Non-Monetary Settlement Undertakings

As part of the settlement between the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Inc. and survivors of clergy sexual abuse, certain non-monetary undertakings were agreed to. These include two mutually agreed upon lists of non-monetary stipulations.

As stipulated in the documents, the Diocese of Wilmington is required to post on this website, the names of all known diocesan clergy or lay employees regarding whom there are admitted, corroborated or otherwise substantiated allegations of sexual abuse, molestation and rape of minors. Here is that list:

  • Paul Calamari*
  • Edward B. Carley1
  • Eugene F. Clarahan1
  • Francis P. Cornely1
  • Francis G. DeLuca1
  • Douglas W. Dempster
  • Henry J. Dreyer1
  • Edward F. Dudzinski2
  • Richard F. Gardiner1
  • Peter J. Harney1
  • William E. Irwin1
  • John A. Lind1
  • Leonard J. Mackiewicz1
  • Kenneth J. Martin
  • Joseph A. McGovern
  • John F. O’Brien1
  • William J. Porter
  • Walter D. Power1
  • Francis J. Rogers
  • John A. Sarro1
  • Gerard C. Smit*
  • Carmen D. Vignola1
  • Harry D. Walker2
  • Harry P. Weaver1
  • Charles W. Wiggins

*Priests of other dioceses who, at one time, worked in the Diocese of Wilmington.

All those listed above are or were priests. Many of the above are deceased1. Those still alive have been removed from ministry. Some have been laicized2.

The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington has released all survivors of clergy sexual abuse from any confidentiality provisions in settlement agreements, which they signed as a condition of such settlements. Additionally, the Diocese of Wilmington forbids confidentiality provisions in any settlement agreement related to sexual abuse entered into by the diocese and/or parish except at the written request of the survivor claimant.

In October of 2011, the Most Rev. W. Francis Malooly, then Bishop of Wilmington, issued the following statement in the News Journal and The Dialog. Click here to read the statement.

Per the settlement agreement, Bishop Malooly visited parishes in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore to express his gratitude to survivors of clergy sexual abuse and to apologize to them on behalf of the diocese. The Bishop completed these visits on May 5, 2013.

Child Protection Consultant

The Diocese of Wilmington has retained Dr. Sandy K. Wurtele, Ph.D. as a Child Protection Consultant to evaluate and make public recommendations with respect to the various programs and policies of the Diocese of Wilmington adopted for the protection of children. The appointment of Dr. Wurtele is in accord with the non-monetary undertakings of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington’s bankruptcy settlement.

The specifics of this appointment are as follows:

  • The Child Protection Consultant will evaluate and make public recommendations with respect to the training provided to the seminarians, specifically hearing from volunteer survivor-advocates and third-party child protection professionals. The Child Protection Consultant shall be permitted to attend and observe the inaugural presentation to the seminarians and subsequently attend and observe these same presentations not less frequently than every five years.
  • The Child Protection Consultant will: (a) review and make recommendations with respect to the regular seminarian training programs; and (b) evaluate and make public recommendations with respect to all current and future child protection programs administered by the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. The Child Protection Consultant will issue public recommendations for the first time by February 27, 2012.
  • The Child Protection Consultant will evaluate and make public recommendations with respect to the annual mandatory reporting training required of all employees of the Diocese, its parishes, schools, and other diocesan operated institutions.
  • The Child Protection Consultant will evaluate and make public recommendations with respect to the child abuse prevention curriculum known as Keeping Our Promises intended to educate children, young people, and their parents.
  • The Child Protection Consultant will evaluate and make public recommendations with respect to the following programs: For the Sake of God’s Children for seminarians and Keeping Our Promises for children.
  • The Child Protection Consultant will re-evaluate and make recommendations not less frequently than every five years.
  • On an annual basis the Diocese will submit to the Child Protection Consultant the annual audit, which is prepared as part of the compliance with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Dr. Wurtele is a member of the Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.  Dr. Wurtele is currently the Director of Undergraduate Program in Psychology and Chair of the UCCS Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects, University of Colorado.  She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska with a major in psychology; her master’s degree from the University of Alabama in clinical psychology; and her doctorate from the University of Alabama in clinical psychology with a specialty in child clinical work.

Dr. Wurtele has a national reputation for her studies and work in the area of childhood sexual abuse and its prevention. Her written works and lectures encompass all aspects of the childhood sexual abuse problem, providing analysis as well as instruction and guidelines for prevention of childhood sexual abuse.

Sandy K. Wurtele, Ph.D., Child Protection Consultant, has issued her report, “Best Practices in Safeguarding Children: Report on Diocese of Wilmington’s For the Sake of God’s Children.”

Click here to read the Executive Summary

Click here to read the entire report

Click here to read the Diocese of Wilmington’s Response to the report