are Michael Paquet, osc, and Bruce A. Schutt. Two more allegations have been added to the previously released name of Elden Miller.
The addition of Paquet and Schutt were the result of further analysis by the Diocesan Review Board and Bishop Rhoades of additional information received by the diocese regarding open investigations. Michael Paquet was previously named by his religious order, The Crosier Fathers, as someone against whom credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors were made. The number of allegations with respect to Elden Miller, as originally released on September 18, was corrected; the original number included on the list was an error. The spelling of Miller’s first name was corrected as well.
The amendment to the list with these new names was not the result of new allegations or accusations of abuse incidents. The entire list of names of those credibly accused in its entirety can also be found on the diocesan website.
A “credible accusation” against a priest or deacon of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is an accusation that, after a thorough investigation and review of available information, appears more likely true than not in the judgement of the Diocesan Review Board, and is accepted as credible by the bishop.
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend stands firm in its commitment to investigate any allegation of sexual abuse by a member of the clergy and to listen to and support anyone who has been abused: Mary Glowaski, Victim’s Assistance Coordinator, mglowaski@diocesefwsb.org, 260-399-1458 or Father Mark Gurtner, JCL – Vicar General, 260-399-1422.
DETAILED BACKGROUND FOR EACH CREDIBLY ACCUSED PRIEST
Michael Paquet, osc
Date of Ordination: May 28, 1978
Removal from Ecclesiastical Ministry: November 18, 2002
Dismissed from Clerical State: September 16, 2005
Number of Credible Allegations: 1
Places Served:
1978-1979 – Crosier Assignments outside the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
1979-1985 – Ministry Center Retreat Director, Fort Wayne, Indiana
1983-1985 – Spirit Alive TEC Youth Minister, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Fort Wayne, Indiana
1985-2002 – Crosier Assignments outside the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Bruce A. Schutt
Date of Ordination: May 29, 1965
Loss of Clerical State: May 9, 1975
Number of Credible Allegations: 2
Places Served:
June 15, 1965 – St. Monica Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
April 20, 1968 – St. John the Baptist Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
June 15, 1968 – St. Patrick Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
June 25, 1971 – Chaplain, Indiana Army National Guard
July 1, 1971 – Sacred Heart Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
October 2, 1972 – United States Army Training Center, Fort Eustis, Virginia
April 15, 1974 – December 31, 1974 – Ministry in Diocese of LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Elden Miller
Date of Ordination: May 8, 1954
Retired: July 15, 2003
Removed from Public Ministry: December 18, 2006
Number of Credible Allegations: 4
Deceased: July 26, 2008
Places Served:
June 11, 1954 – St. Joseph Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
July 1, 1971 – St. Joseph Parish, Roanoke, Indiana; St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, Nix Settlement, Columbia City, Indiana
July 1, 1974 – St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Fort Wayne, Indiana
July 9, 1984 – Immaculate Conception Parish, Kendallville, Indiana
February 10, 1988 – Queen of Peace Parish, Mishawaka, Indiana
