List of Those Disqualified from Working with Children or Youth

The following is a list of individuals who, in the judgment of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, are credibly accused of any of the following actions that disqualify and prohibit them from working or volunteering with children or youth in any Diocese of Kalamazoo parish, school, agency, institution or any other Catholic entity located within the Diocese of Kalamazoo. Priests included on the list are forbidden from engaging in public ministry.  This is a dynamic list and will be updated as new information becomes available. (Last updated April 2024)

Disqualifying and prohibiting actions, if done by someone who at the time was employed or volunteering for any parish, school, agency, institution, or any other Catholic entity within the Diocese of Kalamazoo, include:

• continued violations of a child-protection policy after warnings,
• failing as a mandated reporter to report allegations of abuse of minors,
• failing to act to prevent abuse that they knew to be happening,
• furnishing pornography to minors,
• the possession/use of child pornography,
• physical abuse of minors,
• direct sexual abuse or sexual assault of minors.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo encourages individuals to report such actions to legal authorities.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo reserves the right to consider other grievous actions as grounds for inclusion in the list.

The Diocese is also aware of certain persons, well-known to the faithful of this Diocese, who are alleged to have committed disqualifying actions in places outside of the Diocese of Kalamazoo and who are therefore on similar public disclosure lists elsewhere.  The Diocese calls attention to this fact by identifying those persons at the end of this list.

Determination of credibility: For an individual to be included on this list, the relevant allegation(s) must be established to be credible by at least one of the following:

(1) secular legal proceedings,
(2) canon law proceedings,
(3) self-admission by the individual,
(4) evidence that meets the “clear and convincing” standard (defined as highly probable or reasonably certain).

It is important to remember the accusations, while considered credible in the judgment of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, are not the equivalent of conviction in a court of law.

The Diocese of Kalamazoo welcomes any additional information that may shed light on any past or present cases of disqualifying and prohibiting actions and will update this list in the future as necessary based on any new information or investigations.
 

I. THOSE WHO ARE LIVING:

The individuals on this list are believed to be alive and living in the locations noted. They are listed with their last known status or employment:

Douglas Alan Butler – Battle Creek, Michigan
Former Cub Scout Committee Member

Fr. Richard Fritz – Lakeport, Michigan
Forbidden to function as a priest.

Joey Gallaway – Battle Creek, Michigan
Former playground supervisor

Nathan John Lavoie – Grand Rapids, Michigan
Former choir director

Fr. Brian Stanley – Coloma, Michigan
Forbidden to function as a priest.

Fr. Leroy White – Davison, Michigan
Forbidden to function as a priest.
 

II. THOSE WHO ARE DECEASED:

In recognition of the fact that the effects of disqualifying and prohibiting actions remain even after the offender has died, the Diocese of Kalamazoo lists the following individuals who, if still alive, would have been included on the list given above. 

Father Dennis Boylan
Was forbidden to function as a priest.
Date of Death: January 20, 2018

Father Bernard L. Horst, S.M.
Was restricted in his ministry as a priest.
Date of Death: February 15, 2001

John Charles Pierce
Former Janitor
Date of Death: January 22, 2001

David Redmond
Former Sacristan
Date of Death: November 24, 2012

Calvert Shenk
Former Music Teacher and Choir Director
Date of Death: July 9, 2005

Msgr. Jacob Vellian
Was forbidden to function as a priest in the Diocese of Kalamazoo.
Date of Death: December 22, 2022
 

III.  THOSE DISQUALIFIED BECAUSE OF ACTIONS COMMITTED ELSEWHERE

Msgr. Leonard Bogdan
On the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Credibly Accused List, the Diocese of Phoenix’s Credibly Accused List, and the Bishops’ Accountability Credibly Accused List
Forbidden to function as a priest.
Living in the Diocese of Phoenix

Fr. Thomas DeVita
On the Bishops’ Accountability Credibly Accused List
Forbidden to function as a priest.
Died: December 13, 2013

Fr. Stanley Staniszewski
On the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Credibly Accused List, the Diocese of Gary’s Credibly Accused List, and the Bishops’ Accountability Credibly Accused List
Died: April 2, 2016

Former Fr. Michael Weston
On the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Credibly Accused List
Resigned from active ministry in 1993; Laicized in 2009
Location unknown

Fr. Bogdan Werra
On the Diocese of La Crosse’s Credibly Accused List and Bishops’ Accountability Credibly Accused List
Died: September 9, 2017
 

en español