CMRI-Associated Abuse Allegations
Regional Context: Western U.S. Catholic Institutions
Abuse allegations involving TLRC and CMRI-associated individuals occurred within the broader context of documented sexual abuse within Western U.S. Catholic institutions during the 20th century. This regional pattern affected the Jesuits West Province, Archdiocese of Seattle, and Diocese of Spokane, among other institutions.
Jesuits West Province
The Jesuits West Province released a list of credibly accused clergy (official list).
Settlement and Documentation
In 2011, Jesuits West agreed to pay $166 million to approximately 500 people in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy settlement. The cases documented abuse throughout the 20th century at Jesuit schools and Native American reservations.
- Documentation indicates that 55 of nearly 650 Jesuits buried at Mt. St. Michael cemetery in Spokane, Washington were accused of sexual abuse (approximately 8%)
- The province was reportedly used as a destination for transferring clergy with abuse allegations from other regions
Media Documentation
Several major media investigations have documented these cases:
- PBS Frontline - "The Silence": Examined abuse by Catholic Church personnel along Alaska's west coast in the late 1960s and early 1970s
- Reveal Podcast - "Sins of the Fathers" (December 2018): Focused on sexual abuse within Jesuits West, particularly at Gonzaga University
Archdiocese of Seattle
The Archdiocese of Seattle maintains a list of credibly accused clergy (official list).
Diocese of Spokane
The Diocese of Spokane declared bankruptcy in 2004 due to sexual abuse claims and maintains a list of credibly accused clergy (official list).
Disciplinary Practices and Physical Abuse Allegations
Former members and critics have documented various disciplinary practices within TLRC/CMRI institutions that they characterize as abusive. These accounts describe corporal punishment and disciplinary measures that exceeded conventional standards.
Documented Disciplinary Practices
According to former member accounts and media reports, disciplinary practices included:
- Corporal punishment using wooden paddles and leather straps for various infractions
- Head shaving as punishment for unauthorized socializing between sexes
- Consumption of soap or jalapeño peppers as disciplinary measures
- Extended physical postures or uncomfortable positions as punishments
- Isolation in confined spaces for extended periods
- Restrictions on food quality and quantity
- Mandatory late-night religious observances affecting sleep patterns
Legal Documentation
On October 26, 1976, Paul Welsh, a religious teacher at a TLRC school, was sentenced to five days in jail in Kootenai County, Idaho, for excessive corporal punishment of a 10-year-old student.
Research Context
Contemporary research on corporal punishment (Harvard Graduate School of Education) indicates that severe physical punishment can have lasting developmental effects similar to those documented in cases of sexual abuse.
Sexual Abuse Allegations: Historical Clergy Associations
Several clergy who were associated with the TLRC in its early years were later credibly accused of sexual abuse in other contexts. These individuals were part of the broader pattern of clergy movement between institutions during this period.
Early Associated Clergy
- Fr. Burton J. Fraser, S.J.: Named on the Jesuits Central Province credibly accused list on December 7, 2019. The allegation concerned events in the 1950s, with the accusation made after his death in 1971.
- Fr. Joseph Pineau: Credibly accused in 2003 of sexual misconduct with an adolescent. The alleged abuse occurred around 1967 involving an adolescent in counseling. He had retired from the Diocese of Spokane in 1968.
- Fr. Lawrence S. Brey: Accused in December 2018 of abuse at Holy Innocents Catholic School in Waite Park, MN, in the 1970s and 1980s. The Diocese of St. Cloud stated this school was operated independently, not by CMRI/TLRC. In April 2023, State of Minnesota in Court of Appeals case A23-1537 opinion states: The district court determined that, although “[i]t [was] clear that [appellant] was sexually assaulted by Robert Sis and Fr. Brey[,]” the childhood sexual and physical abuse that appellant suffered while attending the school from 1978 to 1984 was “the only source of injury attributable to [respondent].”
Associated Independent Clergy
- Fr. Mario Porras Blanco: A priest operating an independent sedevacantist chapel in Tacoma in the 1980s-2000s who was credibly accused of abusing at least 21 children. He also traveled to CMRI-associated locations. His funeral Mass was conducted by former CMRI priest Fr. Adam V. Cyr.
Internal Allegations and Institutional Responses
Leadership-Related Allegations
For detailed information about allegations involving Francis Schuckardt as both victim and accused perpetrator, see the Bishop Schuckardt page.
Contemporary Allegations
- 2022 Statement: Former member Francie Urban Radecki stated in August 2022 that she was aware of two religious priests/brothers who allegedly sexually abused girls, with one having left years ago and another reportedly still working with the CMRI. She did not provide names publicly.
- Institutional Knowledge: Former member accounts suggest that some allegations were known within the organization but not reported to civil authorities or made public.
Boarding School Allegations
According to former nun Sherri Schettler's 2014 book, Sister Solange alleged in the early 1990s that she was sexually abused by a nun at the Villa Maria boarding school in 1979. Schettler claimed this allegation was not properly addressed by CMRI leadership.
Contemporary Cases and Ongoing Issues
Schuckardt Faction Cases (Post-1984)
In 2005, three members of the Schuckardt faction (Steve A. Belzek, Justin Kirkland, and Michael W. Muratore) were found guilty of sexually abusing an 8-year-old boy beginning in 2000.
Associated Lay Members
- Mark Pretz: According to reports, convicted of sexual assault of his adopted daughter and remained active in a CMRI-associated parish in Colorado Springs.
- Milton Fabre: In 2005, defended Fr. Mario Blanco against abuse allegations. Later convicted of murdering his daughter in 2015.
Historical Context and Administrative Responses
Pre-CMRI Context
Documentation indicates that Archbishop Ngô Đình Thục, whose episcopal lineage the current CMRI claims, described in his 1982 memoirs his administrative approach to handling sexual abuse cases in Vietnam, which involved allowing accused clergy to suggest their own disciplinary measures.
Institutional Transparency
Unlike mainstream Catholic dioceses that have implemented disclosure policies following abuse scandals, the CMRI has not established similar transparency measures or public acknowledgment of historical abuse allegations involving associated clergy.
Documentation and Verification
Information presented is based on:
- Court records and criminal convictions
- Official diocesan credibly accused lists
- Published accounts by former members
- Contemporary news reporting
- Legal settlements and bankruptcy proceedings
- Academic and investigative journalism
Readers seeking to verify specific allegations are encouraged to consult original sources, including court documents, official church records, and established journalism sources. The complex history of clergy movement between institutions during this period requires careful verification of individual cases and their specific connections to TLRC/CMRI operations.
This documentation represents information available through 2022-2023 and may not reflect all current developments or ongoing legal proceedings.