TWO CATHOLIC PRIESTS WHO WORKED IN FORT WORTH WERE ACCUSED OF MOLESTING KIDS ELSEWHERE
July 8, 2020
Domingo Ramirez Jr.
Star Telegram
Two Marianist religious order priests accused of molesting children in the United States worked in the Diocese of Fort Worth. But they aren’t on a list of clergy accused of sexual abuse of minors in the Fort Worth area because the alleged abuse didn’t occur here, according to a statement from the diocese.
The Roman Catholic religious order based in St. Louis recently released the names of its members found to have sexually abused a minor since 1950 in the United States.
That list included Father John N. Schlund and Father Daniel A. Triulzi, who both worked in the Diocese of Fort Worth at one time. Triulzi was removed from the ministry in 2006 and Schlund in 2004. Triulzi died in 2017, according to the religious order, the Marianist Province of the United States.
“Daniel Triulzi and John Schlund, two Marianist members who at one time served in the Diocese of Fort Worth, have been named on a recently-released list of Marianist members found to have sexually abused a minor while serving in other dioceses,” according to a statement released by the Diocese of Fort Worth on Wednesday. “Those members have never been alleged to have committed sexual abuse of a minor in the Diocese of Fort Worth.”
In 2007, the Diocese of Fort Worth created a list of clergy with local, credible allegations of sexual abuse of a minor. The list, which is on the diocese’s website, says it includes names of accused clergy who served in the diocese since its establishment in 1969.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) said the Diocese of Fort Worth should include Schlund and Triulzi on its list. SNAP is an advocacy group for victims of clergy abuse.
“Just because there have been no allegations reported in Fort Worth does not mean that no offenses occurred,” said Lisa Kendzior, a spokeswoman with SNAP, in a Wednesday email. “The church consistently promises openness and transparency. Listing these men and informing alumni of the schools where they operated would show dedication to that promise.”
Triulzi taught at Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth from 1983 to 1990 and was an assistant pastor of St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Denton, Texas, from 1995 to 1999, according to the Marianists. He also worked at Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis; Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton, Ohio; and John Vianney High School in St. Louis.
Schlund worked at “Campus Ministry” in Denton, according to the Marianists. In addition, he served at TECABOCA, a Catholic camp and retreat center in Mountain Home, Central Catholic High School in San Antonio, and Chaminade College Preparatory in St. Louis. The Marianists’ list doesn’t include dates for when he worked in each place.
In 2008, Marianist members settled a civil lawsuit brought by a man who said he was abused in the 1990s by a priest at his St. Louis private school — Chaminade College Preparatory — in the 1990s. That priest was Triulzi.
The civil lawsuit, filed in August 2005, alleged that Triulzi sexually assaulted the man when he was a teenager, plying him with a car and trips.
In 2008, Triulzi was no longer serving as a priest or in a capacity that would put him near young people, said Brother Stephen Glodek, provincial for the Marianist Province of the U.S., in an interview with the Associated Press.
At that time, Triulzi was living in St. Louis in a Marianist community which was not near a school or day-care center, he said.
The Marianists agreed to several reforms designed to prevent future abuse, including removing Triulzi from contact with children.
The Marianists’ statement doesn’t say when or where the allegations of abuse against Schlund were made. Officials with the order couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Church leaders in the Diocese of Fort Worth did not provide any additional information on Triulzi or Schlund.
“We are grateful that the Marianists have now publicly released a list of their members who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of a minor,” according to the statement from the Diocese of Fort Worth. “As always, the Diocese of Fort Worth invites anyone with information about abuse or who has been abused by any priest, deacon, employee or volunteer of the Church to contact us so that the Church can reach out in assistance.”
Anyone with information on a crime or who has been abused should contact local police before church officials, the diocese said.
SNAP officials demanded that the Diocese of Fort Worth take action.
“It is possible that there are still silent victims in the Fort Worth area,” Kendzior said. “And it costs church officials nothing to share this information and encourage victims to come forward and get help.”
The Marianist Province of the United States released the names as it followed the call and leadership of Pope Francis, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Conference of Major Superiors of Men in shedding light on past grievous offenses during a time of heightened scrutiny surrounding this painful issue, according to a statement released by the religious order in March.
Marianist members said the listing has been updated based on information available to the Province in June.
“We recognize the likelihood that we will receive additional information and/or receive new allegations from previously unknown survivors, victims, or their families,” according to their statement. “This listing will be periodically reviewed and updated when new information is received and if new allegations are found to be substantiated.”
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article244082702.html
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