Accused priest list from diocese where abuse 1st made public

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The U.S. Catholic diocese where the first widely reported case of clergy sex abuse surfaced in the 1980s has released a list of 33 priests and four deacons credibly accused of molestation

The list released Friday by Louisiana’s Diocese of Lafayette identifies three priests who were convicted or pleaded guilty. The list gives each man’s birth and ordainment year, assignments, and status, such as whether he was removed from the clergy, resigned or both. Three were removed last year.

At least three names also were on another list released Thursday by the neighboring Lake Charles diocese, which was part of the Lafayette diocese until 1980.

The Lafayette diocese employed Gilbert Gauthe (goh-THAY), who pleaded guilty in 1985 to abusing 11 boys in the nation’s first high-profile sex abuse case.