Catholic Clergy With Ties to Texoma Included on List of Accused Sexual Abusers

The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth has released a list of clergy with credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors, which includes several priests and deacons with ties to the Wichita Falls and Texoma area.

The list was updated on Tuesday with allegations dating back to 1950 through today. The Diocese of Fort Worth also released the following statement with the list of the accused:

The Diocese of Fort Worth is committed to eradicating the evil of sexual abuse of minors. The protection of our children is a moral obligation and is of paramount importance to the Diocese of Fort Worth. When it comes to the protection of children, complacency is unacceptable. The Diocese of Fort Worth has taken and will continue to take affirmative steps to ensure the safety of our children.

 

Here is the updated list of names of the clergy accused of sexual abuse of minors who have served in the Wichita Falls and Texoma area:

James Fitzpatrick

Ordained in 1954 for the Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth.
Deceased on August 6, 1973.
Assignments for Diocese of Fort Worth:

• Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Wichita Falls): 1969-1973.

Philip Magaldi

Ordained for Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island in 1960.
Deceased on August 8, 2008.
He was incardinated into the Diocese of Fort Worth in 1995. He retired in 1999. He was formally removed from ministry in August, 2006.
Assignments for the Diocese of Fort Worth:

• St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Henrietta); St. William’s Catholic Church (Montague); St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (Nocona); St. Jerome’s Catholic Church (Bowie): 1990-1992.
• St. John the Apostle Catholic Church (N. Richland Hills): 1993-1999.

Gilbert Pansza

Ordained for the Diocese of Fort Worth in 2000.
He was removed from active ministry on December 14, 2006, after discovery in the files of a past admission of sexual misconduct with a minor dating from the 1970’s. Assignments for the Diocese of Fort Worth:

• St. John the Apostle Catholic Church (N. Richland Hills): 2000-2002.
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church (Decatur); St. John the Baptizer Catholic Church (Bridgeport); St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Jacksboro): 2002-2006.
• Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church (Wichita Falls): 2006.

Rudolph Renteria

Ordained in 1979 for the Diocese of Fort Worth.
He was removed from active ministry on June 29, 2002. On December 10, 2010 Pope Benedict XVI decreed that Reverend Rudolf J. Renteria is dismissed ex officio et pro bono Ecclesiae from the clerical state, and is released from all obligations of the Sacred Priesthood.
Assignments for the Diocese of Fort Worth:

• St, Matthew’s Catholic Church (Arlington): 1979-1981.
• Sacred Heart (Wichita Falls): 1981-1982.
• Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Church (Vernon); St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (Crowell); St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Quanah): 1982-1985.
• St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church (Lewisville): 1985-1987.
• Holy Family Catholic Church (Fort Worth): 1987-1989.
• Hospital Ministry in Fort Worth. Hospital Chaplain Ministry at St. Paul’s Hospital (Dallas): 1989-2002.

James Howlett

SAC Ordained in Ireland for the Pallotine Fathers.
Removed from ministry by the Pallotine Fathers. He lives with the Pallotine Community in Dublin, Ireland with restrictions on his contact with individuals outside of the Pallotine Community.
Assignments for the Diocese of Fort Worth:

• St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Graham); St. Theresa’s Catholic Church (Olney): 1977-1984.
• St. Brendan’s Catholic Church (Stephenville); St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Dublin, Texas); Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Comanche); Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church (De Leon): 1984-1985.

Bede Mitchel

OSB Benedictine Order based in Subiaco, Arkansas.
Deceased March 1983.
Assignments for the Diocese of Fort Worth:

• Sacred Heart Parish (Muenster): 1969-1973.
• St. Peter Parish (Lindsay): 1973-1975.

Deacons:

Russell William Detwiler

Ordained in 1995 for Diocese Fort Worth.
Accepted for ministry in the Diocese of Fort Worth in 1995. Retired from active ministry in 2015. Suspended from ministry in 2017. In 2018, plead guilty to indecency with a child and aggravated sexual assault of a minor and has been sentenced to state prison.
Assignments for Diocese of Fort Worth:

• Prison Ministry (Wichita Falls); Volunteered at Allred: 1995-2001; Chaplain at Allred: 2011- 2017.
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Wichita Falls): 1995-2001, 2010-2015.
• Out of the Diocese (Saginaw Michigan): 2001-2006.
• Assigned to 4 parishes April 2006 – left December 2008; St. William Catholic Church (Montague); St. Mary Catholic Chur

Click here to see the full list of Diocese of Fort Worth clergy accused of sexual abuse of a minor.

Wednesday afternoon it was announced that the rest of the dioceses in Texas have made the decision to release early next year the names of more clergy who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor.